Performing a health check

Early detection of health problems in rats can go a long way to being able to easily treat the problem. I would advise you to check your rat daily, and perform a thorough health check once a week, perhaps on cage cleaning day. NB A rat’s tears and mucous are red.

Daily checks:

  • Face – look for signs of swelling (abscess, injury)
  • Chin – check that there are no scabs (mites).
  • Nose – is there any red discharge or noisy breathing (upper respiratory infection, stress)?
  • Eyes – look for red discharge (infection, stress), swelling or cloudiness (injury).
  • Ears – are they clean and free from scabs (sarcoptic mites)?
  • Chest – any noise, wheeze or rattle (infection)?
  • Body – check for scabs and wounds (injury or fighting).
  • Tail – is it clean and smooth, free from cuts and damage (injury)?

Weekly checks (as above plus):

  • Mouth – check teeth for overgrowth or lack of alignment (facial swelling/abscess, tooth damage, tumour). Teeth are naturally orange and bottom incisors are slightly played. Rats also have molars, which are not visible from the front of their mouths.
  • Feet – do the nails need cutting? Is there any redness or sores on the base of the feet (bumblefoot)?
  • Coat – is the coat smooth and glossy - except in rex rats (coat reflects overall nutrition, health and condition)?
  • Body – check the neck and shoulders for scabs (mites) and the rump for parasites (lice). Gently palpate the abdomen looking for lumps taking care to check underarms and in groin (mammary lumps, tumours, abscesses, enlarged organs/lymph nodes).
  • Weight – even if you do not weigh your rats regularly it is a good idea to consider whether they are well nourished but not fat.
  • Intake and output – is there any increase in the amount of water the rats are drinking, is the bedding wetter than usual? Is the urine clear? Is there any blood on the bedding? A rat should drink about 20-30ml per day. Urine should be clear. Blood in the urine indicates infection. Blood from the vagina in a female rat indicates infection, and needs urgent treatment. Rats do not menstruate. Excessive drinking can be due to diabetes or kidney disease.