# sneezing and squeaking?



## minkamuffin (Sep 12, 2010)

I know there is info on sneezing, but i have some particular questions that need more comprehensive answers.
So about a day after I got my ratty, I noticed she was sneezing. I looked up lots of info, and decided to initially change the bedding and see if it was just too dusty. I first had a lumpy paper kind and CareFresh as the litter, but I heard about problems with CareFresh, so I removed it. She was still sneezing with the paper kind, so I switched her to the bedding she was in before I got her. It was significantly less dusty, but she still sneezed. I then took her to the vet to be looked at and meanwhile, bought Eco-Bedding, which is 100% dust-free and I highly recommend. http://www.fibercorellc.com/
After a week of Baytril, I went to pick her up and she was still sneezing, so I asked if she had been re-looked at, and the lady said no because I didn't 'schedule it' so I told her to please have her reexamined.
The next day I got a call saying she's ready to go home. I went to pick her up and they said she's great, there's no mucus. Immediately I noticed she was still sneezing though, but since she was checked by the vet, I thought to myself 'Maybe she's just a sensitive rat and she'll just always be a bit sneezy."
I take her home and put her in the cage with the new bedding and she's sneezing just as bad as before... Every once in a while I'd hear squeaking and I thought it was my other rat picking on her, but then one time it was happening I happened to be real close by and noticed she was asleep..

Update: On Monday, she was the worst she's ever been, sneezing constantly and squeaking, clearly in distress at just trying to breathe D: I did the 'telephone' trick and she was huffing and rasping. :[[
I've been taking her into the bathroom while I run the shower, giving her Nutella (in my research on respiratory problems, I read that chocolate can help out a bit), and teeny bits of crushed up Mucinex on apple, pear, yogurt, etc.
Tuesday she was doing better than she was even when I first got her. Only 3-4 sneezes throughout the entire day, and only a little noise when she breathed.
Today, has been pretty good up until around 8pm when she had a bit of a sneezing fit. I'm not quite sure if she's getting better or if she'll regress again.

The vet that I took her to before was the one that PetCo has (i know i know, 'rescuing' them from there doesn't help, i wont do it again X__X) and I decided i don't want to deal with him anymore; he already told me she was better after one week of Baytril and she clearly wasn't at all...
I have an appointment with Dr Moore in Southlake TX tomorrow, whom is recommended on ratty sites online as well as offices that are closer to me.

Any feedback would still be greatly appreciated.


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

One week on baytril is definitely not enough, lol, why do vets do that : Quick profit I guess, it's a textbook treatment and it's very wrong. Generally the rule of thumb is three weeks, or a week after symptoms have completely stopped. For more aggressive infections you'll need a combination of antibiotics like baytril + doxycycline.

How often/bad is she sneezing? Do they sound wet/raspy? Hold her up to your ears like a telephone, listen to each lung, and listen to your healthy rat for comparison. If there's any clicking/congestion/abnormal noise she really needs to get back on antibiotics. Where do you live? Maybe one of us can help find you a good exotic vet 

Edit: Wait... did your vet have the entire time she was being medicated? Like she was being boarded there? That's ridiculous.... And probably seriously stressful on her  I can't imagine why any vet would do that... Just get medication to take home next time!!!


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## minkamuffin (Sep 12, 2010)

@Jaguar Probably a few times an hour, depending on whether she's awake or not. She usually sneezes 3-5 times in a row then she's okay for a while, then she's sneezing again.
I haven't listened to her breathing yet since I get her back yesterday, so I'll try to later.
I only had her for about 3 days before I took her to see the vet, and when I got her back she was perfectly calm, so I doubt she was upset. It was probably just to make sure that she got all the medicine she needs because I have heard of people having trouble getting their rats to either eat it on a treat or stay still enough to get it in their mouth, so if they just do it themselves, there is no worry about that.


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## eddricksmommy101 (Jul 16, 2010)

New home sneezies im sure of it!

Unless she sounds raspy. Then id consider asking Jaguar to help you find a vet


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

No way that's new home sneezes sounds like a real URI to me, and everything that vet did sounds wrong....
Try the ratty phone to listen for rasping.


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## minkamuffin (Sep 12, 2010)

If she continues her sneezes, then I'll probably find a new vet entirely.
Does anyone know of any rat vets in the Denton/north Fort Worth, Texas area?


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## minkamuffin (Sep 12, 2010)

I'm not sure if we are allowed to bump threads, but I updated my OP and would like feedback. >__<


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## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

Sorry I am not in the area so can not comment on that vet. But I hope your girl can get the right treatment. It sounds like a bad URI so make sure you get a combo (something like baytril and doxycycline) and treat at least 1 week after the last symptom disappears.

Is your vet a qualified exotic vet? You could print off the ratty drug chart anyway and take it in for him.


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