and my rat is sick again

[ratcreature]

Unfortunately Leo's myco is now back already in a bad way, after he only finished the previous antibiotics four weeks ago. So now he's on antibiotic injections again, and I hope the cursed germs haven't become resistant against this one yet (it's the second already, for some reason bacteria in rats are really fast in adapting). However the cute thing I wanted to post about is his reaction to the lukewarm chamomile tea that I'm offering them as an additional home remedy, because that's good for respiratory things and mild enough for them. Leo isn't that thrilled with drinking it, though he lapped up some, but just now he sat besides the bowl, scooped some up, and washed his nose and face with it, and for a while groomed himself while wetting his paws with tea. So I guess it is pleasant for him to inhale.

Comments

[lilacsigil]

The tea story is adorable! I hope he takes to the next round of antibiotics just as well. Although, maybe not washing his face with them.

[ratcreature]

It's injections, and he's very docile while intimidated my the vet surroundings (of course injecting him myself at home didn't work out the last time, so it's vet trips ever other day again).

[madripoor-rose.livejournal.com]

Hugs. And the tea thing is really cute, hope the poor ratty feels better soon.

[ratcreature]

Thanks. I hope so too. Unfortunately myco never really goes away even with antibiotics, it remains chronic, just less active. And pretty much all rats have the bacteria (except from what I hear especially quarantined strains of lab rats, where researchers go to great trouble because they don't want to compromise the medical experiments they do on the poor rats with such factors). But usually young and healthy rats keep the infection in check so that they don't have symptoms, only mine are now in their second year, and while Linus had no trouble yet, and Noah so far only needed antibiotics once, it seems Leo is somehow less resilient. Antibiotics can help them some, but myco gets resistant really fast, and there are few antibiotics options for it to begin with. And then eventually their pneumonia gets worse and worse. :( Thankfully Leo still has good appetite and enjoys playing and scuffling, so he's not bad yet, and I hope he'll rally. *crosses fingers*

[droolfangrrl.livejournal.com]

Maybe he wanted to smelly daisy fresh?

http://www.herbal-and-home-remedies.com/menu/chamomile.jpg

[ratcreature]

Perhaps. Rats' fur in general smells surprisingly pleasant, considering that they pee on each other and in their nests (and their pee does *not* smell good) and only groom themselves by licking. So he wouldn't need flowery washes as such to smell nice. I don't mind burying my nose in rat fur (unless they just peed on each other right before). Cats are smellier, even if you avoid their often bad breath, despite them not soiling their sleeping spaces.