Snuffly doe (sinusitis, wood shavings?)

One website I looked at said that sinusitis was the most likely cause
(when the only symptom was snuffles, and rat otherwise seemed
healthy). So *how* do you treat sinusitis in a rat?

We have 2 does, just about 1 yr old. They both seem bright enough and
happy in themselves (active, good appetite), but one of them is very
snuffly sounding in the last week or so.

Pet shop was out of Megazorb so we switched to wood shavings for their
bedding about 3 weeks ago. I know wood shavings aren't ideal, but do
you suppose that could that be the sole reason for minor snuffles?
It's a well-ventilated cage. Why is only one rat affected (they
usually sleep together)?

TIA.

Almost 40 <moxypie.DeleteThis@hotmail.com> wrote:

> One website I looked at said that sinusitis was the most likely cause
> (when the only symptom was snuffles, and rat otherwise seemed
> healthy). So *how* do you treat sinusitis in a rat?
>
> We have 2 does, just about 1 yr old. They both seem bright enough and
> happy in themselves (active, good appetite), but one of them is very
> snuffly sounding in the last week or so.
>
> Pet shop was out of Megazorb so we switched to wood shavings for their
> bedding about 3 weeks ago. I know wood shavings aren't ideal, but do
> you suppose that could that be the sole reason for minor snuffles?
> It's a well-ventilated cage. Why is only one rat affected (they
> usually sleep together)?

Some rats are more seneitive than others to environmental irritants. I
think you may be right to suspect the woodshavings, and if it were me I
would stop using the woodshavings straight away and see if her chest clears
up. If that doesn't work, she might need to go to the vet. I don't know
whether or not sinusitis is the most common cause of snuffliness in rats,
but I would have thought it's best to try the simple stuff before moving on
to the question of whether she's ill and needs to be taken to the vet.

Rosemary