Rat with head tilt, recovery possible?

[Keensnapper]

Hi, i was wondering if anyone could help. I've been breeding mice for about a year now, i started with pet shop mice and everything is going really well, lots of happy mice and great mums.

I decided to start breeding a few rats, I struggled to get some rats to start with, i got a couple of nice males from a pet shop, but finding females was hard. I ended up getting a couple from a different pet shop, which i regret doing, i think it was a stupid mistake on my part. The shop owner said the sister of the rats i was buying was in the back of the store being treated for a RI, I know i should have walked away then, but the ones i was buying looked healthy and i was desperate for some females.

One of the females seems fine, a bit skinny compared to the males i have, but generally healthy. But the Siamese one started sniffling and sneezing the day after i got her home, I had some baytril handy so i treated her with that and she seemed to get better. But about a week after treatment i noticed she had a head tilt (though no sneezing or wheezing). I got some Amoxyciilin and am treating her with baytril and amoxycillin hoping to clear the tilt up.

She's been on the meds for about 3 days and she doesn't seem to be getting any better, she might even be slightly worse. She's a sweet little thing and i'd love to get her better, going to the vets is not an option, and i'll humanely euthanise her if i have to, as she can't live the way she is now, it's really upsetting to see her like this.

Has anyone experienced this, is there hope for her? I'm planning on treating her with the antibiotics for 3 weeks, but if there's not hope of recovery I don't want to continue, i've read that a head tilt is not painful for them, but i worry it might be uncomfortable or distressing for her. Any thoughts appreciated, thanks a lot.

[Bogertophis]

I've never seen a rat with head tilt, but I have, unfortunately, seen them with medically-unresponsive illnesses (which may be contagious to humans).
I'd euthanize. Some years before I ever got into keeping snakes, I had a few pet rats (-when I was in college, easy pets & no yard needed). My initial
ones were healthy & remained so, but later (then rat-less), I bought 2 females from a different pet store. Both came down with a respiratory thing, I
took them to the (very surprised!) vet, and when both courses of different antibiotic treatments failed and they died, I want to say he looked concerned,
but it was more like fear. He actually suggested I not get any more pet rats.

[MattEvans]

It maybe just that an ear infection that came along with the RI, If you can add an anti inflammatory to her treatment it may help to reduce possible swelling. sometimes the head tilt stays permanently. use your judgement on it though because if the balance is so off the rat will start rolling over and it wont be able to eat or drink. But other issues may cause head tilts as well such as strokes or tumours. If you want to try and help her, give it the old college try. But I wouldn't hold it against you if you went the other way either.

[Keensnapper]

Thanks for the replies, i'll do some research on anti inflammatory drugs.
She can still get around and eat and drink ok, she's not rolling over or walking in circles, but if she deteriorates anymore i'll euthanise her.

[Scherf]

RI has gone to the inner ear.... meds at this point won’t help.....

[Keensnapper]

RI has gone to the inner ear.... meds at this point won’t help.....

Thanks, I think you are right, she's not improving, I think she might be getting a little bit worse.

[Burnsalan22]

I have a female with a head tilt. It never seemed to bother her and she puts out litters like a champ. I haven't breed her for awhile though. Thinking about retiring her in the next few weeks when my raise ups will be old enough to take over.

[Keensnapper]

Bless her, I’m glad she gets on ok, I ended up euthanising mine as she seemed to be deteriorating. It was a sad thing to do as she was so tame and friendly.

[Bogertophis]

Bless her, I’m glad she gets on ok, I ended up euthanising mine as she seemed to be deteriorating. It was a sad thing to do as she was so tame and friendly.

I'm sorry for your loss...I think you did the right thing by her. When treated well, most rats ARE tame & friendly...they're pretty smart animals...and for
that reason, I am personally glad that none of the snakes I keep now need rats in their diet. I've had pet rats in the past, & while I love snakes, it can be
a hard "choice" to make on a continuous basis. Mice have nowhere near the intelligence of rats, so I'm fine with where they are on the food chain.