Things to have on hand as your first aid kit

- Antiseptic (for cleaning wounds) Found at most drug stores

- Cat revolution (for mites and lice) Found online - if you are using this for the first time, please visit a vet for instructions and to purchase this to know how to properly apply.

- Clotrimazole (antifungal cream for ringworm or other fungus) Found at most drug stores

- Dark chocolate (for respiratory illness) - this is to be used ONLY in the case of respiratory illness and ONLY in very very small amounts. Give them a small piece (half the size of your pinky nail at most) every other day if they are having respiratory difficulties, but otherwise this should not be given regularly.

- A temperature and humidity gauge.

Hopefully you will not need to use any of these supplies but having them on hand for emergencies is a good idea.

A list of other illnesses that you could encounter can be found at the Rat Guide, linked above.

If you feel your rat needs a vet trip, please feel free to describe the issue to me beforehand. Unfortunately some of our Toronto vets have not been well educated in rat care and coming into the appointment prepared is a good idea unless you have seen the vet previously. This is not to say that I have more knowledge than a vet and the vet is still the place to go to find treatment for your rat, but I will likely be able to give a few recommendations towards treatment and to bring in to your appointment.

Summary:

A healthy rat has clean ears and eyes, a full coat of fur (unless double rex or hairless obviously) and is free of scabs, cuts and bumps, aka. skin is clear.. All rats are born with a certain level of mycoplasma and are very prone to respiratory diseases. This means occasional sneezing is to be expected but if you notice it frequently, you may need to consult a vet for antibiotics. Other signs of sickness include hair loss (especially on the face), lack of activity, loss of appetite, any oozing from eyes or ears and any signs of unusual aggression.

In the event of a mild or serious case of an RI (respiratory infection) which will become obvious through frequent sneezing, wheezing, porphyrin around the eyes or blood around the nose, clicking in the chest, loss of appetite and thirst and acting lethargic you can help your rat recover with fresh air, proper room temperature, and if they are existent in the room remove any irritants (air fresheners/candles/perfume/etc), and make sure to give them lots of love. The respiratory infections can only spread to other rats and some mice, not humans nor other house pets. Other signs of respiratory illness include a wet nose, a runny nose, or other eye discharge. A “home remedy” that can be safely used to help control respiratory infections until you can bring the rattie to the vet is Tetracycline powder; two packets in a jar of baby food mixed in fed to your baby once a day for 5 days. I am not prescribing this as a solution for a rats respiratory health issues, it has been a recommendation for help with minor respiratory illness. If your rat is very sick please contact a vet. If a male rat is very territorial or you would like to home a male and female rat together without having a litter, rats can be spade or neutered professionally by your veterinarian.

If you find any lumps or bumps on your rattie please contact a vetrinarian. There are no "home remedies" to help reduce any lumps or bumps on your rattie and they must be seen by a vet as soon as possible. The same goes for finding anything resembling a flea or a tick which could have been transferred to them by their surroundings.

If your rattie is losing fur with no other signs of illness they are likely to be overgrooming. Overgrooming can be caused by illness, stress or depression. The most common cause for stress and depression in rats is not having a rattie friend, not having room to run around in their home, being overcrowded or frequently not having food and water in the cage. Ratties also could be sensitive to other pets you own and feel threatened in which case one should keep the cage out of a room where other pets are located. If overgrooming becomes a habit with your rattie please go over the conditions they are living in and make sure that they are appropriate and suited to keep your rat as happy as possible.