ear infection?

[lucy]

Hi there,
My 1 yr old male, Seanie is showing signs that might be consistent with ear infection. It started with what seemed like weakness on one side, about 2/3 weeks ago, and then he started flipping over on my lap, almost like a rat who'd had a stroke, not very violently or anything, but as if it was easier then turning around in a circle, if you can picture it. Anyway, off to the vet we did go, and the vet checked him for tumours, stroke and ear infections, but couldn't find anything obviously wrong. Said it was probably 'just him' and to accept him as he is - which I'm more then happy to do, if that is the case.

Anyway, since then I've noticed what could be head tilting - never seen it before, but he does seem to hold his head to one side. So back to the vet we went again, and he checked for ear infections again, and said he didn't have any sign of anything like that.

My question is this really - are ear infections in rats easy to spot? My vet is very good, but doesn't have much experience of rats. I'm just worried that he might be missing something, and don't want Seanie to go downhill. He seems otherwise fine, although his eyesight is extremely poor and he tends to fall off shelves if they're moved at all.
Any ideas?
L

[Ratgirl@RatRitz]

I don't think ear infections are necessarily that easy to spot ... when you say your Vet 'checked' for one, if that means your Vet just looked down the ear, then I don't think that would necessarily rule out a very deep inner ear infection.

Personally I would try and get Seanie a steroid injection and a course of antibiotics ... because if it is an inner ear infection without treatment it will get worse and cause permanent damage, not to mention all the other complications that could arise from letting an infection run riot uncontrolled.

I don't think one steroid injection and an antibiotic course as a safe measure is going to do any harm if it turns out that Seanie doesn't have an ear infection, so I would try and persuade the Vet to give this to see if there is a response.

If Seanie didn't respond to this treatment, then I would rule out an ear infection and start looking at other possible causes.

[lucy]

yes - both times the vet just looked down his ears, and said they looked completely clear. His suggestion was that it might be caused by some kind of tumour on his brain, which would probably be untreatable. However, he said he would do some research, and that I was to monitor Seanie's progress and bring him back in.

Thanks for your suggestions, and I'll definitely be putting your points to the vet when I bring Seanie back this week.
L

[lucy]

Hi there,
Seanie's been back to vet again, who is really certain that it isn't his ears, but gave him a steroid jab, and has given me a fairly hefty dose of anti biotics too just in case.

The vet thinks it's a pituitary gland tumour, he says that the way his symtoms are progressing - loss of reflexes on one side, and the way his head is turned to one side - seems to indicate this as a cause. When I look at him I can see that his little head is turned rather then tilted, and one of his ears is kind of floppy.

He's a little thin as well, about 450 grams, I've ordered some nutrical to try and help get his weight up. He's a bit of a fussy eater , and his cagemate Freddie tends to get first pick of any goodies going. I take Fred out when I'm feedin them, to give Seanie a good run at the food dish first.

If anybody has any experience of dealing with pituitary gland tumour ratties, or of getting fussy eaters to put on weight I'd be very grateful. The vet isnt sure how long he'll last if it is a pituitary gland tumour. He thinks weeks rather then months, but Seanie seems so perky and heppy, other then the general symtoms.

thanks L

[tabirat]

Hi Lucy,
Hmmm. I wonder how experience with rats your vet is? It's just that your rat *is* displaying classic symptoms of an ear infection - I have personal experience of a number of rats who acted exactly as you say... two wents for a couple of weeks without treatment because they were 'rescues' and the damage was more permanent - but they still recovered enoughto live perfectly normal (albeit lopsided) lives. I have a rat currently, Cahnce, who was found rolling about in a pet shop, so my friend persuaded them to let him have her, rather than her be pts. She now lives here, she is still very tilted and rolss in my hands if I pick her up - but she has lived a full and happy life here, climbs well, eats and drinks normally and has just survived an op to have a lump removed and bounced right back to full health. Clearly this wasn't a piuitary tumour or she would have been dead very soon after we got her. She is now about 19 months.

In my experience pituitary symptoms are less likely to be head tilt and rolling, or apparant one sided weakness... often there is a little lopsidedness but not usually the severe suymptoms you see with an untreated ear infection. PT seems to cause other symptoms, vacantness, and notably the inability to hold food in their paws in order to eat - so they eat with their head in the bowl. The front limbs particularly tend to get stiff and are held out in fornt of the rat in an uncharacteristic position.

I really do hope that you seem some improvement in the symptoms with the treament, though there is likely to be quite a degree of residual damage because of the length of time that has passed since he first showed symptoms. However, don't be disheartened as this should not affect him living a happy life. If I am wrong and it does turn out to be a tumour then the prognosis is poor and he will deteriorate fairly quickly over the next few weeks.

