# head tilting with rats - advice please



## Claireglynn (Dec 9, 2011)

Hello,

I have a friend who works at pets at home and on my way home from work dropped in to see her. They had a young female rat in the adoption bit by herself so I asked about her and she has severe head tilt, the side of her face was constantly almost on the floor.
They have taken her to a vets who said it was either an illness or a parasite but they didn't know which. 
She had been on medication sorry forgot to ask what but it had made no difference. 
She seemed happy and was walking about. 
They said she has good days like today and bad days where she walks around in circles. 

So, I completely fell in love with her. I just adore special needs rats, however have never had or even seen one with head tilt. 
My questions are could it be contagious to my other 4 girls and if not would they attack her because of this like they may in the wild?
I am prepared for constant vets trips but could this be a sign of something really serious. 

Sorry for all the questions,

Claire


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

I've read on rat forums a rat with a head tilt is either the result of an ear infection which has been left and not treated. Or maybe tumour?
I think if she were mine I'd get her to a vet get her on a 14 day course of Baytril and see if that helped.

Well done on taking her on.
Now where are the piccies? 

I found this info for you
Health Guide: Otitis Media, Otitis Interna / Labyrinthitis


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## Guest (May 4, 2012)

I have a head tilt rat here 
My boy copes well with his (mine is a pt rat that won't let the illness get to him ). The only thing different for him is his cage is very basic so that he can't hurt himself too much when he falls.

Unless you have a reliable rodent vet it might be best to walk away (I hate saying that but I'm a pessimist) because it doesn't sound like it will be a simple case (especially as the in house vet doesn't seem to have a clue :confused1

HOWEVER if you are 100% capable of caring for her (she shouldn't be a risk to your currant girlies) and you are willing to take on her potential issues then go for it :thumbsup:


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## Claireglynn (Dec 9, 2011)

Thank you all so much for the replies. I posted this thread on the carpark of pets at home on my phone earlier today.

They are open until 8pm so still deciding, i am 99% sure i want her.

I went back in and asked to see the medical notes/history of her and it said:
She came in at 8 weeks old and she was absolutley fine.
2 weeks later after quarentine had finished and she was on the shop floor she developed head tilt so they took her out the back, 3 days later it got really bad and one of her eyes turned light pink so she was taken to the vets who put her on a 14 day course of baytril.
She showed absolutley no sign of improvement so was taken back to the vet after the baytril had finished, however her eye had gone back to a normal ruby red colour.
The vet said it was either from a parasite, result of a fit, severe and sudden ear infection or an illness but he has no idea which one.
The vet also said her quality of life was good enough not to be pts however she may not have a long life.
She is now 5 months old, so has spent the last 3 months of her life in a tiny cage with not much handling so i asked to hold her just to see what effect this has had and she kindly took a tiny chunk of my knuckle as a thank you.

So what do you all think, night time trip to [email protected] or run away?

My main concern was if she could be contagious to my other girls. But that looks unlikely.

Took some pic's on my phone to show you all so will upload them now.


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## Claireglynn (Dec 9, 2011)

Well here is the reason for the post, taken at [email protected]


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## LostGirl (Jan 16, 2009)

Is she on her own? I would get her but I'm a soft touch as every time I go to a pet shop and they have a single rat I buy them lol I hate seeing them alone


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## Claireglynn (Dec 9, 2011)

Yes she is all alone.

She was seperated from her sisters at 9-10 weeks old because of the head tilt and she is now 5 months old and still alone.


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

I'd get her.


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## LostGirl (Jan 16, 2009)

aww poor girl she wouldve been fine with the other girls  Yep i'd have to get her


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## Claireglynn (Dec 9, 2011)

Your all terrible....... But thats sealed it. 

I'm going for her now! :thumbsup:


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## delca1 (Oct 29, 2011)

I have very little knowledge about rats but many years ago in my teens one of my female rats developed a bad head tilt. I was told by a vet that it was an inner ear disease that affected balance, there was no treatment. Eventually we had her put to sleep when it became clear that it was the kindest thing to do. I'm not sure how long she had it for before we finally decided but it was quite a while.

Good luck with your decision, it would be good if she can experience life beyond a tiny cage in a pet shop.


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## Claireglynn (Dec 9, 2011)

Unbelieveable got there at 7:46 and they were locking up.
Will be back tomorrow morning as long as i dont chicken out. 
Even if she has a few months with me i would be happy, just knowing that she had an excellent last few months with loads of love and rattie friends.


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## Claireglynn (Dec 9, 2011)

B3rnie, does your rat have to live seperatly in a 'safer' cage?

