What are some symptoms of sick rat?

A sick rat may not show signs or symptoms at the beginning, especially when the rat is not domesticated, however, it is easier to notice symptoms of sicknesses in domesticated rats. Some of the most noticeable symptoms of sicknesses in rats are;

• Rapid decline in body weight
• Drastic reduction in appetite
• Crimson discolouration at the nose and eyes of the animal
• Development of an excessively longer teeth
• Crouching behaviour
• Sneezing continuously
• Excessive sleeping periods
• Rapid exhaustion
• Continuous diarrhea
• Restlessness
• Hobbling
• Lackluster positioning of the eyes
• Discharge from the nasal area, and the eyes
• Irregular breathing or heartbeat

Once any of these symptoms have been discovered in a rat, it will be ideal not to have any physical contact with the animal but report it to the animal rehabilitation or control center immediately. Rats are just like any other animal, they can fall sick at any time, sometimes, a rat may not be sick as a result of bacteria, parasitic or viral infection but as a result of injuries to some parts of the body, most especially the toe nails, tail or even a broken or sprained bone. A rat may be affected by some deep wounds resulting from bites from another rat or another animal.



There are several reasons or sicknesses that may quickly trigger the onset of these symptoms in a sick rat. A rat may develop a respiratory infection that may require urgent medical attention. A rat for instance is supposed to have a dry body, however, if the nose is wet , then it means the animal has a respiratory disorder. Exposure of the rat to smoke, such as burning substances or even cigarette may trigger the development of some respiratory disorder.

Porphyrin is one of the common problems that affect rat eyes, and this is characterized by discharge of red substances from the eyes or nose of the animal. Similar to Porphyrin is eye cataract- an infection characterized by the appearance of white film across the whitish area of the eye. Cataracts may be triggered when there is a scratch to the eye of the rat. Irritation may also trigger the appearance of cataract on the eye. Pneumonia, Mycoplasma, fever, irregular high temperatures are some other issues that can trigger infections in rats.

Rats do have antibodies that can fight off germs and diseases but when rapid weight loss or high dorsal temperatures are noticed, then they must be given adequate treatment immediately.

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