# Another reason why smoking is bad!



## ZoeRipper (Jan 16, 2010)

Because it causes respiratory infections in my rats. :angry: 

Which means I have to spend $35 on the initial visit to the vet, and whatever other charges they're gonna slap on me.

Arrrrgh.

I really wish two certain people would clean up their acts.


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## Katnapper (Jan 16, 2010)

Your rats could have had respitory infections when you got them. Pet shops, kennels, shelters, etc. are notorious for harboring "kennel cough," and many animals have it when you get them.


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## PhilinYuma (Jan 16, 2010)

Zoe: Hold off before spending money at the vet. You've just got Lady, and it usually takes chronic exposure to smoke to increase susceptibility to infection. My guess is that she is reacting to the smoke itself, and there is little that a vet can do about that. I suggest that you try to keep her away from areas where the smell of smoke is strongest and, if possible, keep the door to yr room closed.

A rough and ready way to tell if respiratory distress is due to irritation/allergy/viral infection or bacterial infection is to see if any discharge (technically, "snot"  ) is clear or colored. If clear, the discharge is probably due to one of the first three causes and the vet can't do much , anyway, except charge you for the visit. See what happens over the next few days.


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## ZoeRipper (Jan 16, 2010)

I didn't get them from a pet shop, or kennel...

I adopted them from a lady who'd had them for 2 months


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## ZoeRipper (Jan 16, 2010)

PhilinYuma said:


> Zoe: Hold off before spending money at the vet. You've just got Lady, and it usually takes chronic exposure to smoke to increase susceptibility to infection. My guess is that she is reacting to the smoke itself, and there is little that a vet can do about that. I suggest that you try to keep her away from areas where the smell of smoke is strongest and, if possible, keep the door to yr room closed.A rough and ready way to tell if respiratory distress is due to irritation/allergy/viral infection or bacterial infection is to see if any discharge (technically, "snot"  ) is clear or colored. If clear, the discharge is probably due to one of the first three causes and the vet can't do much , anyway, except charge you for the visit. See what happens over the next few days.


The discharge is a dark red, poryphrin.


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## PhilinYuma (Jan 16, 2010)

ZoeRipper said:


> The discharge is a dark red, poryphrin.


The breadth of yr knowledge never ceases to amaze me, ma'am! And of course, you are right, but clinically, it is more useful to refer to the source, slightly changed blood. It sounds as though the smoke has caused enough irritation, either in the upper respiratory tract or in the nose, to cause inflammation followed by slight bleeding. Do you have a humidifier that you can use in yr room, to reduce the irritation? If you don't but do have an extra diaphragm pump for yr (Ryan's) aquarium, I can suggest a way of making an impromptu humidifier.


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## ZoeRipper (Jan 16, 2010)

We don't have a humidifier... Perhaps misting her like a mantis would work


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## Emile.Wilson (Jan 17, 2010)

ZoeRipper said:


> Because it causes respiratory infections in my rats. :angry: Which means I have to spend $35 on the initial visit to the vet, and whatever other charges they're gonna slap on me.
> 
> Arrrrgh.
> 
> I really wish two certain people would clean up their acts.


maybe quit smoking? I heard its bad for your health somewhere


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## ZoeRipper (Jan 17, 2010)

Emile said:


> maybe quit smoking? I heard its bad for health somewhere


well, I tried to ask those two certain people who are smoking all over the house now if they could keep it in their room. Ryan's dad said sure no problem, and he hopes that we can get Lady and Bug feeling better soon. Ryan's mom went batshit insane and bitched at Ryan and I for about a half hour about how it's her home, dammit and it offends her that I'm "telling her what to do in her own home" and "I'm not gonna change my lifestyle for two rats!"

Arrgh.


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## Emile.Wilson (Jan 17, 2010)

ZoeRipper said:


> well, I tried to ask those two certain people who are smoking all over the house now if they could keep it in their room. Ryan's dad said sure no problem, and he hopes that we can get Lady and Bug feeling better soon. Ryan's mom went batshit insane and bitched at Ryan and I for about a half hour about how it's her home, dammit and it offends her that I'm "telling her what to do in her own home" and "I'm not gonna change my lifestyle for two rats!"Arrgh.


