Very sick rat - please help

[Phanerothyme 12]

Hi,

 

Can anyone help please? Just got back from Xmas away to find one of my rats very poorly - extremely bloated, cannot easily move around her cage.

 

The person looking after them has let them out and in and been giving fresh food and water, but has not seen Flo (when prompted)

 

Flo is listless, and has clearly been unable to get up to her water so is very weak and thirsty (obviously giving her water now)

 

What could be wrong? And who can help at this time of night?

 

What should I do? Help much appreciated.

[j118nne 10]

i would def ring the vets

[kitty123 10]

So sorry must be hard for you how old is Flo has see has plenty of fluid? Try sending Lottie a message on here she might still be up and able to advise:|

[Phanerothyme 12]

She's a year old.

[Phanerothyme 12]

Are vetsnow known to the people here - Highfield Vets are citing them as their OOH service

[hels1977 10]

How's her breathing? Are you syringing fluids into her? Will she take any baby food? When you say bloated, does her tummy feel hard to touch? Is there any staining around her vagina at all? Sorry, questions!!

 

Vets Now are the generic OOH service I believe.

[puddinburner 10]

Take her to vets luv. Sounds like she ate something she should'nt have. Pleanty of fluids and keep her warm. Xxxx

[medusa 16]

VetsNow will cost you a minimum of a couple of hundred pounds as an out of hours visit, so if you haven't got Flo insured then you'll need to have deep pockets and an immediate way to pay for her treatment even if she is insured as they don't put treatment on account like your normal vets would.

 

I'm sorry I can't help you with any treatment for Flo, I'd be as lost as you when it comes to ratties. I hope she makes a full recovery.

[Phanerothyme 12]

Looking at her I doubt she'll make it through the night. But she is drinking weakly, at least.

[hels1977 10]

Looking at her I doubt she'll make it through the night. But she is drinking weakly, at least.

 

You could put some sugar in the water, and make sure it's luke warm (not icey cold) to help her keep her strength up. Anything soft that she can lick off your finger too.

[puddinburner 10]

Just to say our vet at hallam does accept installments cos he knows us and we always pay him. Just sometimes emergency crops up and not got immediate cash. He puts the animals first not his pocket. X

[medusa 16]

Just to say our vet at hallam does accept installments cos he knows us and we always pay him. Just sometimes emergency crops up and not got immediate cash. He puts the animals first not his pocket. X

 

Hallam use VetsNow for their out of hours cover too though. Hallam have always been very good at allowing us to pay as we can, but VetsNow don't operate by the same policies.