# Little Popping Sounds



## Maiden (Mar 9, 2012)

Hey there everyone. Lighting is sick.

I don't believe it is bad, it just kind of flairs up occasionally. Some days his lungs sound clean and others they do not. He does not do a lot of sneezing, but when he is sleeping or relaxed (usually having just woken up) I can hear him breathing. Sometimes he makes this noise that sounds like popping plastic.

I am in between jobs at the moment and the vet costs $50 plus whatever the medicine costs, so I was wondering if I could give him something while skipping the vet. But, I have no personal experience with sick rats and I want to make sure whatever I give him (if anything) is what he truly needs. 

In short, if I can save myself from spending $50 I will, but if I have to save up the $50 and then save for the medicine he will go longer without being treated. My boys are my babies and I want to make sure that they are okay.


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## JessyGene (Feb 27, 2012)

I'm afraid he really does need medicine. Its the only thing that will help him get better. The longer you wait, the worse he will get and the harder it will be to treat. Do you have anything that you can sell or pawn? Or do some day work for someone? Maybe your vet will let you pay in smaller payments? 

For when he sounds really bad you could give him a small dark (needs to be dark) chocolate chip. This will temporarily help him breathe better, but doesn't treat the illness. Also, if you have a humidifier you could put that on in the same room he is in, or just put his cage in the bathroom when you shower to steam him. 

Best of luck; i know how heartbreaking it is having sick rats. I really hope yours gets better.


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

He might need medication. For my boys when they have small Myco or sneezing fits I put some 90% dark chocolate into their oatmeal and maybe some honey and cinnamon (Honey helps with allergies, Cinnamon helps with disease control). Sometimes if we have any recently used green tea bags I'll put it into some cold water, and dilute it, and mix it into their oatmeal as well. Though if I am right, mint tea works better then green tea with respiratory issues, I've only used tea once in some rat cookies I made. just make sure that it is some what diluted (doesn't have to, but personally I would that) and that its cold or warm, not hot. anyways dark chocolate works wonders.
vets typically will let you work off the bill or do monthly payments or let you pay at a later date.


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## BigBen (Nov 22, 2011)

The clicking sound comes from congestion in the lungs. The theobromine in chocolate is a bronchodilator, which is why giving chocolate helps. But you might get better results from children's Sudafed (make sure it is the variety with pseudoephedrine, not the other), since the dosage of the active ingredient is easier to control. (Who knows how much theobromine a given piece of chocolate might hold?)

But these are treatments for the symptoms and will not solve the underlying problem. If the congestion is from allergies, you need to identify and eliminate the allergen; if from an infection, the rat needs antibiotics to get well. Leaving lung problems untreated causes scarring, which makes it harder for the rat to breathe. The inability to breathe is really frightening, as anyone who has ever had an asthma attack can tell you. I wouldn't want my ratties to have to suffer from that kind of experience.


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## Maiden (Mar 9, 2012)

I had pneumonia and had to be hospitalized for it. I know exactly what it is like to not be able to breath. I want to do everything in my power to make sure that my boys are okay.

If you could tell my how much Sudafed to give him. Last time I weighed him he weighed about 1.08 pounds. (I know that is big, but the vet said that for his bone structure he was a healthy weight, his dad is bigger and both aren't overweight. Just big rats.)

I would love to try the holistic remedy Lightningwolf recommended. I seems like the easier medicine that both can enjoy. Lightening depends heavily on Dumbo for emotional support when he is frightened. Dumbo was a breeder, Lightning was his son, the two have literally never been separated. (I got the pair second hand, their last owner was impressed by Dumbo's fathering skills.) Last time I took the boys to the vet Lightening burrowed beneath Dumbo every chance he got.


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## CarrieD (Nov 20, 2011)

As Big Ben has said, those things will ease symptoms, but they aren't remedies. If there is bacterial infection, antibiotics are needed. Scarred lungs from untreated infections will shorten a rat's life.


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## Maiden (Mar 9, 2012)

So I went to my local pet store and got recommended bird medicine and ferret medicine. (Both carried by the pet store and both affordable.) 
Ornacycline (aids in the treatment of respiratory and intestinal bacterial infections of pet birds) and FerretRx (Upper Respiratory relief for ferrets and other small animals)

Any thoughts on either?


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