I am a firm believer in the importance of establishing a strong relationship with a veterinarian for your rats. Pet rats can have many types of illnesses and medical problems. Even if you are an experienced rat owner, and even if no health problems are observed, I recommend taking any rat that is new to you to be examined by a veterinarian who’s knowledgeable about and experienced with pet rats.
A rat’s first vet visit helps in several ways: Your veterinarian can establish a relationship with your rat, observe a baseline for your new pet’s health and assess any current medical problems or predispositions. If problems are found, it’s helpful to know about them before they become more advanced.
I also recommend having all of your rats checked by a veterinarian at least once every six months. I once had my rat examined for a problem I’d noticed, and the vet found something additional (and much more serious) that I hadn’t even noticed!* When rats become older (2+ years) I recommend having them examined as often as every 3 months.
Besides getting initial and regular wellness exams, here are some symptoms which warrant a visit to the vet:
- Decreased appetite
- Increased thirst
- Increase or decrease in urination
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Lethargy – Is your rat sleeping more than normal? Not wanting to play?
- Puffed up fur
- Sneezing
- Any breathing problems – Does your rat make funny sounds while breathing? (A healthy rat’s breathing is silent.) Does your rat’s breathing seem labored, i.e. does his/her body heave in and out while breathing?
- Porphyrin – Porphyrin is a red secretion around the eyes and nostrils that looks like blood, but it’s not. It’s produced by the Harderian gland, which is located behind the eye. Porphyrin is a sign that the rat could have an infection or be experiencing stress
- Any eye problem – Squinting, cloudiness, scratching, redness around eye
- Any wounds – many people with rats insist that rat lacerations heal quickly and on their own. However, there is a chance the wound could become (or already is) infected. Because of this, veterinarians will often prescribe an antibiotic. The last time one of my rats was wounded, the emergency room veterinarian found the gashes were far more significant than what I’d initially observed.
- Abscesses, lumps or bumps – Small lumps can be abscesses filled with pus or a tumor (cancerous or benign). In my opinion any lump found on your rat should be examined by a veterinarian within 24 hours if possible.
- Excessive scratching/itching
- Scabs
- Head tilt
It’s important to take your rat to be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible for any of the above symptoms. A rat’s health can quickly decline. In addition, if you see anything out of the ordinary, any changes in your rat’s behavior and/or health, take him or her to a qualified veterinarian. I would much rather have the vet say “everything’s fine”, than to not take my rat in and find out I could’ve caught a problem early and prevented worse conditions from developing.
*Case in point: When bringing in one of my rats because I’d noticed a very small bump or abscess on his chest, his veterinarian noticed swelling beneath his penis. I had not even noticed the swelling. This photo shows what was removed from Dwayne during surgery. A biopsy of this tumor identified spindle cell carcinoma. I was very thankful I’d brought him in, especially since I hadn’t noticed this particular problem.
Hey i just got my rats yesterday and ive noticed sneezing and one of my rats had a little dried blood im going to take them to the vet but they arent opens till monday is the wait okay?? There both still eating playing and drinking and sleeping im just worried theres something im not seeing! Is that wait okay it would be two days?
Hi Robyn,
Thanks for asking your great question.
As long as your rats are breathing normally and eating, defecating and urinating normally, you should be fine to wait a couple of days until they see a vet. If you notice your rat has labored breathing, is acting lethargic and/or has puffed-up fur, then you should take them to an emergency vet ASAP.
From what you wrote, it sounds like it will be fine to wait 2 days until you take them to a vet. Sneezing and a little porphyrin (which can indicate respiratory disease) are not symptoms of an emergency situation.
CongRATulations on your new family members! Let me know if I can help further anytime.
Best Wishes to You & Your Rats,
Jasmine | About Pet Rats
where is the nearest veterinarian i can take my rat!!!? i am currently located in san bernardino, ca!
Hi Toni,
I did a Google search and found the following 3 veterinarians who see pet rats in your area:
Apple Valley Animal Hospital
Loma Linda Animal Hospital
Animal Care Wellness Center
Rialto Animals Hospital
Of the above 4 veterinary clinics, the first one’s website looks the most professional. However, besides looking at the quality of their website, I would also recommend choosing a clinic who has the AAHA certification displayed on their website.
One great way to search is type in “pet rat veterinarian San Bernadino CA” and look at the mapped results. You can also see reviews when you search this way which can be very helpful.
In addition, I don’t know if you’ve seen my pages on Choosing a Vet for Your Pet Rat as well as Online Directories of Pet Rat Veterinarians.
If you’re able to get recommendations from people who live local to your area, it would be the most helpful of all. There are often even regional Facebook groups for pet rat owners. You can ask members of these groups what vets they’d recommend.
I hope your rat is doing well. Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any additional questions any time.
Best Wishes to You & Your Rat,
Jasmine | About Pet Rats
I live in Upland California need a cheap vet for my pet rat where can I go don’t have much money
Hi Tammy,
One of my favorite ways to look up veterinarians these days is to go to Google Maps and use the nearby search for “veterinarian exotic”. I did that for your location and it looks like there are a number of exotic veterinarians with excellent reviews in your area.
I realize the financial part of owning a pet is not always easy. I’m not aware of any exotic veterinarians who are low cost. Some do accept Care Credit. Using a 0% interest credit card can be helpful as well. (Many cards, when you sign up, will offer 0% for a specific amount of time such as 6 months or even sometimes 9 months.)
I hope this is helpful.
Best Wishes to You & Your Rat,
Jasmine | About Pet Rats
My daughter just got 2 rats from her sister and aunt. The one male rat walks funny with his hind legs… as if he is drunk almost. He also makes a very weird noise, not like the video of the happy healthy rat I watched above. I’m very concerned and I cant take him to a vet for atleast a week…. what can i do in the mean time????
Hi Britny,
You need to get your daughter’s rat to a veterinarian who’s experienced with and knowledgeable about pet rats ASAP. Is there any way you can get him to a vet sooner than a week from now? The sooner he’s examined and treated by a knowledgeable vet, the easier and less costly it will be to treat him. It’s also more likely he will be able to recover the sooner he can be seen.
It sounds like he may have 2 things going on. One of his problems may be respiratory disease. Rats can go downhill very quickly if left untreated when they have respiratory problems. It’s a life threatening condition which requires veterinary attention.
There is really nothing you can do at home to help him heal. Until he’s able to see a vet it is important, however, to make sure he continues eating and that he’s kept in a safe environment. Since he’s not walking normally, you’ll want to make sure there aren’t any high up areas in his cage from which he could fall. This includes boxes, ledges and any steep ramps since they would be difficult for him to climb down.
I can’t stress enough that he needs to see a vet right away. Is there any way someone else can take him if you’re unable to do so? If I can help you come up with other ideas on how he can get to a vet right away, please let me know.
Don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any other questions and if I can help further.
Sending positive wishes for your daughter’s rat,
Jasmine