Rat has ringworm
Please help me asap! I think my rat has ringworm. she is going completely bald and her lungs sound raspy. I dont know if I should fight back, or let my little girl go... If you have any suggestions. Like any home remedies.
note:I am unable to take her to a vet.
Answers:I don't know any home remedies for ringworm, but I do know that it is VERY contagious (you will almost certainly get it if you touch her or her bedding). I had a kitten get ringworm a few years ago and he had to have a daily bath/soak in an anti-fungal shampoo from the vet; it sucked, but he eventually got over it (so did my family, since we all got it at least a little!). Over-the-counter anti-fungal treatments like Tinactin, Lotrimin, and Lamisil will also treat ringworm, but I'm not sure how you would use those on a rat. Maybe apply one, make her sit with it on without licking it off, them rinse her thoroughly? I would consult a vet, even if you don't necessarily take her to one.
Secondly, are you sure that it's ringworm, and not mites? Ringworm would cause rounded bald spots eith slight scabs, while mites would cause LOTS of itching (something itching until she is raw with bald spots). Look closely at the walls or her cage and her bedding; if you see tiny black or white dots moving around, it's mites. If it is mites and she's far gone enough that she's bald and her breathing is labored, it may be too late. If it is mites and she is as bad as you describe, you will NEED to get Ivermectin from a vet to save her--I had a rat with mites and we bathed him every other day for three months (before I heard about Ivermectin), until he died from them.