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My rat... :(

GAK04GAK04
edited April 2008 in General Discussion
in high school i have a Small Animal and Vet class. well we get to take care of rats and we have to train them. i got mine about a week ago. He was 6 weeks old or so. The school bought them really cheap...well now he has a respitory(sp?) tract infection. some rats have died from that in the class last quarter and i hope mine doesn't, so im trying everything to prevent him from dying and getting him better....<br><br>does anyone have any tips to help me with this...
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Comments

  • a-sapa-sap
    71.235.23.215
    Make sure he is in a dry bedding, no pine, cedar or other smelling bedding, and clean the cage regularly.<br><br>Other then that (without buying meds) there is not much else you can do
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  • GAK04GAK04
    172.132.164.224
    okay, thank you...i have another quick question, if you know the answer...are anyone that knows the answer<br><br>for rats, when they have this infection, does it couse them not to drink much fluids?
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  • KiteKatsumi9KiteKatsumi9
    66.63.86.119
    I'd take him to a vet to get the proper medical care that he needs.
    Bye.
  • a-sapa-sap
    71.235.23.215
    It depends. They sometimes slow down, don't eat much, and will not drink as much. this is just in my experience, do not quote me on this, but this seems to happen alot for me. If you need any mmore help, feel free to PM me :wink:
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  • GAK04GAK04
    172.132.164.224
    Kite_Katsumi wrote:
    I'd take him to a vet to get the proper medical care that he needs.
    <br><br>...i was planning on doing that. but i dont know how i am going to do it. i cant drive yet and my mom, i know will not spend the money to get him checked out. i could take him to the local humane society, but i dont know how much help they would do...if they could help him..because they have exotics there and a rat is considered as an exoctic<br><br><br>and thanks sappy.
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  • KiteKatsumi9KiteKatsumi9
    66.63.86.119
    Could you take him back to your school and explain to them that he's ill and you don't have the means to get him medical care?
    Bye.
  • GAK04GAK04
    172.132.164.224
    he's at the school right now. they say it's a "cold" and the rat will recover from it. well there is a <span style="text-decoration:underline">chance</span> that he could die, and i do not want that to happen. My teacher doesnt really tell is that it has a respitory infection. Lucky i did research. our school is great academically, but money wise...we SUCK. so i don't know. i will probably bribe my dad to get me to take him to the vet. <br><br>But i am really mad at my school. they buy sick rats for us to train. i get attached to animals really easily and if the rat dies my heart will be torn apart.
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  • KiteKatsumi9KiteKatsumi9
    66.63.86.119
    That isn't right :? If the animal is clearly sick, its their responsibility as the owner to take it to a vet. If they don't have the money to provide <span style="font-weight:bold">all</span> of the care that the rats need, they shouldn't have the rats in the first place.
    Bye.
  • GAK04GAK04
    172.132.164.224
    yes i agree
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  • CobaltCobalt
    70.241.246.66
    I hope you're able to take it to the vet. Even then, it doesn't always work. We took my guinea to the vet when she had an upper respiratory infection and they gave us medicine for her, but she still died from it :(
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  • GAK04GAK04
    172.132.164.224
    aww balty. that sucks. well hopefully i can get it to the vet, or at least the humane society and see what they can do.
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  • CobaltCobalt
    70.241.246.66
    Yeah, hopefully that works. Our vet said it was a little more difficult to handle respiratory infections in smaller animals.
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  • Summerbreeze5Summerbreeze5
    67.167.102.132
    <span style="font-size:75">Mind if I ask what your school plans on doing with the rats when school lets out? =|<br><br>I'm strongly against using animals in schools.<br>A lot of kids in high school aren't really that serious about the classes they take & don't treat the animals how they should be treated.<br>I understand that <span style="font-weight:bold">you</span> care, but there's a lot of other people out there that don't. <br><br>It sickens me.</span>
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  • GAK04GAK04
    172.132.164.224
    ya there are a couple of kids in my class that really dont treat a rat like it should be treated. they more think of it as a toy. they have no respect for it.<br><br>well during class, when we are done with the training for the day...we give them food and clean their cage, fresh water...and whatever for the night and then the next day, we take care of them again. for the weekend we give them exta food and make sure they have fresh water. after all of this is done, i am planning on keeping the rat. i have no clue what the future of the rat would be if i did not keep it.
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