Health Issues

Health

The most common diseases of rats are respiratory illness and tumours. These usually occur in old age (2-3 years old).

Respiratory illness is caused by an organism Mycoplasma pulmonis and should be treated with antibiotics. If your rat is making a wheezing noise seek veterinary advice immediately as this illness can kill quickly. Rats do occasionally have a sneeze and this is no cause for concern.

Tumours tend to be more common in older female rats. This is because many tumours involve the mammary glands (breast tumours). These lumps may appear around the neck and under the stomach, in armpits or groin area. Many of these tumours can be removed by a veterinarian. Other tumours may occur in the brain, back and feet. Seek advice from a veterinarian.

Rats who are ill or under stress may have a red stain around the eyes, nose and ears. This may be mistaken for blood. It is, in fact, secreted from glands around the eye and is known as porphyrin. This may be normal for your rat (particularly light coloured animals), however check your animal for any respiratory problems as well.

Other health problems include abscesses, wounds and parasites.

Why would my rat get it?

Mycoplasma p. is extremely contagious. In practical terms all pet rats must be assumed to have been in contact with it. It is transmitted by direct contact between mother and young, as a respiratory aerosol (minute droplets of moisture in the air, like when you sneeze), over short distances, through sexual transfers, via animal carriers and in utero (in uterus between mother and foetus). The chances of transmission through clothing of an owner is low.

Anything which damages the rat's respiratory surface (inside throat and lungs) can encourage infections by Mycoplasma p. These include ammonia, sulphur dioxide, cigarette smoke, high levels of dust, and some viruses (germs).

Ammonia gas is made from urine and faeces in cages by bacteria. Therefore cages must be kept clean, well ventilated, and not overcrowded. Dust can be reduced by choosing low dust bedding.

Older animals, and stressed animals will have a weaker immune system and are more likely to have visible symptoms. Vitamin A or E deficiencies may also encourage the disease. Some animals will also be genetically more likely to develop the disease.

The symptoms

Signs of the disease do not usually appear until the disease is quite advanced. The disease is usually chronic (that is, the symptoms are shown over a long time, are fairly mild, and the disease progresses slowly). A rat is usually active and eats normally until the disease is quite advanced.

Early signs of the disease are excessive sneezing and sniffling, occasional squinting, rough coat and nasal discharge. In these cases if the sound of the rat's breathing (deep in the chest) sounds quiet it may not be necessary to start treatment. If the animal begins to appear very tired and does not eat or drink, veterinary care should be started.

If at any time a deeper chesty wheeze, rattle or clicking develops in the chest when the rat is breathing then it is time to seek veterinary care and treatment.

It has been said that in most cases the disease is chronic, however in some cases an acute form of the disease may occur. (Acute - sudden appearance of symptoms and death). This is usually the result of a secondary infection with bacteria or irritation from ammonia. The symptoms in these cases may be loss of appetite, chattering, weight loss, hunched posture, rough coat, discharge from eyes and nose, tiredness and difficulty breathing.

If these symptoms appear suddenly this may indicate acute disease and veterinary care must be undertaken quickly as the rat is in danger of dying.

A third health problem which may be due to Mycoplasma p. is head tilting. This can advance to body rolling and circling. It should be noted a head tilt may also be due to brain tumours. The head tilt is brought about by the Mycoplasma p. infection getting into the inner ear from the respiratory system. It affects the part of the ear concerned with a rats balance. (The ear and nose are connected by the Eustachian tube). This should be treated immediately if you wish to reverse the effects.

Porphyrin staining may also be seen in sick animals. This a red substance produced by the eyes. When an animal is stressed (as with a disease) staining may appear around the eyes and nose. It looks like dry blood and is often mistaken for this.

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