[WillowRat]

I have a female rat named Jude who will be two next summer and she's doing some strange things.

1. She is VERY thin. She was in such good condition and now I can feel her bones when I pick her up.
2. Her fur is almost.. patchy and is very thin. She used to have a really silky brown coat and now it's dull.
3. She is having really bad issues with walking. She stumbles and can't seem to keep her balance.
4. She can't climb anymore. She used to jump all around the cage but she can't.
5. She has some dried blood on her nose and I'm not sure what it's from.

I separated her from her companion and put her in the "sick cage" that I use for my rats when they get sick or are hurt (yes, yes I wash it). I put a little bit of food, some bedding, and a little house. Earlier I had her out of the cage and when I went to have her crawl back in, she got her arm stuck in the bars on top and fell forward. She just hung there.. she didn't squirm or try to get up, she just hung there and I really quick pulled her back up so her leg would be straight and then she just fell into the cage before I could lower her down. It was awful! And when I had her out she was trying to walk over my arm and kept falling back.

What could this be? Should I take her to the vet or watch and see how much she eats and drinks?

I'm really concerned. Thanks in advance!

 

[cirice]

She could have had a stroke. Is her head tilted often? Does one of her eyes seem cloudy?

The fur issue could be a grooming issue with one of the other rats. Keep her in the smaller cage and try to see if her fur grows back even slightly.

The red stuff is porphyrin. Rats excrete it through their eyes and nose when they're stressed or in pain. A slight bit is normal in rats who have disorders or illnesses, but if it's actually building up then you might have an issue.

I would suggest going to the vet immediately, but if you don't have the money, all you can do is make the rat comfortable and spend lots of time with it.

If it was only a slight stroke, she may recover, but you may notice her stop eating/drinking. If they do this, just buy a very small oral syringe and feed her yogurt, baby food, mushed avocado, or even the regular food mixed with a lot of water and mushed together. If she stops drinking, you will have to use a syringe to give her water too. Since she's lost weight, try giving her peanut butter and a little bit of dark (at least 70%) chocolate. Both have a high fat percentage.

Best of luck!

 

[WillowRat]

Oh my gosh, thank you. I haven't noticed a head tilt but her eyes do look different.
I'll try the syringe thing. Thank you so much for the good ideas. <3 I really, really appreciate it.

 

[cirice]

Oh my gosh, thank you. I haven't noticed a head tilt but her eyes do look different.

I'll try the syringe thing. Thank you so much for the good ideas.

My senior rat just had a massive stroke, so we had quite a few days of intensive care. The syringe thing really is the best method to prolong her life, but a vet will know more than I do.

 

[WillowRat]

My senior rat just had a massive stroke, so we had quite a few days of intensive care. The syringe thing really is the best method to prolong her life, but a vet will know more than I do.

Okay! I gave her a bit of a piece of cake I was eating and she ate it, so maybe I'll grab her some fresh fruit and see if she'll take it.
Thanks again. I'm gonna get her to a vet before the end of the week.

 

[WillowRat]

I just wanted to let you know that Jude passed away yesterday. They think her blood sugar got too low.

 

[461537]

I just wanted to let you know that Jude passed away yesterday. They think her blood sugar got too low.

My condolences for your loss. I don't know what you believe in in regards to an afterlife, but I personally believe that Jude will reincarnate in time after a period of rest and recuperation. May her next life be long and bountiful.