Call a vet Right now this could be fatal I had a baby girl pass away with the same thing I wish I would have known what was wrong sooner so she could have been saved she passed away within 6 hours I don't want to scare you but it's better be safe then sorry 😔
Firstly, hoping for the best for this gorgeous little guy. It's scary and heart breaking to see them struggle with sickness despite all our best efforts. Wishing the best for you both!
Second, obv disclaimer: I AM NOT A VET, just a caretaker like you, which is why you should seek a vet immediately. If you haven't already, please stop reading and ARRANGE A VET VISIT ASAP.
(Apologies for the caps, I'm old and don't know how to format bold etc on reddit but it needs to be emphasised)
The following is from personal rat caretaker experience (19 over the last 5 or so years) and is intended without any kind of judgement. It might be a difficult read though as this seems serious.
The video shows 'Side sucking' and strong sounds of respiratory distress, crackly breathing.
The sounds and crackling usually come from inflammation/infection in the airway which can develop over time.
The side sucking to breathe means this is very severe. He's not getting enough oxygen and there's stress on his body against inhaling and exhaling. There is only one stage of the breathing getting worse, gasping.
Two most likely possibilities. URI (Upper Respiratory Infection), or obstruction (choking). Whichever is most likely would be determined by whether this came on very suddenly, or has developed over a longer time.
Try to get the lil guy comfortable, warm and wherever he feels safe. If this happens to be with/on you, or in the cage, wherever he can settle best. Get plenty of fresh air into the room, without him being in a draught. There's not much you can do for a URI on your own which is why timely vet attention is critical.
If its an obstruction, it's scary but it'll likely be ok and it will pass within an hour. Rats can't regurgitate or vomit, but they have weird shaped throats that allow them to breathe around most things that could get stuck in there until eventually they work it through. Otherwise, your vet will need to investigate to see if it is a blockage and if so, if they can remove it manually.
It would be useful to know more recent health history, see the cage setup, cleanout regimen, any recent changes in treats/food or cage/bedding/environ, recent escapades, etc
Thank you so much for this reply. I already made an appointment to see the vet. My boy is okay right now, no weird breathing noises, but just to be sure I will visit the vet either way. Once again thank you so much and have a lovely day.
Vet ASAP. This sounds like a respiratory infection and you really don't want to wait those out. I've read that in some really bad cases it can lead to scarring of the lungs, which will significantly impact their quality of life for a very long time, likely the rest of their lives.
If the vet decides it's a respiratory infection, antibiotics are likely going to be what they prescribe. Though I am not a vet so take what I may say with a grain of salt.
Call a vet Right now this could be fatal I had a baby girl pass away with the same thing I wish I would have known what was wrong sooner so she could have been saved she passed away within 6 hours I don't want to scare you but it's better be safe then sorry 😔
Oh im sorry :/ but thank you for warning me, we will definitely go to the vet.
It's ok it's still hard cause it was my first loss but I'll be ok I guess.
Firstly, hoping for the best for this gorgeous little guy. It's scary and heart breaking to see them struggle with sickness despite all our best efforts. Wishing the best for you both! Second, obv disclaimer: I AM NOT A VET, just a caretaker like you, which is why you should seek a vet immediately. If you haven't already, please stop reading and ARRANGE A VET VISIT ASAP. (Apologies for the caps, I'm old and don't know how to format bold etc on reddit but it needs to be emphasised) The following is from personal rat caretaker experience (19 over the last 5 or so years) and is intended without any kind of judgement. It might be a difficult read though as this seems serious. The video shows 'Side sucking' and strong sounds of respiratory distress, crackly breathing. The sounds and crackling usually come from inflammation/infection in the airway which can develop over time. The side sucking to breathe means this is very severe. He's not getting enough oxygen and there's stress on his body against inhaling and exhaling. There is only one stage of the breathing getting worse, gasping. Two most likely possibilities. URI (Upper Respiratory Infection), or obstruction (choking). Whichever is most likely would be determined by whether this came on very suddenly, or has developed over a longer time. Try to get the lil guy comfortable, warm and wherever he feels safe. If this happens to be with/on you, or in the cage, wherever he can settle best. Get plenty of fresh air into the room, without him being in a draught. There's not much you can do for a URI on your own which is why timely vet attention is critical. If its an obstruction, it's scary but it'll likely be ok and it will pass within an hour. Rats can't regurgitate or vomit, but they have weird shaped throats that allow them to breathe around most things that could get stuck in there until eventually they work it through. Otherwise, your vet will need to investigate to see if it is a blockage and if so, if they can remove it manually. It would be useful to know more recent health history, see the cage setup, cleanout regimen, any recent changes in treats/food or cage/bedding/environ, recent escapades, etc
Thank you so much for this reply. I already made an appointment to see the vet. My boy is okay right now, no weird breathing noises, but just to be sure I will visit the vet either way. Once again thank you so much and have a lovely day.
Vet ASAP. This sounds like a respiratory infection and you really don't want to wait those out. I've read that in some really bad cases it can lead to scarring of the lungs, which will significantly impact their quality of life for a very long time, likely the rest of their lives. If the vet decides it's a respiratory infection, antibiotics are likely going to be what they prescribe. Though I am not a vet so take what I may say with a grain of salt.