RCReptiles.com

[deborahbroadus]

Has anyone had a rat that looks normal one day and like Mr. Wibbles the second?

So far, I have had two full grown rats come down with what looks like a crick in the neck. Both females, both walking with heads cocked and they can't straighten them out.

[RonCrawford]

I know what you're talking about and I'm not sure what it is. It gets worse so I put them down when I see this happen in females (never saw this in males yet).

[deborahbroadus]

[Deedle]

Ive seen this with a lot of overly imbred rats. Mostly at a petstore that used to be here in town.

At one time We had about 12 female breeders and 4 males all the females and males came from different sources, never once had a problem with any of them.

We've roughly had about 60-70 female breeder rats and never any problems.

[deborahbroadus]

[Deedle]

[deborahbroadus]

[Deedle]

I wouldn't think it to be, but then again who knows?

I guess you should keep an watch out and if it starts to spread take them all out clean everything and put down the ones affected.

Home made stuff works just fine, and yes I hated having to replace water bottles for 20 minutes a day LOL

[deborahbroadus]

Ok, after debating with myself, this is what I have decided to do and have done.

I have placed the weebler in a tub by herself with plenty of food and water. I want to see her progress.

Ron do you have any pictures of what it eventually looks like as the condition progresses?

[RonCrawford]

[JLWilliams]

[Radical]

http://www.rmca.org/Articles/qna2_98.htm

Q. HEAD TILT

My rat’s head is tilted to one side and she’s having a hard time walking. She falls over sometimes and can’t get her balance back. What could be wrong with her?

A.

Her condition, commonly referred to as "wry neck" could be caused by a number of things, but the most likely cause is an inner ear infection. She will need to be seen by your vet to determine whether or not her eardrum is still intact and to decide upon the proper course of treatment. If the cause is an infection, she definitely will need to be treated with antibiotics from your vet, but he may also prescribe an ear drop which contains both a topical antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory drug.

In most cases with this treatment, it only takes a few days for a rat to get its balance back, but the treatment must be continued for at least one to two weeks.

Another possible cause of head tilt can be a pituitary tumor, which is more common in older female rats, but can be seen in younger rats and even in male rats. There is no treatment for this condition that will cure it, however, anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Prednisone or Dexamethasone, may reduce the swelling slightly and prolong the life of the rat for a short time. Spaying female rats is said to reduce the risk of pituitary tumors, but it is still no guarantee.

A stroke is another possibility. Again, it would be more common in older rats, but it’s not impossible for a younger rat to have a stroke. Anti- inflammatory drugs may help in this situation, too, but for the most part, only time will tell if the damage is permanent or not. In many cases, a full recovery from a stroke can be made in a short period of time (a few days to a week).

[deborahbroadus]

Wow Radical!!

You beat me to it!! I came across similar information and was about to share it.


The Complete Care (made easy) RATS by Debbie Ducommun:

"Respiratory disease is the overriding health problem and cause of death in rats. Mycoplasmosis and two viruses, the Sendai virus and sialodacryoadenitis (SDA), are leading causes of respiratory symptoms. (None of these organisms is infectious to humans.) Rats can also acquire a strep infection, which is usually fatal within three days unless treated. A strep infection can be transmitted from people to rats, so anyone with strep throat should stay away from rats."

" A respiratory infection often invades the inner ear. This throws off the rat's balance, causing his head to tilt to one side. Prompt treatment with antibiotics and steroids can usally reverse the symptoms. If treatment is delayed, the symptoms can progress until the rat walks in a circle or rolls over and over and permanent damage to the rat's sense of balance can result. A rat with severely impaired balance has trouble eating and drinking and may need to be euthanized."

Thanks for your input Radical!!