How to Care for a Paralyzed Rat's Special Needs
An elderly, paralyzed rat will require special accommodations for his special needs. Addressing these special needs is vital to ensuring that the paralyzed rat lives out his golden years in a comfortable and happy way. The special accommodations that a paralyzed rat requires are simple, yet vital to his long-term health.
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Things You'll Need
- One-level rat cage
- Cage without wire flooring
- Fabric cage bedding
- Low-sided food bowl
- Water bottle at a low height
- Bathing capabilities
- Laundry capabilities
Instructions
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Keep paralyzed rats in a one-level cage. Ramps in cages with multiple levels can be difficult for a paralyzed rat to navigate, making him more prone to falls and other mishaps, especially if the paralyzed rat lives with able-bodied rats who may bump into him, causing him to fall as he struggles to navigate the ramps.
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Avoid rat cages with wire flooring. Wire floors should never be used in a rat cage, but this rule is especially important for a rat who is paralyzed. The rat will drag his hind quarters due to paralysis, and the wire flooring can damage the rat's skin, causing sores and infection. The rat's disabled rear feet and toes are also more prone to becoming caught and injured in wire cage flooring.
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Provide fabric bedding for a paralyzed rat. Old t-shirts, sheets and other cotton fabric are the best options for a paralyzed rat. The fabric is absorbent, yet comfortable. CareFresh bedding is too rough for the rat's sensitive skin, since the paralyzed rat will be dragging his hind legs over the bedding. Wood chips are dangerous to the rat's respiratory system and they're much too rough for the rat's sensitive skin, which will become scraped and injured as the rat drags his hind quarters.
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Clean the rat's cage as needed. This may mean removing soiled bedding several times a day. This is vital to helping the paralyzed rat to avoid skin infections, urinary tract infections and skin sores.
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Bathe the paralyzed rat daily or more frequently if needed. Urine can burn the rat's sensitive skin and many paralyzed rats are incontinent and lack sensation in the hind quarters, making him more likely to sit in the urine without realizing it. Don't just rely on a rat's visual appearance to determine if he has soiled his skin or fur--sniffing the hind quarters is the best way to determine if the rat requires a bath.
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Situate the rat's water bottle lower in the cage to make it easier for him to access the water. A paralyzed rat cannot sit on his haunches to drink, as most able-bodied rats will do.
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Provide low-sided food dishes. The paralyzed rat is essentially stuck on all fours, as he cannot rise up onto his haunches as most other rats will do to eat and access the bottom of the foot bowl. This makes it difficult for a paralyzed rat to stick his head into a bowl with high sides, so instead opt for a bowl with low walls.
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Tips & Warnings
Cut the fabric cage bedding into 12-by-12 inch pieces. These smaller pieces makes cleaning the cage easier, as only the soiled pieces need to be removed, while clean fabric can be left in place.
A paralyzed rat can usually be kept with healthy rats without any problem. In fact, this is ideal, since the able-bodied rats will provide much-needed companionship and they will help by grooming the paralyzed rat. But be careful to observe the rats to check that they are suitable cage mates. Very young rats may trample over a paralyzed rat, making him prone to injury. In this case, it may be better to move the paralyzed rat to his own cage.
At the first sign of illness (weight loss, decreased appetite, skin sores, sneezing, nose discharge, etc), bring the paralyzed rat to the veterinarian for an examination. A paralyzed rat is more prone to pneumonia, skin infections, and urinary tract or bladder infections, among other things, so early treatment is key to maximize the rat's chances for recovery.
