# Sick Rat Lungs *GRAPHIC IMAGE WARNING*



## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

This is an image of the lungs of my rat Teddy. Teddy was PTS after fighting a severe chronic URI for months. Eventually his suffering became to much and we had him humanely euthanized.

I asked the vet to necropsy him to see his lungs because I have never experienced such a severe URI, and this image was the result.

The vet, and myself were aghast at what was found. Not only were his lungs damaged by Mycoplasma. But they were ruined, one lung was entirely non functioning and just a mass of scar tissue as you see above. The vet made an incision and nothing but globs of pus flooded out, that is the brown goo you see. His remaining lung was barely working, and when he was finally PTS his feet were blue and he seized with gasping breathes from lack of air.


This is not only an image to show people what a rat lung looks like when sick, this a post to remind us HOW important it is to give vet care when a rat is ill. 
Had Teddy not been on many Antibiotics, and daily Metacam pain killers in his final weeks his suffering would have been immense.

This is why URI's and Myco are NOT easy treatments, and NOT something to be put off, they are serious, and they can kill rats just like Teddy.


























These are some pictures with Teddy. He was a vibrant, happy and outgoing rat. And I had him since the day he was born. Teddy was 2 years old.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

So it was pulmonary abscesses? Did he get the nipped in waist as well? I hate P.A, there's so little you can do. At the end you use steroids to shrink inflamed tissue in the lungs but it's only palliative.


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

Yep, the vet said the scar tissue was severe, He was very frail in the end, and would heave as if drowning. 

At the point when we were going to use steroids his suffering was so bad, having him PTS was the only Humane option. My poor man, I just got his ashes this week which I am going to bury this weekend, posting this was really sad for me because I usually wait to bury ashes of my rats about 2-3 weeks so I can get over the loss, and this was a long time to wait.
I am glad he is no longer suffering.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Kiko said:


> Yep, the vet said the scar tissue was severe, He was very frail in the end, and would heave as if drowning.
> 
> At the point when we were going to use steroids his suffering was so bad, having him PTS was the only Humane option. My poor man, I just got his ashes this week which I am going to bury this weekend, posting this was really sad for me because I usually wait to bury ashes of my rats about 2-3 weeks so I can get over the loss, and this was a long time to wait.
> I am glad he is no longer suffering.


One of my big halfie boys is struggling with this...he is only at the point where he gets steroids for when he's really having trouble. But his extremities are very very cool to almost cold at times. It sucks. The antibiotics cannot penetrate the abscesses, as they are just like regular abscesses and are walled off bits of infection, that fill up the lungs, can even break off and asphyxiate a rat. ((hugs))


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

That must be why the antibiotics never helped his breathing, the only thing that helped in the end was Metcam.
Thanks for the sympathy 

I also hope this gets a few people to reconsider not giving vet care to their rats :/


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## kindhearted (Aug 4, 2011)

Omg this is what my rat has. I just posted a thread about it. My vet told me it would be best to put her down but I don't know if I could do it :'(


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## Mrs. Brisby (Dec 13, 2011)

Oh my gosh that is so terrible I am sorry! This is why I am so worried about what to do with my new rat...if he has this I don't think I could handle this as a new owner.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

kindhearted said:


> Omg this is what my rat has. I just posted a thread about it. My vet told me it would be best to put her down but I don't know if I could do it :'(


How sick is your girl? They can live for awhile relatively comfortably...all depends on what stage she's at.


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## Maltey (Jun 26, 2011)

Poor little rattie 

I'm glad you posted this.
I hope more people step up and take note and realise they can't leave their rats suffering thinking 'it's just a little sniffle'
It's not, and you are killing your rat. Not nature, not fate _you. (_Not you Kiko, you did everything you could for that little guy)
I'm so sorry for your loss and Teddy's suffering, but let's hope it wasn't all in vain and it teaches at least one person that vet care is essential.


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## TGQ (Dec 26, 2010)

I also agree that this is very informative. This is hard to look at, but I think it should remind everyone just how important vet care is.
So sorry about Teddy.


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## HighwayStar (Aug 20, 2010)

My girl has been sneezing a bit lately and had a some porphyrin around her nose and I had been wondering if I should take her for a vet visit. I saw this yesterday and decided immediately we needed a vet trip. It turns out she has a URI. Who knows what may have happened if I had waited a week or so for it to get more apparent. Thank you for making me take action early.


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

Yay!
You did the right thing, I am glad the post helped at least one rat.


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