Dont you smoke yourself


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## ZoeRipper (Jan 17, 2010)

Emile said:


> Dont you smoke yourself


Nope. On special occasions I'll break out the Swisher sweets, but I'm not a smoker.


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## BellsBird (Jan 17, 2010)

How about tell her not to do it for the sake of the rats but for the sake of her lungs &lt;_&lt; Poor ratties  Try just keeping the room to your bedroom closed and the window open. No, actually, you shoul;d show her those ughy gruesome piccies of lungs and arteries filled with...what is it? Tar. Yuk


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## ZoeRipper (Jan 17, 2010)

Robyn said:


> How about tell her not to do it for the sake of the rats but for the sake of her lungs &lt;_&lt; Poor ratties  Try just keeping the room to your bedroom closed and the window open. No, actually, you shoul;d show her those ughy gruesome piccies of lungs and arteries filled with...what is it? Tar. Yuk


I think the reason why she got so pissy was because she's a nurse.. and yet she still smokes. And the window thing is a good idea, although since they've already got the infections they're going to need to be on antibiotics for about 3 weeks now.


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## Krissim Klaw (Jan 17, 2010)

Wow, if your rats got an infection that fast I hate to see what the smoke is doing to you if it is that bad in the house. Hope they both heal up fast.


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## Katnapper (Jan 17, 2010)

Possibly the big change of moving into a new home with scary new people may have also stressed them and caused their immune systems to function at lower levels due to the stress. Once they clear up and have become acclimated to their new home, they likely won't get sick from smoke or whatever as easily.


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## Opivy (Jan 18, 2010)

Eh, looks like I won't be getting any rats. Lol,

But seriously - It's not really funny. I need to quit some day, I'm too young =(


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## BellsBird (Jan 19, 2010)

Opivy said:


> Eh, looks like I won't be getting any rats. Lol,But seriously - It's not really funny. I need to quit some day, I'm too young =(


Typical smoker saying right there. "I'll quit one day" Then when that day comes, it's usually too late


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## Katnapper (Jan 19, 2010)

Robyn said:


> Typical smoker saying right there. "I'll quit one day" Then when that day comes, it's usually too late


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## PhilinYuma (Jan 19, 2010)

Robyn said:


> Typical smoker saying right there. "I'll quit one day" Then when that day comes, it's usually too late


I take it, Robyn, that you have never smoked and so have no idea what nicotine addiction is like. Oddly, your own statement, "when that day comes, it is usually too late," is not only incorrect but suggests to a smoker that there is no reason to go through the misery of quiting. I quit, cold turkey, years ago and then started again, ten years later. I quit again, one of the hardest things that I have done, which means that in a few years, instead of dying of congestive heart failure, I shall die of something else


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## ZoeRipper (Jan 19, 2010)

PhilinYuma said:


> I take it, Robyn, that you have never smoked and so have no idea what nicotine addiction is like. Oddly, your own statement, "when that day comes, it is usually too late," is not only incorrect but suggests to a smoker that there is no reason to go through the misery of quiting. I quit, cold turkey, years ago and then started again, ten years later. I quit again, one of the hardest things that I have done, which means that in a few years, instead of dying of congestive heart failure, *I shall die of something else*


But not for a while though, right?


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## PhilinYuma (Jan 19, 2010)

ZoeRipper said:


> But not for a while though, right?


At least not until you have mated a pair of yr own mantids and hatched one of their ooths! (And after that, I shall probably come up with another reason to postpone the inevitable!)


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## ZoeRipper (Jan 19, 2010)

PhilinYuma said:


> At least not until you have mated a pair of yr own mantids and hatched one of their ooths! (And after that, I shall probably come up with another reason to postpone the inevitable!)


So I guess I'm gonna have to wait about 20 years to mate mantids, hee hee.

You're stuck with us for 2 more decaaaades!~


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## Katnapper (Jan 19, 2010)

ZoeRipper said:


> So I guess I'm gonna have to wait about 20 years to mate mantids, hee hee.You're stuck with us for 2 more decaaaades!~


+1






Phil... do not read beyond this point.  

(And Zoe, i you do breed any mantids, we just won't tell Phil! :lol: )


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## ZoeRipper (Jan 19, 2010)

Katnapper said:


> +1
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Breeding in secret... Niiiiice.


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