The worst keeps getting worse - Rats

[ForgetfulBreeze]

So first, Gus Gus was losing hair and itching. After i got ringworm from him, we took him to the vet and treated him with an antibiotic, and a fungal medication for 28
days. $169

A week later, he has yellow skin and many scabs. We took him in. Now he either has mites or cancer. In addition to previous ringworm. Oh my goodness. $200, for the 4 rats to be treated for Mites.

If i wanted a skin scraping to identify that it IS mites, it would be $70. Even if they didn't see mites, they would still treat for mites as they don't always show up on a scraping. "What else can you tell me with a skin scraping? What else would you see?" "Nothing" . So why would we get the scraping if we'd treat him either way?

To check for cancer, a biopsy, he would have to be sedated and it was $576! Almost SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS! I love my vet, but that's a little insane! If it is not mites, then it must be cancer. I would rather spend $576 on treatment, not to just check IF he had it.

Ringworm: bad
Mites and ringworm: much worse
Possibly cancer?: Horrible.

Gus gus's health is getting worse and worse and idk what to do

Sorry. Today just has been a stressful day and I'm ranting. Idk what to do. I'm praying it's mites, because if it's not, it's cancer.

[Kikya]

So first, Gus Gus was losing hair and itching. After i got ringworm from him, we took him to the vet and treated him with an antibiotic, and a fungal medication for 28
days. $169

A week later, he has yellow skin and many scabs. We took him in. Now he either has mites or cancer. In addition to previous ringworm. Oh my goodness. $200, for the 4 rats to be treated for Mites.

If i wanted a skin scraping to identify that it IS mites, it would be $70. Even if they didn't see mites, they would still treat for mites as they don't always show up on a scraping. "What else can you tell me with a skin scraping? What else would you see?" "Nothing" . So why would we get the scraping if we'd treat him either way?

To check for cancer, a biopsy, he would have to be sedated and it was $576! Almost SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS! I love my vet, but that's a little insane! If it is not mites, then it must be cancer. I would rather spend $576 on treatment, not to just check IF he had it.

Ringworm: bad
Mites and ringworm: much worse
Possibly cancer?: Horrible.

Gus gus's health is getting worse and worse and idk what to do

Sorry. Today just has been a stressful day and I'm ranting. Idk what to do. I'm praying it's mites, because if it's not, it's cancer.

I always think of the expression, sometimes you're the hammer and sometimes the you're the nail... the days when you feel like you are the nail and life keeps pushing things down is tough but things will take a turn as it always does and those days give you hope to keep going.

I found this link that goes into details about Rats and skin disorders, maybe this could help you make a decision.
http://www.ratfanclub.org/skin.html

[ForgetfulBreeze]

Gus is getting better! His scabs are healing and he's felling better!!

I guess it is mites! Healing!




I had a scare with Tobi yesterday... he sounded very very very unwell and was very mucus-y and wet sounding. He was lethargic and wouldn't eat. I started him on antibiotics and then an hour later he was totally fine!

I have no idea why he felt and sounded so so so bad...I thought he wasn't going to make it. But he's okay now. Weird.

The antibiotics probably isn't the thing that made him feel 100% again. I have no idea why he got suddenly much better.

Does mycoplasma pneumonia cause that? Ot a URI? Probably not.

No idea, but he's better now.



This is a week before, when he's in his Kids sink & Pea fishing.

[ForgetfulBreeze]

Tobi is very sick. He either has a URI, a worse URI/spread into pneumonia, or a cardiac problem that the vet couldn't hear. He is VERY wet sounding and having a lot of toruble breathing. We took him yesterday to the vet. He has always sounded stuffy since we got him, but now its 50x worse.

The vet wanted a x-ray but i chose to just treat him. If the x-ray looked less worse, then we'd treat him. If the x-ray looked more worse, we'd put him down. I've seen a lot of animals that are about to pass away, but this isn't it. He doesn't have the mindset. I skipped out on the x-ray because honestly to spend $200 just to treat him anyway didn't make sense.

I took him in, and I got the following:

(Urgent Visit - $137)
A fluid under-the-skin injection - $22.50
A vitamin B injection - $16.50
Oxygen when we got there - free

Took home:
Doxycycline - Antibiotic - 2x/day, 0.02ml, for 14days - $10.80
Enroflaxin - Antibiotic - 2x/day, 0.03ml, for 14days - $13.50
Cerenia tablets - anti-nausea/anti-inflammatory - 1x/day, 1/2 tablet,for 2 days - $10.00
Meloxicam - pain medication - 1x/day, 0.18ml, for "as needed" - $12.28

Total: $222

The vet was very adamant to give him a "head start" with all the extra fluid under the skin, vitimin B, and the tablets for 2 days.

***************
He looks better this morning, and started to feel better yesterday night/afternoon. He finally ate yesterday afternoon, and hopefully eat today. I have mashed up pellets with water with a bit of baby food to encourage him to eat (he's having trouble breaking apart the blocks). He lost about a fifth of his weight, or 70 grams in the last 5 days since he refused to eat.

I'm praying for a full recovery! He's very strong, and praying he'll bounce back! <3

SO FRUSTRATING! My rats were supposted to be healthy! I spent $205 for them to get them from a breeder, + $167 for ringworm, $240 for mites, and $222 for tobi, which could be a genetic cardiac issue! I love them to death, but this is crazy! $629 on vet bills in 4 months! + another $205 to get them "healthy" from a breeder! I love them tho, so I'll do whatever is necessary!

[ForgetfulBreeze]

Tobi is offically off of all meds and made a full recovery! Everyone is healthy currently!