# Clear, wet noses? HELP!



## gal5150 (Aug 14, 2012)

My 6.5 wk old rattie brothers, Phineas and Ferb, have been on Baytril for the past 2 wks for possible URI. They were hiccuping with a slight
chirp, rapid respiration, and lethargy. Ferb was the more lethargic of the two. Their energy is much better, eating/drinking beautifully, but noticed today they both have clear wet noses. We've had them for 2.5 wks and thier noses were dry until today with no sneezing what so ever. Noticed Phineas sneeze once today.

Called vet and she's extended the baytril for 2 more weeks. Is there anything else i should be doing? Im concerned that the wet noses just cropped up now. Not seeing porphyrin on nose/cage. Just clear, wet nose. The boys have Hendryx rat/chin cage lined with flannel and care fresh in their bunk beds.

Just concerned.
Sarah


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## gal5150 (Aug 14, 2012)

Correction....lined with fleece and upon further inspection it seems Phineas has the more wet nose.


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## 1a1a (May 6, 2011)

Not much help but my ratties have perpetually wet noses and are only sometimes sick enough to need medicating, the thing to really pay attention to is how their lungs sound.


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## Fils (Aug 23, 2012)

One of mine also has this I noticed today. It seems to be actually coming out of her nostrils. She cleans it off a lot and that is when I notice the sneezing sound I posted about before. Other than that I see no signs on sickness. I can't rat phone her as she's way too nervous to come anywhere near me. She was a little bit stressed at the time as we had to handle her to clean her cage. Is it normal or is it time for a trip to the vets?


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

remove the care fresh, I have always found it dusty for my rats...see if they stop sneezing when its gone.


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## gal5150 (Aug 14, 2012)

I'll remove the care fresh. Im feeling a bit paranoid....what shouod their breathing look like. Both boys seem to be breathing very rapidly andci cant tell if its bc theyre nervous (and they are), or ifcits labored breathing. Ive rat phoned them both but all i can hear is their poor little hearts racing. I noticed their heads move slightly vain rhythm to their breathing.... I dont recall noticing that before. I just love them so much and I want to make sure I'm doing the best I can for them.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

If all you are hearing is nervous rat's hearts you are probably ok.

Laboured breathing is different. They rock back and forth, their sides bellow in and out very obviously.

Costal breathing is a bad one, its laboured breathing but they rae using their abdominal muscles to try to breathe.

This is laboured



This is costal


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## gal5150 (Aug 14, 2012)

It looks more like costal breathing from those video. Thank you so much for posting them!! Both boys are doing it. Called E vet's office thisAM and they wouldnt see them, saying the vet was not comfortable dosing doxy, etc bc she's not an exotic vet. Called the E vet an hour away and they were tentative saying they would see them but the vet also was not sureif she'd feel comfortable prescribing. As its a holiday tomorrow not sure if my regular vet will be in. I have 250mg azythromycin at home. Thoughts on proceeding myself with a baytril/azythromycin combo? Ive read it can do wonders in young rats. Im terrified of losing these kittle guys.


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## gal5150 (Aug 14, 2012)

Here's a link to video of Ferb breathing...Phineas looks just the same when breathing.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSa_TwEzdGc


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## gal5150 (Aug 14, 2012)

2 more videos....Phineas: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbSHPZjnfrU&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Ferb: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luZwhXDZPEY&feature=youtube_gdata_player


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Breathing looks fine to me.

Are they actiive, eating, drinking well?


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## gal5150 (Aug 14, 2012)

Its so hard to capture their breathing on video. The last video of Ferb in the corner of the cage was how they were acting pretty much all day....squinting, a little hunching, they started extending their necks out over the edge of the hammock while whole body moved with each breath, lethargy, totally innactive even during their usual spaz hour...just laying side by side squinting eyes, and less eating, avoiding interaction and acting super skittish. We added the zithro to the baytril and I see some improvement in energy/eating today. 
Will take them to our vet tomorrow.


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## gal5150 (Aug 14, 2012)

Update: vet said she approved of the azithromycin/baytril combo and the boys are doing absolutely smashing!!!! Finally acting like rattie baby boys should...full of the crazies! Only bummer is we have to continue to compound the azythromycin at home bc she would give us the same dose tablet to compound. Tastes miserable but couldn't be happier with the result!!


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