# Collapsed lung!! Please help..



## Sblass (Nov 30, 2016)

Took my baby to the vet on Monday. My vet said he has a collapsed lung/pneumonia or some bacterial infection. He's been on baytril and doxie since then but he hasn't really gotten better. He definitely isn't eating and I don't think he's drinking now.... am I going to have to put him to sleep!?? I don't know what to do. He's so young but I do not want to see him go though this. I've offered him dry and wet cat food, even some of my burger just to see if he would eat and he won't. Has anyone been through this before??? I added his x-ray. You can see on the right his lung is really clouded.


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## luvmy4rats (Nov 29, 2013)

I am so sorry you're going through this and can relate. My first ever rat used to sneeze a lot and I didn't know what it meant or what the repercussions would be and soon found out. One morning I went to get her as I always did and she had labored breathing and I took her to the vet immediately. The vet called it 'wasp waist'. They told me they couldn't hear her heart beat due to lung scarring and sent me home with baytril + doxy. To make a long story short we tried different medications and oxygen nubulization and she wasn't improving. She passed away 21 days after her labored breathing started. 

Another rat I owned also got pneumonia at 18 months of age and instead of putting her through the **** I put my other rat through I had her put to sleep immediately but this was due to her_ mouth breathing._ I knew at that point there was no reversing what ailed her (she had been on meds for myco flare ups on and off). It was a very sad and painful day but I swore I'd never watch another rat of mine mouth breath longer than they had to. 

With your rat, I can't give advice. Only you know if his quality of life has been compromised.


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## Eightbitengine (Feb 20, 2017)

My rats are very picky about water and food when they are on antibiotics but I have found a few tricks to get them to eat and drink. Now your rat is much sicker then mine are so I can't be sure these suggestions will work for you but go ahead and try them anyways.

Food: 
Make sure your rat is as comfortable as he can be and in his cage cuz lots of rats prefer not to eat when being handled. If he is up and sniffing around that's a good sign and might be an even better opportunity to try and feed him but if he is lethargic because he is sick just wait for him to get comfortable (laying or otherwise resting in one of his favorite spots) 
Also make sure he's awake (Sick rats don't like to be woken up)
but if he won't wake up and you have waited all day go ahead and try waking him up yourself.
For the actual feeding you will need to be very patient because he might not take the food right away (Hold very still and wait for I'd say up to 10 minutes)
Pick something he doesn't eat a lot or hasn't had before, if the rat feels like its a rare treat he will be more likely to eat it.
Pick something healthy but sweet and with a smell cuz he needs to know it is food. Also because he isn't drinking much something wet would be a good idea (Cucumber slice, apple piece ect.)
Cut off any skin (He is probably tired and doesn't want to have to chew something hard.)
Then hold the piece of food near him so he notices and wait for him to start to eat it.
If this doesn't work get something that he can lick up (Like baby food or applesauce) and put it on a spoon or on your finger tips

Water:
Rats love sugary things. Take a spoon and fill it with water and mix in a very very small amount of natural complex sugars (A drip or two of juice from an apple or a tiny bit of applesauce should do the trick)
then hold the spoon near the rat and a little under his face and hopefully he will lick it up

Also keep in mind rats are more active at night so it is possible he is eating and drinking and you just aren't seeing him do it. Mark the water bottle with a marker where the water is and then check the mark the next day. If the water level is below the mark then he is drinking and you don't need to worry so much.

As for whether or not you should put him down I would say that is up to you. He could recover. I would talk to your vet again and ask what they think (Also ask for their work email because emailing a vet about your pet is cheaper than scheduling another check up.)


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## Eightbitengine (Feb 20, 2017)

In my personal opinion and my vet agrees with me, when it comes to pets and their health treatment should come first and euthanasia comes second. In most cases it's a good idea to keep medicating as instructed and look for improvements. I personally would only consider putting him down after your best attempts at nursing him back to health has failed.

Put simply if after a reasonable amount of time being treated (I'd say no less than 14 days but ask your vet for an accurate number) he hasn't gotten any better or has only gotten worse then it's time to talk about euthanasia with your vet.
Oh and also only you or your vet can decide if your rat needs to be put down, In my opinion you should only really discus euthanasia with a professional veterinarian.

If it does come to this my heart goes out to you. Losing a pet is a very unpleasant feeling, you love them so much and no mater how much time you get to spend with a pet it never feels long enough.


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