# Got a sick sick girl here...need healing vibes please!



## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Kamali is one of my Maritimer sisters who came from New Brunswick on a 2 person rat train to Ontario. Her mom and dad were bought to feed the snake but snakeywasn't hungry so the gf of the snake-owner kept them. Sadly the bf liked to torture them by letting the cat into their cage etc. As we all know males and females living together make babies and a wonderful rescue woman came into the picture. The 12 babies were taken out of there when the bf started saying he was going to feed them to his snake as a snack. At a week old Kamali and Kyrie and their siblings were saved.

Sadly they always seemed to have respiratory issues but they used to clear up with baytril/doxy. then we had to bump it up a notch to baytril/zithro which has rarely failed me. 

Unfortunately my wonderful, kind, knowlegeable vet sold her clinic and was having her new one built. She has been MIA for over 5 months now . I have been forced to see a crappy vet who knows nothing about medicating rats, etc. He will give me baytril but no zithro.

Kamali started doing some hard rapid breathing and knowing her siblings have had issues with CHF I tried her with lasix and enalapril to see if there was any improvement. Nada 
So my poor girl is getting every 2nd day sub-q injections of gentocin and dexamethasone (steroid) to make her breathing easier. We have an appt with my good vet (finally!!) this Saturday. Last night she took a turn for the worse. I am having to handfeed her and am going to buy Ensure tonight to syringe into her as well. I need to keep my sweetie going until my good vet can see her.

My neutered boy Dilbert has been nursemaiding her, when she wasn't feeling well, and ignoring her when she was feeling better. With a sinking heart I saw him lying under her as a patient pillow last night. 

Dilbert's uncomplaining squishiness is a great pillow









Kamali stretches and yawns...









Yawns are contagious aren't they Dilly?









You still okay there hun?









And a video of my lovely girl last night


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## ratrover (Nov 17, 2007)

they are really cute but i dont have any advice sorry


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## mopydream44 (Jun 10, 2007)

I'm sorry to hear your rattie is ill lilspaz. It must be terribly frustrating to know what is best for your pet and be denied by an arrogant vet. Just keep her comfy and a watchful eye open. 

I am sending plenty of good vibes your way. Just think positively, and stay calm and your rattie will follow suit.


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## reachthestars (Feb 27, 2007)

Sorry to hear about your Maritimer . I remember that litter, and the transport that was worked out. You really came through for them, and I can't imagine those girls having a better home than you.

Neutered males make such great companions for the ladies, I don't think i'll ever be wikthout one in my cage again. Gentle scritches to Kamali and a good poke for Dilbert.


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## Darksong17 (Feb 11, 2007)

Poor thing! She's definitely in my thoughts. Good luck lilspaz68. Give Kamali a smooch for me and Dilbert some skritches for being a good nursemaid.


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## Phobie (Jun 3, 2007)

I had a similar situation with little Edgar recently. He was very very weak, skinny, breathing problems and gentical disfigurement. My vet gave him steroid injections and antibiotics, which improved him somewhat, but after about 2 months now he is raring to go.

I sympathise complete and I only hope that your ratty gets better soon, good luck


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## Kimmiekins (Apr 14, 2007)

*hugs you & the sweetie pie* Hun, I am sending the most healing and loving thoughts I can. Keep us updated, please.


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## ration1802 (Sep 25, 2007)

Poor poor Kamali!

I wish there was something helpful I could say, after all, you've been so helpful to me recently.  You're doing your best for her, we all know that.

Add plenty of good thoughts and feel-better-soon squishy's to the pot, from me and all my terrors. We're all hoping for the best for Kamali


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## rat_ratscal (Sep 23, 2007)

sounds like you are really doing your best to help her, i know lots of people (not on the forum) who would give up when their vet left.

so are you sure there are no more vets in your area? and have i ever mentioned how much i love rat tongues????

good job, ill pray for you guys : )


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## jellybeanqueen (Sep 6, 2007)

i'm sorry about Kamali..at least she's in excellent care.
sending good vibes your way!


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

Healing wishes for Kamali. Hang in there ):


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Thank you everyone!!  

Kamali wasn't sleeping in the hammock when I came home or cuddled up to Dilly. I called her name and a sleepy face came out of the bottom Snap-Inn and stretched and yawned. I was sure it wasn't her since I do have Valora who has a big wide beige hood, but nope it was Kamali 

She is much better tonight, I will be doing daily injections until Dr. Munn sees her, since that will help her breathing. There is no porphryin, no poufed fur but that breathing...sigh


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

She's the same as last night, so I am hoping she's around the bend and will make it to my Good Vet...woohoo! Have I mentioned how much I hate needles? 8O


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## ration1802 (Sep 25, 2007)

XD Good news!

She looks bright enough, you know? And, did I see her trying to clean? You know she can't be feeling too bad if she's still got the cleaning bug

Keep the good vibes coming people! 

Go Kamali! Get better little girl


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Kamali actually seems better not just stable tonight. She was in my lap bright-eyed, having 7 cc's of ensure after her injection and she was grooming quite vigorously then she settled down for some stroking and bruxing. I have a lot of hope now


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## ration1802 (Sep 25, 2007)

XD yay!


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

And even brighter this morning! She ran to the front for her baytril


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## ration1802 (Sep 25, 2007)

Double yay! XD XD


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

The consensus with my vet and I is that Kamali has pulmonary abscesses.  These are abscesses in her lungs and they rarely respond to treatment as the abscess is walled off. They diminish the room for air to come in so the rat has laboured breathing.

