Healthy rats are meticulous about their appearance, spending a large proportion of the day grooming themselves. A good sign of a healthy rat, therefore, is a nice clean shiny coat.
On the other hand, a sick rat will have an unkempt coat. Other signs of an ill rat include:
If your rat starts to look ill, do not hesitate to take it to your local veterinary practice. Small mammals deteriorate very quickly so the earlier you seek help, the better your pet's chance of recovery.
Common diseases affecting rats include:
This is one of the most common health problems of rats which can be controlled to some extent by a clean, well-ventilated environment.
Signs of respiratory disease include:
There are various causes of this condition although the bacterium Mycoplasma pulmonis is the agent most commonly found.
Treatment is unlikely to bring about a complete cure but some rats can live for quite a while with their disease controlled by antibiotics and/or bronchodilators like those used for asthmatics. A clean cage is vitally important for affected animals as ammonia is highly irritant to their lungs.
A red discharge from the eyes and nose is not a disease of its own but rather an indicator of an underlying problem. If this is seen, take your pet to your veterinary surgeon for an investigation into what is wrong.
Like all rodents, the incisors (front teeth) of rats continue to grow throughout life. Normally, this is not a problem as the length of the teeth is limited by gnawing on food and blocks of wood. However, if the incisors are misaligned, they do not wear down evenly and can grow too long.
If you notice that your rat is not eating as much as usual, take him/her to the vet to have their teeth checked and clipped if necessary. If your rat is predisposed to this problem, regular trips for teeth clipping will be required.
Diarrhoea in rodents can be caused by many things from as simple as a sudden change of diet to serious bacterial enteritis.
Being such small animals, rats get dehydrated very quickly so, whatever the cause, it would be wise to take your pet to see the vet. Make sure that you are extra careful with hygiene when handling your sick pet or cleaning out the cage as some causes of diarrhoea can cause disease in humans as well.
If the diarrhoea is caused by bacteria, there is very little chance of the rat recovering and all other rats in contact will be at risk so they may all require a course of antibiotics.
Parasites are the main cause of skin problems in rats. The most common type are fur mites which cause itchiness. Due to the intense itch, the rat will bite and scratch itself and may cause bald patches to develop, particularly on the head and body. Take your pet to the vet for a course of treatment to kill off the mites.
Mammary tumours are the most likely type and most of these in rats are benign so do not spread. They do, however, grow quite quickly and should be dealt with as soon as possible. Removal of these tumours under general anaesthetic often provides complete cure. If the tumour is left, it will continue to grow and may interfere with the rat's movement or become ulcerated and infected. At this stage, euthanasia is the only real option.
Rats with a head tilt will often walk around in circles. It interferes with their ability to eat and drink. Head tilt can be caused by problems in the brain but the most common cause is an inner ear infection caused by the same bacterium as causes chronic respiratory disease. Because of this, it is often seen in animals suffering with respiratory disease. Treatment is often not successful but may be worth a try when the problem first appears.