Tilty Man

Backblipped on 21st October 2012

We were hoping for a peaceful day.

It didn't quite work out like that. I went upstairs around lunchtime and found Edwin slumped against the side of the cage looking most strange. I picked him up and discovered he had a head tilt - the first time any of my rats has had such a thing.

I immediately went to the rat health guides, cursed the fact that it was Sunday (why do they all get ill when it's out of hours?) and called the vet. It had been suggested that he should have a steroid injection, but after consultation with the vet it was decided that an anti-inflammatory would also help.

As I didn't have the proper stuff I gave him a dose of baytril (which I have anyway) and also one of Calprofen (for kiddies - I have a series of fictitious children of various ages for whom I buy meds from various chemists - most wouldn't understand if I told them it was for the rats). I settled him and his brother Edgar in a hospital cage.

Head tilt in rats his age is usually caused by an infection of the inner ear, and it affects their balance rather severely. Edwin was clearly confused and distressed, and kept twizzling round and round. We put a little yogurt in the cage to help him eat and keep hydrated and he lost his balance and fell straight into it, which is why he looks wet.

We spent a long time reassuring him, and decided to take him into the vets first thing in the morning, as the vet on the phone had advised.