I am to continue on with the dex injections and change her meds to baytril/zithromax. Very happy my vet is back


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## Meliss (Sep 1, 2007)

My girl rat Tara had a lot of repirtory problems and was basically on doxy a lot. My boy rat used to comfort her when she wasn't doing well--- he used to lay under her. It was so cute. Unfortunetly she just got worse and worse and no better and we had to put her down---I hope your rat gets better soon


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Meliss said:


> My girl rat Tara had a lot of repirtory problems and was basically on doxy a lot. My boy rat used to comfort her when she wasn't doing well--- he used to lay under her. It was so cute. Unfortunetly she just got worse and worse and no better and we had to put her down---I hope your rat gets better soon


In the future Meliss you may want to add something to the doxy for chronic or anything other than a mild URI. 

Kamali is on steroid injections daily, and baytril and zithromax twice a day. I hope to keep her comfortable for as long as possible. 

Dilbert and her sister Kyrie are Nursemaiding.  Which is very surprising as this group of rats (lovingly and aptly called the Rampaging Horde) are not gentle or even couth, but almost all of them are being very gentle and kind to her. If Dilbert isn't nearby then her sister is or both.  Dilbert often gently licks her neck, and if I am giving her meds thru the bars and she pushes someone away they very gently get "pushed"...unlike the mad scrabbling that is normal. They really are trying to care for her :heart:

Kamali's favourite pillow is back


















Then her other Nursemaid comes over to see whats going on...Kyrie her huuuge sister

















Kamali often sleeps like this...btw its not porphryin but ensure on her nose


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## jellybeanqueen (Sep 6, 2007)

aw, those pictures make me squeal. <333
i'm glad she's doing better!


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Today is a really good day for her 










With her cagemate Terra


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## allynpsych (Sep 12, 2007)

I'm so glad she's doing better! She looks like she's grinning in that last pic.  Best wishes for all of your horde.


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

Can I ask if your vet had to do an x-ray to see if there were damaged lungs? Do her lungs sound clear? My Hobbesy had URI problems and antibiotics didn't seem to cut it but his lungs sounded clear every time and now he's breathing hard ): I took him in and Dr. Mercer said his lungs were clear and he looked fine but at home he just seems to breathe heavy quite often.

Not sure if I should INSIST upon antibiotics and steroids as I'm kind of thinking his lungs might be damaged. Or maybe I need to get an x-ray to be sure. He just seems to be breathing similar to your Kamali but he runs around and acts normal.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Poppyseed said:


> Can I ask if your vet had to do an x-ray to see if there were damaged lungs? Do her lungs sound clear? My Hobbesy had URI problems and antibiotics didn't seem to cut it but his lungs sounded clear every time and now he's breathing hard ): I took him in and Dr. Mercer said his lungs were clear and he looked fine but at home he just seems to breathe heavy quite often.
> 
> Not sure if I should INSIST upon antibiotics and steroids as I'm kind of thinking his lungs might be damaged. Or maybe I need to get an x-ray to be sure. He just seems to be breathing similar to your Kamali but he runs around and acts normal.


I normally cannot afford x-rays but my vet has offered me a free one to test some new plates (mammogram) that she will be using, and needs a small guineapig  

Basically with pulmonary abscesses, the lungs have little tiny abscesses on them, which take up room...meds don't get into them usually (being walled off abscesses), so there's not much response to meds. The steroid reduces the inflammation in the lungs so that there is more room for air. Its palliative and Kamali is still bright and active (esp. since I switched her to baytril/zithro, a magic combo in my books) but she is getting very thin. Breathing like that is hard work. 

Even with damaged lungs there's inflammation so I would insist on steroids and a med.

What do you hear from his lungs when you do Rat Phone? Kamali's is a bit whistly and she did have a URI (been prone all her life) where she was very crackly/gurgly...
But basically my vet said that there's not much room left in her lungs.
Good luck!!


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

I hear breathing, just a general whoosh of air. No crackling or gurgling. Occasionally I will hear a congestive sound coming from his nose but nothing on his lungs. They do really sound good which is what puzzles me.

I normally would be all gung ho for x-rays, they aren't that expensive really in the long run save you money. I know a vet that does them for $75 which is awesome. I plan on asking Dr. M if she would charge me for x-rays one a rat and how much. I can tell her it could be practice ^_~

I don't know if I am imagining things but I just started him back up on the CoQ10/goldenseal/echinacea combo I had given him before and I THINK the breathing is getting easier on him. It's a marginal difference though.

I wonder if he had a URI at his last home that lasted too long and damaged his lungs? Or possibly allergies to something that damaged? Or maybe it's heart problems. I am clueless without x-rays and a bit nervous about doing steroids without KNOWING there is a problem.

Sorry to take over your thread with this. If you want to continue with PMing me we can if that makes you feel better.

Again so happy for Kamali! I swear the ratguide NEEDS more on lung abscesses and damage and needs to clarify things on clear lungs but breathing problems. The weird thing is, Odin had lung abscesses too but his lungs sounded clear (no crackling or gurgling) but the air sounded like it was traveling too fast through him. I am paranoid we have a CAR bacillus infection here or something similar ): But if I keep hearing clear lungs and the vets keep hearing clear lungs what can I do.

It's not been a good couple of months. He seems happy though.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

I will PM you later on  If I forget, too many rescues and just took in 2 more fosters for socialization last night, then PM me and bug me


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Kamali has finally given up.  I have to wait until 11 am to see if I can get her into That Vet's clinic. The good part is that I get to be with and hold her while he gasses her down. I hope he can fit us in today!!


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

aww. I'm so sorry. And I was thinking she would be around for longer. Lung abscesses are dreadful things. I experienced this with my Odin, it was not easy. She lived a good life.


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## glindella (Sep 9, 2007)

Im sorry :-( you did all you could for her and she lived a good life in your care


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