# Sneezing with Clear Discharge and No Chest Congestion



## pwrliftinratties (Aug 24, 2008)

Hey all! I am not new but I haven't been around for a while.

10 days I purchased a 5wk old rex dumbo from a pet store (bad I know, but it wasn't a feeder, and there are no breeders in my podunk area). He was a little sneezy when they jostled his tank, which I know was from the urine and the cramped quarters. I brought him home and put him on plain white paper towel with towels and t-shirts to bed in (and hidey places too, just no bedding). He sneezed all week, but there was no discharge. I supplemented with echinacea and dark chocolate (1/2 mini chip every other day) and he sneezed less.

Suddenly 2 days ago he had what looked like an asthma attack. I awoke to him gasping for breath and acting lethargic. I took him into a steamy room, and when that didn't help I took him right to the vet. He stopped the gasping on the way to the vet (of course) and the vet looked at him and listened to his lungs. He said his lungs are clear and he has no prophyrin discharge.

Last night our crappy window came open, and I woke up to a very cold room. Here's where things start to suck: the heat barely works anywhere in the house, so the only safe room was the bathroom. I had to put the baby in the bathroom with the other two boys (~6 months old, no health problems ever). The quarantine was already bad because my BF kept leaving all the doors open, and now it's ruined! 

So now the baby is sneezing a TON, but has CLEAR discharge. There is no prophyrin in his eyes, nose, on his paws, or on any of his bedding. One of my other boys has sneezed a couple times, but I can't tell if it's a problem or I'm just noticing it more. All three are acting normally. I see no prophyrin on any of them. The vet said the baby sounds clear and he may just have allergies. I had cleaned the night before his 'asthma attack'. Tonight my BF is buying some baby Benadryl as I have read that 1 drop of the infant Benadryl can help clear up allergies if that's what's making the ratty sneeze.

So, any thoughts? Why no prophyrin? Why clear rat snot? Why did my vet say he's totally fine and he keeps sneezing so much?? Can rats really have 'allergies'?


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## pwrliftinratties (Aug 24, 2008)

I should also add that I switch the bedding every day or every other day if I can just pick up the stray poops. He is in a cage so it's very well ventilated. He does not sneeze while he's sleeping, and it worsens when he is excited and sniffing a lot. 

And he's my little snugglybear and he's the lickiest, snuggliest lap rat I've ever seen. ;D


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## pwrliftinratties (Aug 24, 2008)

Update-- I made an appointment with the vet that has a doc who sees rats and apparently knows a lot about them. I have to wait until Friday unfortunately, because nothing was open that worked with my class schedule. I have to make a separate appointment for my other two boys. I'm giving them some more echinacea for the next few days to see if that helps any.


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## AMJ087 (Aug 27, 2008)

I wish I could help more. My male Pistachio sneezes a lot too. Not everyday though. Somedays he jsuts sneezes a lot but Ive never seen him have an asthma attack. Usaully for him a little echinacea and some extra produce helps. I hope you get some more info and if you do please post back on here.


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## pwrliftinratties (Aug 24, 2008)

Yea, we thought it may have been allergies, but after removing the possible allergens he actually seemed to just get worse. He is still behaving normally, and so are the other two, but all three are still sneezing.

I'm not even sure if it was an asthma attack. He may have had a nasal blockage. He was just gasping for every breath and acting lethargic, even letting me flip him over on his back. I'm glad he's okay now though. He's licking my toes LOL.


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## Lynxie (Jun 25, 2008)

My rat Sniffles has the same problem. We've changed everything from their bedding type to their food to everything. Yet she still sneezes. No discharge. No chest sounds. No congestion.

I'll definitely be keeping an eye on this post.


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## ipopcorn (Feb 25, 2008)

has it gotten any better yet? Im not sure about the "asthma" attack but could the sneezing just be the new home sneezes, some rats get really sneezy when they come home to a new place, lots of new smells and all, it goes away after awhile


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## pwrliftinratties (Aug 24, 2008)

I finally got them to the vet! ;D

This time the vet knows a lot about rats. He was very nice and even though I brought 3 in, he only charged me for 2 exams (I brought Baby in first and then Aries and Mars later in the day).

Aries had a ton of discharge that pretty much started overnight, and it was odd because he hadn't been sneezing. Mars and Baby had some prophyrin and were very sneezy. There was no chest congestion. He prescribed them all 3 weeks of Baytril. He said it could be due to stress in conjunction with myco. He said that some rats will not really be able to suppress it well and have tons of flare ups, but in some cases enough Baytril will suppress it so much that they won't have any flare ups. 

Sadly, he also explained why rats pass away so early in terms of respiratory stuff..they have so much scar tissue it's just too hard to breathe, like emphysema patients. :'( I hope Baby doesn't have any more flare ups, because he is my heart rat and I love him so darn much.

He said that if they don't improve in about 2 weeks, it might be environmental. He said to get a humidifier. Interestingly, he also said that Kleenex is better than plain papertowel for bedding because if they ingest it, it's easy to break down. Plus it's more absorbent. 

I hope that helps someone!


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## begoodtoanimals (Dec 6, 2007)

One of my rats sneezes too once in a while and then my breeder told me to wash their bedding in allergy free detergent. That did the trick.


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## sherlock (Jan 26, 2009)

my rat had problems sneezing so i got echineacea you can get in at natural health shops you an feed it to them directly its sweet so they like it or add it to water


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