Accounting

[quietann]

It appears that the "recovered" rats must be kept on Baytril, possibly indefinitely. Patch, the one who recovered nicely so was taken off of it, is now sick again. *No* other rats have gotten sick.

At this point it looks like the disease may have been caused by alpha-hemolytic strep, which most rats have anyway, but if it gets well-established in their lungs it's pretty much fatal. Lung tissue also grew up P. carinii (similar to P carinii found in HIV patients, and purely opportunistic) and enterococcus. So maybe the ones who didn't get sick are the stronger ones who were able to fight it off??? Or it didn't get into their lungs???

In the meantime, I have 13 new babies born yesterday. Mama Reba M was bred just before I figured out something was very wrong with the rats. So here I am not even sure if I should be breeding at all, with this litter. Reba M is fantastic; she's in the nest all the time, but will come out for treats so I can handle the babies.

Comments

[rabbitorf.livejournal.com]

Any idea why the alpha hemolytic strep is suddenly causing a problem if it's normal to find it in rats anyway? new strain? If the bugs being found are at least one pathogen that's commonly found in rats (strep) and an opportunistic pathogen (P. carinii), might this be an immune issue?

glad to hear that whatever is happening, some of the rats still appear to be immune to it. Best of luck to the whole crowd!