It sounds like you are doing well with the feeding issues - taking Fred out is a good idea. The way to increase the amount a fussy eater eats is generaly to increase the variety of foods available to them. the easiest way to do this is to make additions to your dry mix so that there is lots of choice. If he is struggling actually eating dry food (which he will if it is pituitary) then you can feed a rat on more or less all wet foods and they can still thrive. If you need advice about how to do this just shout.

[lucy]

thanks for all that advice Alison, I'm really hoping that it is just an ear infection. He was a re-homer from a less then ideal background, and when I first got him I noticed some 'clumsiness' in his way of getting about, but didn't do anything untill I noticed the head tilt starting. I got him in late July.

He does seem to have some problems eating, he's very slow at eating, and can't balance on his back legs and eat holding food in his front paws, but this seems to be a balance issue, rather then a problem with his front legs themselves. He still climbs very well, although his eyesight is extremely poor and I can't move anything about in his cage or he gets confused.

I give him baby food a few times a week - don't know if that's a good idea, but he loves it, and eats it a lot faster then his dry mix. He eats his fresh food with great enthusiasm, but is just not as keen on wolfing down the dry mix.

You mentioned a 'vaccentness', which he does sometimes seem to show I think - he'll sit on one of the shelves in his cage and stare up at the ceilling for ages without moving. However he's generally a very quiet, if not lazy, boy, and I'm never sure if he's just resting or meditating or something!

This morning he seemed much more lively then usual - he is such a snoozer and spends 90% of his time in bed, don't know if that's related to whatever condition he has. However today he was out and about, and came up to the cage door to say hello, which he rarely does.

I'll be keeping a close eye on him anyway, and fingers crossed he'll be with me for a lot longer.

thanks again for the words of advice
L

[lucy]

Hi again,
Seanie's just coming to the end of his course of anti biotics, (10 days). He seems to me to be an awful lot better. He's put on a good bit of weight in that short time, and is much more lively and active then he's been since I got him.

His head is still slightly tilted, but I'm certain that it's not as extreme as before, you really have to look at him closely when he's on a flat surface to notice it now.

He doesn't roll when I pick him up, although he still seems a bit lopsided in general, and won't stand up on his hind legs without something to lean on.

I'm not sure whether to ask for another course of antibiotics at this stage, or if the remaining head tilt and lopsidedness is likely to be a permanent feature, because of the delay in treatment.

From the advice I've been given here, and from my research, it does seem that he probably did have an infection rather then a tumour? I know it's still early days, but he certainly doesn't look or act like a rat who's going to die soon.

Anyway, thanks so much for all the help, it was great to have the confidence to go and ask my vet for what my rat needed, and hopefully there'll be a happy ending to this.

[tabirat]

This is really good news Laura. I am so pleased to hear that he has made such a good recovery. In view of the length of time before he started antibiotics it might be a good idea, as you suggest, to try a longer course and see whether you get some more improvement. But all in all - sounds like you are heading for a very happy ending.

[Abi]

Hi everyone, have been browsing to find info on rat health and came here! This post is really helpful as this is pretty much exactly what's happening with one of my rats at the mo. Jerry hasnt been himself the last few days, v quiet, and yest I noticed his head tiltling plus wobbles. Took him to the vets today and said I thought was ear infection. They gave me antibiotics, but again they weren't sure whether ear infection as couldnt see anything in his ear. Said that could be brain probs, tumour etc which needless to say a bit upsetting! Really hoping its an ear infection and Jerry will be back to his naughty self soon, its heartening to know that other people have had this experience ie vets not sure but antibiotics do help. Fingers firmly crossed

[joolzratbag]

Good luck to Jerry, he should really have had a steroid shot as well.

[lucy]

Hope Gerry's doing ok. Seanie still has a head tilt, but after 2 1/2 weeks of anti biotics, seems much better. He's definitely getting fatter again, and is full of energy. he's much friendlier and not as shy as when I first got him, and is now first to the cage door to get a fuss when I come in to say hello. It looks like his real personality is coming to fore now that he's feeling a bit better.

L

[Abi]

Thanks guys. Jerry is definately improving, he is now back to jumping up to cage door and much more his old self. He's still having clumsy/wonky moments and a bit of a head tilt but he does seem to be getting better rather than worse. Supposed to take him back to vets on Monday so hopefully he'll be even better by then. Glad to hear Seanie is so much better, sounds like he's turning into a right little character!

[jonehogg]

All i can think of is antibiotics from a doctor if it is an infection.I'm not sure of anything simpler.I'll think about it though.I had "bathtub ear" once and got some stuff that worked.It was a mixture, but the main ingredient was iodine.I don't have an iodine allergy,so I was fine using it.It cleared my ear issues up right away.