# HELP!! My rat is making clicking noises and VERY lethargic :(



## candace (May 19, 2013)

I have a double rex rat, Pinky. We've only had him for about a month. He had a brother, Brain, but sadly he died of pneumonia. We do not have a vet around here that really knows diddly squat about rats. I read for months about rats before we got these guys and I'm still educating myself so that I can do all I can to keep our babies healthy and to make sure that their given proper treatment when their sick since their isn't a vet around here who really knows how to treat rats. I took Brain to a vet and consulted with him and he prescribed Ciprofloxacin. But the poor boy was just to far gone. He was sickly when we got him and we did everything we could, but he didn't make it :'( 

So now Pinky is alone. I spend around 5 or 6 hours a day giving him as much attention as possible so he won't get depressed. The reason we haven't gotten a second rat is that shortly after Brain passed Pinky started displaying all the signs of a lower respiratory infection. So I started giving him the Ciprofloxacin after speaking to the vet and a friend who's run a pet shop and bred and raised rats for 23 years. He did great! Tomorrow would make one week of antibiotics. 

Now here's my problem. Pinky is usually a VERY energetic little fellow. He'll hardly hold still for 10 seconds to be loved on. He's very sweet and very friendly and social. He's just hyper. Last night he was scurrying all over the place and just having a grand old time. This morning he was perky and bright-eyed and all excited for breakfast. Tonight my husband is holding him and he has been asleep on his hand for 30 MINUTES. He has never done this. Even when he started coming down sick last week he never sat still for this long. His breathing also seems kind of labored. And he's making a slight clicking noise. Almost like the click you might make with your tongue. It's not bruxing and it's only occasional. It doesn't appear to be any kind of choke. I've checked his limbs, tail, spine, and teeth. Everything looks good. He didn't eat quite as much as he usually does today, but he did eat. And he drank plenty of water. He has not had ANY treats since he started the antibiotics. His lungs sound clear. But his breathing is way too quick. I am absolutely clueless on this. There is only one vet within 2 hours of here that has any kind of exotic pet experience and he's only treated about 12 rats in his entire career. He doesn't have any kind of exotic animal training. He's just the vet around here who's willing to treat anything and everything. I'm not saying he's horrible or something. But he did tell me Brain had a URI when it had already progressed to pneumonia. If I had an exotic vet around here with some real experience with rats I would sell a kidney if need be to get my baby the treatment he needs! But there's not one. So I've got to figure out what is going on with my baby and fix this ASAP.

I have no clue how he was doing so much better and now he's gone downhill so fast. Should I try a new antibiotic? There is no emergency vet around here (I HATE Mississippi). So I can't get more meds for him until Monday. Is this something completely different? Anybody with any advice PLEASE help me here! I'm sick with worry


----------



## candace (May 19, 2013)

He just hopped up and started running around. No more labored breathing, no more clicking. It just disappeared. Was he faking? What the heck? Haha. If anyone else has ever had a rat do this, I would still appreciate advice. This is just strange. Also, I forgot to mention. He takes a tiny drop of Milk of Magnesia with his Ciprofloxacin. He's got a sensitive tummy. The amount of Milk of Magnesia isn't even 1/10th of a CC. It's just enough to keep him from having an upset stomach.


----------



## candace (May 19, 2013)

And now he's back to lethargic, clicking noise, and labored breathing


----------



## nicodemus (Feb 21, 2011)

There are many other people on here who can offer much better information than I, but I have been dealing with pneumonia for days.  What's working for us is Baytril and Doxycycline together. My two guys aren't back to their old selves yet but it's been a week and they are making steady progress.

Keep in mind that when rats get sick, they get sick FAST. They're so tiny and fragile, it doesn't take much. Baytril and doxy are kind of the staples for these kinds of symptoms.


----------



## candace (May 19, 2013)

Thanks nicodemus. First thing Monday I'll be getting some Baytril and Doxy. I've heard good things about Baytril and URI's and pneumonia. So we'll give that a shot. In the meantime, we're going to try some natural remedies to get this boy back to feeling good. I hate for him to be miserable all weekend until I can get him some meds.


----------



## alexn (Sep 30, 2012)

I'm really sorry to say this, but it sounds very similar to what happened to Toki - fine one minute, clicking and gasping the next. This went on for a day or two before she declined rapidly and was put to sleep a week later.

She didn't have pneumonia though, and I hear that it can be cleared fairly easily with meds. 

I really hope it's not what she had, and hopefully meds will sort it out. Fingers crossed 

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## candace (May 19, 2013)

That is EXACTLY what happened with Brain and what I'm worried is happening with Pinky. It looked like advanced pneumonia that set in really fast. And the vet said that's what it was. He may have been wrong. Did you find out what Toki had?


----------



## alexn (Sep 30, 2012)

Yeah, well... Ish. 

We think she had heart disease, as her heart was enlarged and pushing against her windpipe, hence why she seemed fine at rest, but any excitement or activity and shed start gasping. 

That was the main issue, however the vet did tell me after my wife had gone that he'd seen some very worrying signs of what *could* have been a tumour starting at the top of her lungs. It wasn't in any way the main cause, but it could well have been contributing and gotten worse.

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## candace (May 19, 2013)

Oh heavens! That sounds awful. I'm sorry  Losing a buddy is always tough. I'm crossing my fingers Pinky doesn't have something like that.


----------

