Rats - Basic Health Checks

It is advisable to check your rat at least once every day for the first signs of illness, and examine them more thoroughly on a weekly basis. Rats can go downhill very fast if veterinary advise isn’t sought soon enough.

Daily Checks

Eyes - check for red staining, weepiness and cloudiness. Eyes should be open, clear and bright. Eye infection can be one of the symptoms of SDA.

Nose - check for red discharge/mucus (porphyrin), listen for wheezy, chirpy or grunting noises, and sneezing.
These can all be signs of respiratory infection and/or stress.

Face – check for scratches and scabs. Mites and dietary problems often show up first in skin problems around the face and under the chin.

Ears – should be clean and with no smell. Crusts on the outer rim of the ear could be sarcoptic (ear) mites. Any foul odour could be indicative of an ear infection and require prompt veterinary treatment.

Lungs – hold your rat up to your ear like a telephone. Listen for any rattling, wheezing noises in the chest. A healthy rat should have no obvious sound.

Body – skin should be free from any scabs and scratches. Check behind the neck for signs of mites and at the bottom of the back/base of tail for lice. Pinching the skin can help determine if your rat is dehydrated; skin should snap back immediately.

Feet – check toenails, some rats need theirs trimmed on a regular basis. Long toenails can get caught on fabric bedding etc. and cause injury. Check the underside of back feet for signs of redness or lumps (bumblefoot).
Check front feet for signs of red staining, rats often wipe porphyrin away from their faces but still have it on their hands and inner arms.

Coat – should be smooth and have a healthy sheen, with no bald patches. Coarseness and dullness can indicate that your rat isn’t in the best of health. Rats with recurrent respiratory problems often have dull listless coats. Bald patches can be caused by parasites, fungal infections and skin allergies, all of which should be treated by your vet.
There should be no yellowing of the fur on the stomach. Yellow staining can be caused by inadequate husbandry or urine infections.

Tail – clean and smooth and rounded to the touch. Check for cleanliness, squareness and lumps and bumps. Squareness can be a result of inadequate nutrition and poor general health. Sometimes it is irreversible, so a period of illness where your rat isn't eating properly can permanently affect tail shape. It is worth noting what is normal for each individual rat though.
Regular light brushing (towards the tip) will help keep your rat’s tail clean.

Urine - urine should not be red tinted, contain blood or have any unusual odour. These are all signs of a urinary tract infection and prompt medical treatment will be needed.

Weekly Checks

Mouth – check teeth are properly aligned and not overgrown. Rat teeth are naturally long and grow continually. Rats keep their teeth at the correct length by bruxing (grinding their teeth together) and eating, gnawing etc. Should teeth become misaligned then they do not get worn down naturally and can grow up into the lips and jaws causing severe pain.
Teeth should be yellow or orange in colour. The top incisors are a darker shade than the bottom. White teeth are usually a sign of illness or poor diet.

Body - Run your hands along both sides and underneath your rat to check for any lumps (mammary tumours), paying attention to armpits and the groin area.

Face - Check for any signs of swelling along the jawline and throat. Facial abscesses need aggressive treatment from the vet and lumps around the throat can often be signs of serious i

Author: 10rats

Web Site: http://mana.vinix.co.uk

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Rats - Basic Health Checks

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