# Pet rat acting strange-lethargic, wobbly, but not sick per se?



## amhunt12 (Mar 1, 2017)

Hi, I have a pet rat named mr Darcy. He is going to be 2ish in may. I moved last fall and ever since then he has had health issue after health issue. We have had lice, 2 respiratory flare ups, and 2 abscesses which were on the underside of His neck. He used to be a very active, sweet but not cuddly little guy. He is almost never active now. He sleeep all day until he eats/drinks. He has not had any hygiene habits recently so I have been bathing him. Recently he is very wobbly when he is moving, has a swollen eye to the point where he scratched it on something. He is super blind. I noticed also that he has a slight head tilt like so slight that I can't get a picture of it. I tried taking a video, but it wouldn't upload. It doesn't impede his walking though. He just wobbles when standing still or moving. He also bruxxes constantly when out, not just when I hold or pet, but whenever he is awake pretty much. The vet said last time she saw him that he was looking good which was a few days ago and his symptoms started before then. He seems confused all the time. I know geriatric rats supposedly act different, but this seems a little much. I'm worried that he has a pituitary tumor. I know y'all are going to say take him to the vet, but he has been so many times and it has cost so much already.


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## Miss_Rattie (Jul 5, 2016)

It sounds like a pituitary tumour and the vet could possibly give you steroids which could help to manage the symptoms. I think that you can get an injection which lasts a few days initially, just to see whether it helps. In some rats steroids can really help whilst some don't respond so much. The only issue that my vet told me about steroids is that they can make a URI worse and so you may need to put your rattie on antibiotics too.

I had a girl for whom steroids didn't seem to help much, but her pituitary tumour progressed very quickly and she was very poorly by the time I got to try the steroids. Instead I gave her painkillers, the vet gave me metacam but I know that childrens ibuprofen can be used in rats. This did seem to help make her more comfortable but she was sleeping a lot by this stage. She did have trouble eating and so I mainly gave her baby foods which she managed to eat OK. I mainly just tried to keep her as comfortable as possible, and keep her bedding as warm and dry as I could as she was incontinent too.

So, I would ideally try to get to the vet. But I think that pituitary tumours are difficult to manage and don't always respond to treatment, so if you can't see a vet then I would just try and keep him as comfortable as possible, maybe consider something like ibuprofen and just to try and keep him hydrated and eating as long as he isn't suffering.


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## Rattielover965 (Apr 26, 2016)

Why is he alone


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## amhunt12 (Mar 1, 2017)

Thank you miss rattie. I am comforting him now. He doesn't seem to be in pain, just confused, like he doesn't understand why he is wobbly or has difficulty eating. And rattielover, I was not aware of the fact when I first got him that rats should be in pairs. When I got him, I noticed scratches all over him which looked like he was getting attacked, so I didn't want to get another male because I didn't know who did it. When I realized he was suppose to have a companion, like it was a necessity, he was about a year old and I figured it was a little late for that. Simple rookie mistake, but I promise you he got a lot of loving in his life and was not wanting.


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## amhunt12 (Mar 1, 2017)

So I put him in the bath tub to clean him off. and noticed that he has started circling. He wasn't doing it earlier but it got very pronounced when I filled the bath with some water. When I took him out he seemed to do it less. He is back in his cage and sleeping now. I also noticed that his abscess is back. He has had it removed twice, my vet does surgeries with sutures since it is so close to his jugular. What do I do? If it has appeared three times does that mean it will never go away?


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## Miss_Rattie (Jul 5, 2016)

I don't have experience with abscesses as I have never had to deal with them in my ratties. I would maybe see if you could phone the vet for some advise, as I often do this rather than having to go for a consultation. If the abscess isn't bothering him then I would be tempted to leave it, given his age and possible PT then surgery probably wouldn't be a good idea. Someone else on the forum may have more ideas to help though.

With the pituitary tumour I would try and keep him comfortable for as long as you can but you may have to consider having him put to sleep if it gets bad. I think that the tumours can cause fits and seizures at later stages and I did have my girl pts before she got to this stage as I didn't want her to suffer. Good luck though with your boy and try to keep him as happy as you can and I would also possibly try some ibuprofen, which anti-inflammatory and may ease the symptoms.


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## Asiposea (Dec 16, 2016)

Sorry about your old guy. From what I've read, sometimes the symptoms of a stroke, pituitary tumor or an ear infection can be similar, but as MissRattie pointed out, it seems more like a PT with the swollen eye. Despite what it is I think a vet visit is warranted  Good luck.


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## amhunt12 (Mar 1, 2017)

So he still isn't doing well. However, for some reason, this abscess developed a scab and popped on its own.....sort of. I Pulled the scab off because it seemed lose and pus came out. I found information either on here or rat health that told how to flush it out with your own saline mixture which I am trying to do. He hasn't been eating hard food for awhile. I've given him soft food: cantaloupe, applesauce, oatmeal, potted meat, whatever I can get him to eat. I went to the store and got berry flavored children's ibuprofen. I gave it to him twice but neither time really seemed to affect him st all. He hates me trying to flush it out, the hole is right under his head so it's the hardest place in the world to get at and he can't clean it himself. I called the vet, they took all day to call me back and the advice I got was "I could do that(the saline rinse) but if he's really having an issue you should bring him in." So no help there. He seems miserable. He is cuddling with me now, but he doesn't seem completely conscious of it. While flushing it out, I did notice that his bottom teeth have overgrown slightly. The vet trimmed during his last surgery, but he has barely eaten hard food since so this makes sense. I'm going to make a vet appointment tomorrow. His quality of life seems awful right now. Should I consider putting him down?


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## Miss_Rattie (Jul 5, 2016)

I'm sorry about your boy, it sounds like he's having a tough time. I wouldn't rush into making a decision and would see what the vet says first. If they can give something to help and to make him more comfortable, then I would be tempted to try for a couple of days. Trimming his teeth may help and also it is possible that the abscess is making him feel miserable too. If he isn't recovering or is getting worse, or obviously in pain then I would think about putting him to sleep. If the vet does recommend putting him to sleep when you go, then I would consider this also.

I think that with my rats I have just known when it is time - with my rat with a pituitary tumour her eyes seemed to become really dull overnight and I could tell that she had given up. I like to think that none of my rats have suffered, but I have also tried to explore all possibly options before going down the route of putting them to sleep. It is a really hard decision, whatever you decide but your vet should be able to advise.


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