HELP! Something stuck in throat?

[Noodles]

My 8 month old girl seems to have something stuck in her throat. She’s very lethargic and drooling. She keeps contorting her head back into her neck every minute or so.

I had her out on my shoulder about half an hour before this started and she was fine. She’s been doing this for around 45minites now.

What do I do? Do these things normally fix themselves?

[HereticPr1me]

Normally they will fix it themselves - thats what the drooling and retching is for, to lubricate their throat and dislodge the obstruction.
Its been a while now, only just saw this, how is she ?

If you feel she is struggling to unblock it herself, then you may need to get her to the vet so they can try to do it for her - and she'll be there already if theres complications.
You need to make sure she can breath ok - if she's struggling to breathe or theres any signs of her turning blue (lips/gums, feet, ears, tail) then she definitely needs vet assistance.
If she is actually unable to breathe, then its emergency first aid - ie rat fling.

If she has managed to unblock it herself, then rest and some soft high energy food to help her recover - ie mashed banana with some honey, etc.
They normally do resolve it after a short while. Ive not really seem them take more than half an hour, but if youre at 2 hours now, Id be looking at vet assistance tbh, as opposed to leaving her overnight.

NFRS have a good First Aid Page , you'll see a part about choking 3/4 way down.

edt: I have to go to bed, so hope you get her settled or ideally she has cleared it by herself

[Noodles]

We got to around half 8 and decided to take her to the vets, she didn’t turn blue but after 2 hours her condition wasn’t improving. They put her on oxygen and tried to look down her throat - they couldn’t see anything.

They gave her an anti-inflammatory/painkiller (meloxicam) and antibiotics (enrofloxacin)

Her breathing is still a bit laboured and she’s still contorting, albeit less frequently and severely. She’s quite squeaky now though. We’re aleeping on the sofa tonight so we can be near her on the off chance we hear her in distress.

Just praying she’s ok tomorrow morning.

[Caza66]

Hope she is ok.

[Noodles]

Just an update, we took her back to the vets at 3.30am this morning and asked them to keep her in. She was again very lethargic (mostly because she was exhausted I expect), producing a lot of saliva again, squeaking and generally looked like she was taking a turn for the worse.

They’ve had her on oxygen all night and said she’s looking a lot happier with slower, less laboured breathing. They also starter her on a nebulizer.

Going to go and pick her up at lunch time and hope that she doesn’t need anesthetics so they can properly analyse her throat

[HereticPr1me]

oh the wee soul
That's good they've been able to get her more comfortable, she must be exhausted.
Hope she is fully back on her feet today, sounds like you've all had a pretty traumatic 12 hrs.

Also, if its been her windpipe, rather than throat, then keep an eye out for any resp issues as a result of aspiration.

*fingers crossed* shes looking happy at lunch time.

[Noodles]

She vet called again around 10.30 and said that within minutes of being taken off of oxygen her breathing becomes laboured so have opted for anaesthesia and x-rays. I know the risks of anaesthesia are increased with breathing difficulties but I feel like its our only option (other than euthanasia). She they're going to keep her in for another 24 hours to let the anti-inflammatories settle any swelling and do the x-rays tomorrow.

I'm not comfortable bringing her home with her breathing as is, so it's another night at the vets for her

[Wilcox_87]

Bringing back some horrible memories reading this as this happened to one of my boys (not as long-lasting) just over a week ago! Exactly the same symptoms with the drooling, gagging, squeaking and laboured breathing and he was given antibiotics and painkillers/anti-inflammatories, again the vet and I tried to look down his throat and couldn't see anything, it seems like they can get food stuck so far down that we just can't see it. Our boy was really sick all night and very tired for two days after he managed to dislodge it (I wasn't there when he managed it as it was through the night) but after that he bounced back so I am hoping and praying that yours will do the same. Having her on oxygen is great as the small amounts of breath that she is taking in will be still be getting to all of the important places. If they see anything lodged on the x ray hopefully they will be able to remove it then and there while she is out and relaxed. Fingers crossed she will clear it herself over the next 24 hours and not have to go through the anesthesia. I know how horrible this is to watch and am so sorry that you are now having to go through it. Sending lost of hugs and wishful thoughts your way and hoping for a very speedy recovery for her!

[Noodles]

Wilcox - I’m so glad your boy is better. It really is terrifying to see, you just feel so helpless. I read your post and it’s given me some hope as it sounds like exactly the same situation.

We went to see her at the vets the evening and she’s looking much much better. No longer retching, her eyes are wide and she’s cleaning herself a lot. Almost like she’s back to normal! But when they turn her oxygen off she becomes lethargic again after around 5 minutes I’m really hoping she just needs some time to fix herself.

We’re still going ahead with the anaesthesia and x-rays tomorrow as we’ve come this far now and she can’t live in an oxygen tank forever. I’m just praying she makes it through that.

Arghh these little fluffballs really do mess you up don’t they thanks for the kind words everyone. I’m sat on the sofa with her cagemate now who looks about as stressed as I do!

[Wilcox_87]

I hope all goes well! Keeping everything crossed for her. Give her some sctitches from me and my lot x

[Noodles]

She’s had her x-rays and they found absolutely nothing. No foreign objects, no unusual masses.

They’ve weaned her off of oxygen now, only giving it to her in very occasional small drops to help her along but she’s coping fairly well without it now. Her breathing is still slightly laboured but much improved.

They think it was a mycoplasma flair-up (which she has been treated for before but nothing this severe) which would make sense as she’s been on antibiotics for 36 hours now so they could be having an effect. However, I am still convinced she choked, there was so much retching and dribble that came on so quickly. I have a feeling she managed to clear it herself with the help of being forced anti-biotics and liquid feed via syringe and she was just exhausted from that ordeal, hence oxygen and nebulizer keeping her breathing stable and calm.

Picking her up tonight at 5.45 tonight and then watching her like a hawk all weekend. Phew!

Will do Wilcox - she'll be getting all the scritches and cuddles this weekend!

[Wilcox_87]

That is great news! Poor little girl, she must be exhausted, as must you! It does sound like she has had a nasty blockage and has managed to clear it, maybe overnight as you said when they took her off of oxygen yesterday she started stretching and gagging again. Fingers crossed the course of ABs that they will send you away with will mop up remaining infections. Our vet gave me an isotonic powder to put in Franks water, it was Royal Canin Rehydration Support Electrolyte Instant for cats and dogs. Once he started to drink by himself this stuff turned him into 'super rat' mode He got his energy back so quickly. It is absolutely fine for your other rats to drink (it is basically lukozade for animals) so you can just put it in the cage. She gave me a full sachet but I only ended up using half (which makes up a medium water bottle). I would recommend asking if your vets have any as I think it really aided his recovery, it seems very palatable as well. You and your other girls must be very excited to have her home again

[Noodles]

Ah great tip, thank you. I'll ask if they have any and if not I'll have a hunt around to see if I can find any as they sound ideal.

[Wilcox_87]

Hope she is doing better now

[HereticPr1me]

So glad to hear she was all clear on the xray. Thats really good news
I agree it definitely seems like a choking incident, and if it was an airway choke, then its possibly caused some aspiration / fluid into the lungs, which ofc can result in infection too so the ABs are a good step.

> Rose that isotonic powder sounds like good stuff. Ive never come across that, thanks

What a hard time the wee soul has had, all in its been a pretty serious choking incident by the sounds of it.
Hope the wee one is continuing to bounce back