I was thinking about putting her in the bottom floor of my cage, its fleece lined with a fleece cube, food, water, hammock, a basket full of fleece, and toys but there is a ladder to go upstairs if she can make it.
Would this be to dangerous? I'd want her to live as normal a life as possible without her getting hurt or my current girls going without.


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## Guest (May 4, 2012)

Claireglynn said:


> B3rnie, does your rat have to live seperatly in a 'safer' cage?
> 
> I was thinking about putting her in the bottom floor of my cage, its fleece lined with a fleece cube, food, water, hammock, a basket full of fleece, and toys but there is a ladder to go upstairs if she can make it.
> Would this be to dangerous? I'd want her to live as normal a life as possible without her getting hurt or my current girls going without.


I'm glad you have decided to get her  After reading her medical history I'd probably swing towards a severe ear infection caused by stress 

My head tilt boy lives with his brother in a single level cage, but Mac has very little balance so he falls from anything 

With this girl I would go for your plan, but keep a very close eye on her, if she starts falling a lot then I would re-assess her cage lay out. You might find she copes absolutely fine with her tilt and she might start coming out of her shell once she has friends  Her living alone won't have helped her at all


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## Claireglynn (Dec 9, 2011)

Thank you so much b3rnie, yes i definatly want her.

They said she cannot climb at all as she is unable to lift her head up so if she does have problems i could remove the ladder, my girls would still be able to get down to the bottom level with her but she wouldnt be able to climb up, buts thats worse case and its still a much better life than shes got now.

I was reading up on ear infections and yes it does very much sound like it.


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## Guest (May 4, 2012)

Claireglynn said:


> Thank you so much b3rnie, yes i definatly want her.
> 
> They said she cannot climb at all as she is unable to lift her head up so if she does have problems i could remove the ladder, my girls would still be able to get down to the bottom level with her but she wouldnt be able to climb up, buts thats worse case and its still a much better life than shes got now.
> 
> I was reading up on ear infections and yes it does very much sound like it.


I wouldn't put much faith in what [email protected] home say, it won't be the first time they have lied about an animal 

She sounds like a very lucky girl to have found you


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## Claireglynn (Dec 9, 2011)

Hi again,

Well i have little twirl home now and she seems so much worse than friday.
She doesnt seem able to walk on fleece at all she just keeps falling over onto her side.

I am going to get her to a specialist vet asap for a second option but the assistant manager was there today who had spoke to the vet and seemed to think the vet was almost sure it was due to a parasite rather than an ear infection, however the parasite was gone but this is how she was left and how she always will be. Has anyone ever heard of this?

I will post more pic's tonight once she is settled, and i want to start intro's asap to perk her up a little.

My husband thinks i'm totally nut's, his exact words were why on earth have you bought a half dead rat home thats going to be a money pit. He just has no idea does he?? But i'm sure most of you would of done the same when you see her cute face.


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

I wouldn't trust a pets at home vets!
If she were mine I'd take her to the vets and see if going on a combination of doxycycline and Baytril each twice per day for 14 days.


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## Guest (May 6, 2012)

How are her front feet? Is she able to hold food in her paws or does she find this difficult?

I would definitely get her to a rodent savvy vet, to get her checked over.


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## Claireglynn (Dec 9, 2011)

Her front feet are totally fine, she can push the fleece away from her and grab hold of it, it just seems to be from her neck up.


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## Guest (May 6, 2012)

Claireglynn said:


> Her front feet are totally fine, she can push the fleece away from her and grab hold of it, it just seems to be from her neck up.


Doesn't sound like classic PT then, I would def get her to the vets and get her on a combo of doxycycline and Baytril and go from there.


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## Claireglynn (Dec 9, 2011)

Thank you so much, i'm just praying they havnt left her to long without proper help.
But will definatly mention the meds you have said when she see's the vet.


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## Claireglynn (Dec 9, 2011)

Good news intro's went perfect, so much for "she's proberly best kept by herself as she cannot walk far and she cannot climb anything".
Shes now made her way up 2 flights of stairs to the top of the cage and is enjoying a corn on the cob with holly.

However, bad news is my husband was sitting on the sofa watching tele with his hand on his knee when she walked up to him and just took a chunk out of his finger, puncture wounds on both sides of his finger and has been bleeding for about 30 mins now. She wont be a daddys girl then like the others.
It has made me a little nervous of handling her now but she hasnt done the same to me....yet anyway. The only other person she has ever bit was the vet who was a man, not sure if it is a man thing then.


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## Maltey (Nov 29, 2011)

How strange, I've heard of cats and dogs not liking men or women, but never rats!
She might just need slow introductions to him

Aww, little mummy's girl


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