Basic Rat Medical Checks!
Ok so this is a post I’ve been meaning to write for awhile. These are some basic things you can do on a weekly or monthly basis that can help you stay ahead of any medical issues with your rats!
1. The Rat Phone
Respiratory issues are probably the #1 issue for rats and their owners. Rats have bacteria called mycoplasma in their lungs that can flare up and cause upper respiratory infections (URIs). If left untreated, these almost always mean death for the rats. Antibiotics are prescribed to knock the bacteria back down to manageable levels but it’s important for owners to understand that it’s virtually impossible to eliminate the bacteria completely so rats often get recurring URIs. Keeping stressors out of your home and making sure that you don’t have scented bedding (this includes pine and cedar), aerosols, candles or air fresheners in the same airspace as the rats will help reduce the rate of URIs but some rats are just healthier than others so it can be frustrating.
What to do: At least once a week, pick up your rat and hold it’s chest up to your ear like a telephone and listen to it’s breathing. Give them a little treat after you do this to make sure they are comfortable with being handled this way. Listen for clear breathing sounds- if you hear wheezing, clicking, or sniffling sounds, that is usually a sign that your rat needs to see a vet for some antibiotics. Often by the time you can hear your rat breathing from far away, it is too late and lung scarring can occur so it’s important to stay on top of their breathing. Also monitor their sneezing, appetite, activity level, etc. but the “rat phone” is one of the easiest and best ways to monitor respiratory health.
2. Teeth Checks
Rats are rodents and all rodents have ever growing incisors (2 on top and 2 on the bottom). They need to chew and brux (grind their teeth together) to keep the teeth filed or else they will grow past each other and can grow up into the roof of their mouth. Rats can develop malocclusion, a condition where the teeth are misaligned and not growing properly. Other times, the rats will chip their front teeth- they will grow back, but in the meantime, their bottom teeth might overgrow and impair their ability to eat or close their mouth properly. If your rat develops these issues, you may need to trim their teeth. It might be temporary (in the case of the chipped tooth) or it might be something they need help with for the rest of their lives. You can clip the teeth at home (although there are risks to doing this- please consult a vet first before attempting home clipping) or bring them to a vet.
Here is an old picture of me examining Lucy’s teeth- you can see the chipped top incisor and the malocclusion on the bottom teeth. Lucy always had tooth issues and required bi-weekly trimming for the last 4 months of her life.
What to do: Every week (or at least once a month), pick up your rat and part their lips to inspect their teeth. This guide will help you identify potential issues with their mouth and it has instructions on how to clip teeth. If you have doubts, have a second person take a picture and submit it and I can help you! Rats do have long bottom incisors so it can be a bit weird if you haven’t looked at them closely before!
3. Weights
Weights are one of the easiest ways to track your pet’s health. Establishing a healthy weight range for each individual is imperative. I weigh all my rats once a month and keep the numbers written down on a chart. When rats age, often they will suddenly get this sunken or deflated appearance that is generally consistent with significant weight loss (especially loss of muscle mass). This is usually one of the first signs that a rat is nearing the end of it’s life. It’s not a death sentence for a rat but it might mean that they are more likely to develop other medical issues because they are becoming weaker. Your vet might suggest supplementing their diet with Ensure or other good fatty foods to keep their body weight up. There are huge variations in a “healthy” weight for rats. It’s difficult to compare rats to each other because one rat could be healthy at 500 grams where another would be very overweight. Determine your baseline when they are young and healthy and this will help you down the road. It can also help identify when your rat is overweight! I certainly have had my fair share of problems with overweight rats- it is difficult to regulate how much they are eating when they live in a group and often, fat rats are lazy and reluctant to exercise which can make slimming down next to impossible. But you can make sure you are feeding a healthy food and cut down on fatty treats if you see their weight start to creep up.
What to do: Each month (I try to keep the time of the month consistent), get a kitchen scale and square tupperware or critter carrier. Place your rat inside! You don’t necessarily need to use a lid but if your rat is very skittish, try putting them in a small critter carrier where they won’t stress themselves out trying to jump. My rats are used to being weighed and I usually give them a chocolate chip while they are on the scale to make it a positive experience.
Parasite Checks
Mites, lice, and fleas are relatively common and many rat owners deal with an ectoparasite infestation at least once. Checking your rats fur on a regular basis can help you keep ahead of the creepy crawlies.
Note: this is not my photo. Photo credit to Small Animal Channel.
What to do: Weekly (or at least monthly), part the fur of your rat to examine the skin. Focus on the back of the neck, between the shoulder blades, and around the face because these areas tend to be the worst because a rat can’t reach them with their teeth so they will often scratch there and create lots of scabbing. If you rat has very thick fur (I’m looking at you rex rats!), either bathe them or wet them down a little so you can see the skin underneath all the fuzz. This guide will help you know what to look for and if you find something, identify it! There are very different treatments for mites vs. fleas so it’s important to know which you are dealing with!
Lump Checks
Tumors and abscesses are the bane of rat owners. They can be hard to distinguish at first, but are obviously very different! An abscess is an infection that usually shows up and grows very quickly! It will eventually pop and drain on its own but sometimes, depending on the placement or severity, might need vet intervention or antibiotics- especially if abscesses appear near the head or neck. Tumors are common, especially with female rats. They usually will be mammary tumors, so feeling the belly of female often to feel tumors before they become noticeable to the eye is crucial. The smaller the tumor, the easier it is for a vet to intervene! Many rat owners wait until the tumor is massive and impeding the rat’s ability to walk to eat and that is obviously a much more traumatic surgery that removing a small lump.
Lucy wearing her cute baby sock bandage after a mammary tumor removal
What to do: Massage your rat! Feel for lumps- focus on the neck, under the arms, and along the nipples of females. Check the genital area of males- this is a common area for males to get bites that turn into abscesses. Here is a guide to help you identify and treat abscesses. Here is a guide for dealing with mammary tumors- the most common type of tumors in rats. Consult a vet if you feel that your rat has a tumor or an abscess you think could be problematic.
All of these are obviously in addition to normal rat care and maintenance- nail trims, keeping tails clean, etc. It might help to create a monthly weight chart. Mine has the names of all my rats and space for their weight each month for the whole year. There is also a little checklist at the bottom where I can check off that I checked teeth, skin, and lumps each month. Just make it part of your routine and your ratties will thank you!
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