He has been sneezing for the last two days and he is really lethargic and dosent want to eat or drink. Is he dying or just have a bad cold. Do rats even get a cold. He is new here. I just got him a few days ago.
2007-11-27 09:01:38 · 11 answers · asked by Holly E 2 in Pets ➔ Rodents
Rats are cool pets! Your rat could be suffering from a couple of different things. First, do you have him on shavings, if so remove them! The dust from the shavinmgs may be causing the problem and at best is at least aggravating the issue. Just give him some paper towles for right now, and maybe a hot water bottle to snuggle up to. The most common cause of the symptoms that you are describing is Mycoplasma pulmonis. Its highly contagious between rats and almost every rat carries it, but only a some produce symptoms and the stress of changing environments could trigger something like this. Vets that know anything about rats are few and far between, but you can check around to find one that knows anything about them.You can try to return him to where you purchased him chances are they have more rats with the same problem so i would get my money back and try again elsewhere. If you want to try to do more for the little fellow antibiotics are recommended along with probiotics (like active yogurt) to counteract the damage to the flora of the intestinal tract.
This is a great site http://www.petrats.org/infoforvetsetc.html#Respiratory
and this page tells about the recommended dosage and what antibiotics to use. Be sure you understand dosages like mg per body weight then be able to convert that to mililiters or however the drug is supplied. You can find some antibiotics at feedstores and petstores.
Good luck with him!!
2007-11-27 09:50:15 · answer #1 · answered by jojoringer 2 · 5⤊ 2⤋
Sick Pet Rat
2016-12-12 10:38:46 · answer #2 · answered by ruffino 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do you have a water bottle in the house or some type of cup you can close? If so put hot water in it and wrap a paper towel around it she will enjoy laying next to the warmth. Maybe even put a small shirt or blanket in the cage she can cuddle in that it will help to. Also do you have a eye dropper try to give her some water. Tomorrow if she is still with you she is ill first thing you should call around to vets some who take exotics will charge new patient so its not so much money. If you lose her in the middle of the night then at least you know she was warm and comfortable in her last moments. Some rats who are perfectly fine can go down hill so fast for almost no reason. This can be strokes, seizures, or some other hidden illness or bad gene.
2016-03-14 01:29:16 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
One of my rats was doing a similar thing, and I removed the shavings I had in the cage, and he recovered virtually straight away! If there is a red discharge that looks like blood coming from the eyes and nose, it isn't blood, its a mucus. This can tell you that your rat isn't a happy chappy. I would suggest getting your rat to a vet, but then most vets don't know anything about rodent health. Funny really as they all test on them and dissect them at Uni and such places - yet very little is really out there in the vet world on the health and well being of rats. I use a website called The Dapper Rat (http://www.dapper.com.au/index.htm). I once had a vet say it was easier to put my rat down than spend the money and try and treat him. Needless to say I didn't go back to that vet.
2007-11-27 10:47:47 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
For the best answers, search on this site https://shorturl.im/ax1fk
She's probably dying. You should pick her up and hold her so that she's warm. You should also take her to the vet though, just to make sure you may have or may not have a chance of saving her. If she is actually dying, make her have the last peaceful and happy days of her life.
2016-04-09 22:58:24 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Take him to a vet NOW! That might be myco http://ratguide.com/health/bacteria/mycoplasma_mycoplasmosis.php or even pneumonia - both of these require antibiotics which only a vet can prescribe correctly. These CANNOT be treated with anything over-the-counter. If he's not eating or drinking, he'll be dead within only a few days without medical intervention, so see a vet IMMEDIATELY!
2007-11-27 11:51:14 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
He's really sick. You could try getting an antibiotic for rodents from a pet store. Keep him warm and in a clean cage.
I've had many rats, and they don't get colds and flus like we do.
2007-11-27 10:55:29 · answer #7 · answered by The First Dragon 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Please get him to a vet as soon as possible. Rats don't just get colds - it sounds like he is very ill. If he isn't drinking he could be dead within days unless he gets treatment.
2007-11-27 09:32:20 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
He probably has a respiratory infection. It is possible that he will get over it on his own but if he is bad enough that he is lethargic the you should probably get him on some antibiotics.
Pretty much all mammals can get respiratory infections. Some are viral and some are bacterial.
2007-11-27 09:17:54 · answer #9 · answered by Big D 2 · 4⤊ 2⤋
agreed, he needs to see a vet and he may not make it. Sounds like a respiratory infection- rats are very prone to those, and they can kill. -Neb
2007-11-27 09:43:55 · answer #10 · answered by nebit214 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