How to Care for an Aging Rat

By the time a rat is two years old, it's old. Rats rarely live beyond two years, although some have been known to live up to four years. Ten days are equivalent to a year for a rat, so when your rat is two years old, it's 73 in "rat years." Part of being a responsible pet owner is knowing how to take good care of your aging pet.

Instructions

1. Be extra careful about keeping the cage clean. An aging rat's immune system may not work as well as when it was younger.

2. Supervise your rat's outside-of-the-cage play time even more than you have in the past. Older rats are more likely to slip and fall (just like older people). Be extra gentle when handling the rat.

3. Look for any signs of upper respiratory disease. Old rats are very prone to coming down with pneumonia or other upper respiratory infections. Watch your rat's sides as it breathes. If it seems to be concentrating on breathing, or if you can see more than just a slight movement of the rib cage, take your rat to the vet, as it might need antibiotics. Antibiotic medication for small animals is not expensive, so you don't need to fear high vet bills for this ailment.

4. Observe the quality of your rat's fur and skin. If the coat gets very thin or if sores develop anywhere on the body, take the rat to a vet to get the proper ointments or medications. Once again, these remedies are not expensive and may very well extend the life of your rat as well as making it more comfortable.

5. Keep track of your rat's body weight (visual observation is good enough--you don't have to weigh your rat). If your rat seems to be getting overweight, cut back on the food a bit. If it seems to be getting skinny, increase the food supply and offer the rat treats that are high in calories, such as peanut butter or cheese. Be aware that all mammals (including humans) tend to lose condition a bit right at the end of their lives. If your rat becomes thin even when supplied with plenty of food, it could just be part of normal aging--something you can't do anything about. (Some researchers say skinny rats live longer!)

6. Check for any tumors that might be appearing on your rat. When you hold your rat, gently run your hand over its body, checking for any lumps. If you find one, don't panic. Tumors are extremely common in rats (which is one reason they get used so much for medical research) and not all tumors are lethal. Fatty tumors, for example, are very common in animals and rarely effect the overall health of the animal unless they grow to a very large size (in which case they can be removed). Even if your rat's tumor is malignant, there isn't much you can do about it because surgery would be far too expensive and the rat might not even survive the anesthesia. If the tumor spreads and affects other organs, the rat will start acting sick--it will stop eating and be very lethargic. At this point, you may want to take it to the vet for euthanasia, which is the kindest thing to do. If you have any questions about lumps you find on your rat, take it to the vet for examination.

7. Watch for signs of paralysis in the rear legs, due to "degenerative myelopahy." The nerves running to the legs begin to deteriorate because of age. This condition is not fatal. Your rat can live with this condition as long as it still seems to be enjoying life--which for a rat means eating and sleeping normally and enjoying being held and played with. If the rat begins to develop sores from dragging its legs around the cage, you may want to ask your vet for an ointment to prevent the sores from becoming infected. You may also want to change the bedding if you are using wood chips and try something softer, such as shredded fabric or paper towels. If the rat seems to be in pain and stops eating, do the right thing and take it to the vet to have it put to sleep.

8. Determine ahead of time that you will not allow your pet to suffer an agonizing death. If your rat starts acting crazy it may be in pain. Take it to the vet and allow the vet to end its suffering peacefully.