My pet rat is ill and can not hold her food in her paws for some reason? help good advice needed only thanks?

Question

hi everyone

My pet rat perky has come over really ill in the last few days and has suddenly become very docile (she was a bit nippy always before) also she can not pick up her food to eat it and she is being hand fed at the moment. i have taken her to the vets and they have precribed baytrail for her which she is taking at present however because i know quite alot about the general diseases rats tend to suffer with, i seem to not be able to come across any thing defiente when it comes to the symtoms of her not being able to hold her food. she did have a mate about six months ago who also had similar systems and got so bad she had to be euthenised. So basically i was just wondering if any one else had seen these systems in an elderly sick rat before and if so is there any thing else we can do as well as the precrisbed medicine.

Thank you all in advance

Brightest Blessings
lisa

she has been to the vets yesterday

Answer 1

I am so sorry to hear your rat is sick. Sadly, it simply sounds like old age. We had two rats and when one passed on the other followed about three wks later. They were just too old. You can try Gerber dry rice cereal, plain. Mix it in a lil warm milk and see if she will take it off a spoon. It has a lot of nutrients that can help her feel better. But it really sounds like age. You sound like you are doing everything you know how and that love will help her feel better too. They can definitley sense that. I hope she feels better soon.

Answer 2

I've got two pet rats myself, and I can't say that i've ever had anything like that happen or heard of it. The only thing I could potentially think of would be maybe a pituitary tumor in the brain, but usually that shows more balance issues than anything. If it is infectious bacteria though baytril is your best bet to get rid of it. I nursed one of mine back from pneumonia using baytril. As far as getting her to eat you can try baby food, most really like that, and mix a small amount of fruit juice in with some water to entice her to drink it. I would say if she doesn't improve maybe get a second opinion from an exotics vet. Good luck!

Answer 3

if she is over 4years old she most likely is dying i am sorry not trying to be mean but just like humans with arthritis that is what she is experiencing and life Span is only 2-5 years of age for a rat

Answer 4

you need to get it to a different vet, and soon, you have waited for days and now its time for a new vet, or you will loose Perky(I hope you don't its so sad to loose a pet) I hope Perky makes it.

Answer 5

Just feed her the best food you can by hand and make sure she drinks and take her baytril.

Hope she gets better.

Answer 6

Take it to see a vet.

Answer 7

take him to the vet