Last night our precious rat died. We've had her for a little more than a year and she's been fine. The day before she passed away, she was her usual little ball of furry fury. We were going to let her out and she kept passing out. When she was on the floor, she left quite a bit of blood that we still don't know where it came from. She was trying to eat and just contiuned falling over or falling asleep. She had lesions all over her skin and when you rubbed her head it felt like she had a bubble inside it. You think it may have been cancer? If that's right how long could she have been sick? She's been fine until her death....I loved that little thing...

I'm so sorry you lost Precious I'm sure you loved her so. I don't think there's really anyway to know how she died unless there's a necropsy done and that can be pricey. I'm in no way a rat expert, but I do know if they're purchased from a pet store chances are they're sick and won't live long. Pet stores often get large quantities of rats and just pick out the ones that don't bite, sell them as pets and the rest are food. It's so very sad but that's just how it is. All rats carry an organism called Mycoplasma which is not a problem itself until they are stressed and the immune system can not keep it at bay. Once this Myco is active is causes pneumonia which kills pretty fast and is hard to treat. Since rats are shipped in bulk because it's cheap that alone stresses the animal so chances are your rat was sick from the beginning. I've had many rats all from pet stores and never did they live more than 2 and some not even a yr. If you want a rat as a pet never buy from a store since it will only break your heart. Try looking for a breeder concerned with genetics and who only breeds and sells rats as pets. There are good breeders out there who breed healthy rats free from inherent disease. It may cost a bit more, but if you love rats get them from a breeder.

Sorry for your loss
We have been there our vet told us most of the time it is cancer. There is so much inbreeding when they throw them all together. We continue to buy them and give them a good life for as long as we have them. Its better for them than ending up as snake food. MM


Hi Jenn

What type of bedding were you using. Alot of pet stores won't tell you this but Cedar bedding is very toxic to small animals. My neice went thru this with her hamsters. They had bloody noses etc then started dying before the vet told her to stop using the cedar. She was so furious because she bought all the supplies the same day as the animals and they 9the pet store) never said a word about the bedding she bought. Always after that $$$.

I know this is old, but for anyone else who may read:

This doesn't really sound like a case of Myco. At first, yes, I thought this is probably that caused the death, but after reading, I'm not so sure. I honestly couldn't tell you what was wrong, but an autopsy could have. I wish more people would autopsy their pets and share the symptoms with everyone else, so that someone else may someday be able to save their beloved pet.

quote:

Originally posted by PVFerals:
I know this is old, but for anyone else who may read:

This doesn't really sound like a case of Myco. At first, yes, I thought this is probably that caused the death, but after reading, I'm not so sure. I honestly couldn't tell you what was wrong, but an autopsy could have. I wish more people would autopsy their pets and share the symptoms with everyone else, so that someone else may someday be able to save their beloved pet.

you are a utter moron. first, its called a necropsy, autopsy is used for humans. second why would you think someone should spend hundresd of dolalrs on a three dollar rat? not saying they arent worth loving...they are but you have to consider they only have short lives to begin with. get real. seriously. grow up and try to be a good exampel for your unborn child. poor thing. boo-ya.

I'm sorry that you believe that teaching others that no life is worth money except for a human life is setting a good example. I don't believe in elitism, and surely won't teach my child to believe in it.

quote:

you have to consider they only have short lives to begin with.

Part of the reason they live such short lives is because unfortunately, most people get them as a cheap novelty and refuse to spend any money on them except to cover the very basic needs (and most refuse to even spend the money on a big enough cage to meet their needs). If more people would do their research, and stop putting that nonsensical bull into others' heads about it only being a $3 animal and not worth a vet visit, then maybe they would have a longer lifespan.

quote:

Originally posted by PVFerals:

quote:

you have to consider they only have short lives to begin with.

Part of the reason they live such short lives is because unfortunately, most people get them as a cheap novelty and refuse to spend any money on them except to cover the very basic needs (and most refuse to even spend the money on a big enough cage to meet their needs). If more people would do their research, and stop putting that nonsensical bull into others' heads about it only being a $3 animal and not worth a vet visit, then maybe they would have a longer lifespan.

Nonsense pure bull hockey. Rats live an average of 2-3 years no matter if you spend five dollars on vet care or five hundred. I looked it up on the net...you could try that. I have always had hamsters and gerbils and they are the same way, short life span.



im guessing you would also opt to treat a dog for cancer if it was 13 years old and would die from cancer anyway, be it in five days or five months of misery? a selfish lack of prioritizing ability.



and so it is.

Rats live an average of 2-3 years no matter if you spend five dollars on vet care or five hundred.

Do you understand the meaning of the word 'average'? Rats can live much longer than 3 years, and proper care and veterinary attention can help them live longer lives. Proper research on pet rats (like finding out what caused a pet's death) can lead to new discoveries that may allow them to live even longer.

im guessing you would also opt to treat a dog for cancer if it was 13 years old and would die from cancer anyway, be it in five days or five months of misery? a selfish lack of prioritizing ability.

We're talking about testing a dead animal to hopefully be able to save other animals' lives in the future. That's comparing apples to oranges, and is totally off subject in this matter.