# I think my rat had a seizure



## laura24 (Jun 9, 2011)

I was sat on my computer, him next to me in his cage sleeping when all of a sudden he starts flipping out, jumping round, I almost thought he was getting attacked by something. I took the top of his cage off to help him and he stopped, was pointed his nose in the air and moving his head left and right with his eyes half closed, in a daze. Then he snapped out of it and came to. 
He's back to normal now, I cuddled with him for a bit to make sure and now hes exhausted and went right back asleep.

I feel so bad for him, reading up there doesnt seem to be anything you can do and its fairly common in rats?
I just have a guilty feeling, because ive been feeding him treaty things now and then, maybe i've made him poorly? I'll be honest and tell you guys what i've been feeding him, i'm ready for any criticism, the last thing i want is to continue if its harming him.
I've given him tiny pieces of bread, and a few bits of apple sauce here and there, ive given him a tiny piece of tomato (the pieces are always small) and i gave him a bit of a mr kipling sponge, i also gave him some lettuce.

I use clean and safe to clean him and out and then shower down his box, i just bought him a new plastic bed he's been chewing on, and a tube which he chews on
any advice would be brilliant, thanks so much


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## laura24 (Jun 9, 2011)

he's grooming himself now, but seems to keep going in and out of phases where he just stares. No noise bothers him he just sits solid. I don't want this to happen again, should I take him the vets?


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

How old is your boy?


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## laura24 (Jun 9, 2011)

apparently hes around a year and a half old. He was given to me by my college due to his vicious behaviour.


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## Bananana (Aug 1, 2011)

Is he on any medications? Some medications can cause seizures. 

It shouldn't have been because of anything you fed him (those things all sounded pretty benign). I'd be more concerned about medication or a possible underlying medical condition like a PT (they can present with seizures early on). 

Keep an eye on him. If it happens again, it's important to keep him awake for a little while afterward. He'll be really sluggish and tired, but try to get some fluid in him and give him soft foods like yogurt and baby food. (You may actually want to limit his diet to soft foods until you're pretty sure he won't seize again. You want to minimize choking danger.) 

I had a rat who had a couple seizures, and thankfully they only happened twice and she was done with them after that. We think it may have been because a vet prescribed a too-high dose of Clavamox, but it also may have been an early indicator of PT (which is what she eventually succumbed to, six months later). 

I'm sending good thoughts your way!


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## laura24 (Jun 9, 2011)

Thanks very much for the advice,
He is'nt currently on any medication, can I give him any kind of yoghurt?

I will definately keep an eye out for it, hopefully it won't happen again.


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## Bananana (Aug 1, 2011)

For yogurt, I tend to stick with the standard varieties, like vanilla, strawberry and blueberry. 

For baby food, you can get peas, carrots, bananas, apples, blueberries, prunes, chicken, turkey and sweet potatoes.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

I let my seizure rats rest afterwards. they are usually exhausted. How bad was the seizure, full blown body flopping, teeth snapping, etc?


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## laura24 (Jun 9, 2011)

No there was no teeth snapping or anything, no flopping. He started rolling round like he was fighting with something, really loud in a corner of his cage, then when i took the top bit off to see if he was ok, his eyes were half shut and he would'nt snap out of this daze he was in, I tapped his side and he did'nt do anything except shake his head from side to side.


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## smesyna (Nov 22, 2010)

Sounds kinda like an inner ear infection. How is he now?


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## Bananana (Aug 1, 2011)

lilspaz68 said:


> I let my seizure rats rest afterwards. they are usually exhausted. How bad was the seizure, full blown body flopping, teeth snapping, etc?


When a person has a seizure, they're supposed to stay awake (but calm) for a couple hours afterward. It might not be the same for rats, though. I couldn't find any information on it.


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## laura24 (Jun 9, 2011)

Right now he's acting like nothing ever happened, he's totally normal. Maybe a vet visit to rule out an infection?

My sister is epileptic, so I've seen many seizures in my life and know what to do with humans, but if it happens to Rolly again, is there anything I can do?


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Laura24 said:


> Right now he's acting like nothing ever happened, he's totally normal. Maybe a vet visit to rule out an infection?
> 
> My sister is epileptic, so I've seen many seizures in my life and know what to do with humans, but if it happens to Rolly again, is there anything I can do?


if it continues to happen, its best to make up his cage so he has little chance of hurting himself...putting hard dieshes under shelves or using softer lighter dishes so if he hits them they move, bank up the sides of his cage base, put hammocks under any shelves he could fall off of.

I would take him to the vet and try to figure out what is causing the seizures (I knew of a girlrat who got set off by loud noises, or bright light)...she lived a long time very happily in a dimly lit quiet room. 

There are anti-seizure meds you can try as well.


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