# Stroke or Inner Ear Infection



## jadeelizabeth (Jul 26, 2012)

??????

I took my Susie (2 in September) to the vets yesterday after I noticed she wasn't her self, she had a head tilt and was weaker on one side of her body. The vet pretty much told me what I knew. Either a stroke or a inner ear infection. Her words were "It's more likely to be a stroke, but there is the chance its a inner ear infection,) I was told I could get her put to sleep there and then or try anti bio tics. I couldn't put her down when there was a chance it could be a ear infection.
She was also a but dehydrated 

The more I look at her the more I believe it is a stroke. She can't hold large food in her hands so she is eating baby food and I have to put water into her mouth.

It is frustrating because one minute I will look at her and shes trying to clean her self but tumbling over and the next minute she is running around and happy.

I have read rats can recover from strokes really well but what is the time period on this and is it fair. 
At the moment I am feeding and giving her water every 2 hours. This is something I will not be able to do when the holidays are over.

Any advice would really be great


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

jadeelizabeth said:


> ??????
> 
> I took my Susie (2 in September) to the vets yesterday after I noticed she wasn't her self, she had a head tilt and was weaker on one side of her body. The vet pretty much told me what I knew. Either a stroke or a inner ear infection. Her words were "It's more likely to be a stroke, but there is the chance its a inner ear infection,) I was told I could get her put to sleep there and then or try anti bio tics. I couldn't put her down when there was a chance it could be a ear infection.
> She was also a but dehydrated
> ...


Ahhh yes that definitely looks like stroke. :/ Is your vet open to suggestion at all? A shot of steroids and oral steroids for a short while along with antibiotics can really bring around a stroke rat.


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## jadeelizabeth (Jul 26, 2012)

lilspaz68 said:


> Ahhh yes that definitely looks like stroke. :/ Is your vet open to suggestion at all? A shot of steroids and oral steroids for a short while along with antibiotics can really bring around a stroke rat.


Hi thanks for the reply! It seems no one seems to understand the attachment to her and I have got parents saying "she needs to be put to sleep" and the vets no different! She is on antibiotics at the moment but the vet has only given her 3 days of this and says if there is no improvement its best to put her to sleep :/


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

jadeelizabeth said:


> Hi thanks for the reply! It seems no one seems to understand the attachment to her and I have got parents saying "she needs to be put to sleep" and the vets no different! She is on antibiotics at the moment but the vet has only given her 3 days of this and says if there is no improvement its best to put her to sleep :/


Unfortunately with stroke it takes time for them to recover from it as the brain needs to recover and find new pathways...you might see some progress in a few days, but by a week you should either see a lot of improvement, regression, or she only gets a little better and then stops improving. The last 2 options you will need to pts. Buy some Ensure and start there (food and liquid in one...strawberry is the fav here. You can use any meal replacement drink but they just love the Ensure most. No point giving her the antibiotics at all. It won't do anything in 3 days even if it was a bacterial infection. Just worry about keeping her fed and hydrated. When she's swallowing well from the sryinge with the Ensure, then get some baby cereal and mix it inthe Ensure and even a bit of water but make sure its still very liquidy and syringe that in her. 

The other thing that could happen is she has a bigger stroke that takes her from you quickly.

I am sorry you have unsympathetic people around you (including your vet!)


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## jadeelizabeth (Jul 26, 2012)

lilspaz68 said:


> Unfortunately with stroke it takes time for them to recover from it as the brain needs to recover and find new pathways...you might see some progress in a few days, but by a week you should either see a lot of improvement, regression, or she only gets a little better and then stops improving. The last 2 options you will need to pts.  Buy some Ensure and start there (food and liquid in one...strawberry is the fav here. You can use any meal replacement drink but they just love the Ensure most. No point giving her the antibiotics at all. It won't do anything in 3 days even if it was a bacterial infection. Just worry about keeping her fed and hydrated. When she's swallowing well from the sryinge with the Ensure, then get some baby cereal and mix it inthe Ensure and even a bit of water but make sure its still very liquidy and syringe that in her.
> 
> The other thing that could happen is she has a bigger stroke that takes her from you quickly.
> 
> I am sorry you have unsympathetic people around you (including your vet!)







Hi, its hard because she is a very lazy rat so in a way she hasnt changed. She is more cuddley.

She is being fed baby food (she loves!) but i am concerned about her not drinking. She dislikes taking water from the syringe and she has a bowl of water and her bottle but still wont touch it. I feel bad forcing her and she usually spits it out.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

jadeelizabeth said:


> Hi, its hard because she is a very lazy rat so in a way she hasnt changed. She is more cuddley.
> 
> She is being fed baby food (she loves!) but i am concerned about her not drinking. She dislikes taking water from the syringe and she has a bowl of water and her bottle but still wont touch it. I feel bad forcing her and she usually spits it out.


Try a rehydrating solution instead of plain water

Homemade rehydrating formula: 10 oz warm water, 1 tsp sugar, 1/3 tsp salt. Mix well, refrigerate extra, warm up to feed.

Or even use Ensure as your liquid...I was syringe-feeding Ensure to a couple of my stroke victims.

After Mattie had her stroke (vet OD'd her on ivermectin)










After her steroid injection









A video of her drinking Ensure from a syringe 3 days after her stroke


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## jadeelizabeth (Jul 26, 2012)

I have just made the hydration liquid and its cooling now! Thankyou! 

I havent heard of ensure, are you in the UK? I know some other meal replacement drinks but they are so expensive! 

How old was Mattie when she had the stroke and how long did she live after (or still alive?) 

I'm trying to weigh the pro's and con's to be honest because at the moment there is the chance I have to pay for surgery for Ronnie. How much do steroid injections cost?

Thanks!


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## jadeelizabeth (Jul 26, 2012)

lilspaz68 said:


> Try a rehydrating solution instead of plain water
> 
> Homemade rehydrating formula: 10 oz warm water, 1 tsp sugar, 1/3 tsp salt. Mix well, refrigerate extra, warm up to feed.
> 
> ...





*WOW

i just gave susie the hydration liquid, not expecting her to take it! She took it from the syringe no problem what so ever! Seriously THANK YOU!!!!!!!! 
*


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

I am in Canada. If you are in the UK I think you can use Complan?

A rat can recover from stroke on its own, but it will take a much longer time. The steroid reduces the inflammation on the brain.

Glad she dranking the rehydration formula


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Sorry missed the top part.

Mattie was an older lady when the stupid vet her original owner took her to, gave her injectible ivermectin, of about 20 times more than she should've had. The girl rehomed her to me right after. A week later she started having mini-strokes...then the big one. She recovered from her big stroke pretty well, but about 3 weeks later, she had another one and finally passed in my hands on Christmas day 2006.


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## jadeelizabeth (Jul 26, 2012)

Owh  thats so sad  . 

I always hoped I would find them passed away rather than the big build up taking them to the vet, but if she is in pain then there is no choice.

Im just trying to make the right decision because I look at her and she looks really dopey, not all there looking and I think maybe it is time. Then the next minute she is fine.

2 steps forward 1 step back. 

I had to go out today so my mum was checking on her and getting her to drink her formula and she wouldn't take it. So my mums now convinced that she needs to be put to sleep. 

I'm gonna go have a look around up the shops tomorrow and see what I can buy. I need some more baby food for her! a whole tin in 2 days!


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