# rats hind leg is swollen



## my rats name (Mar 23, 2009)

Awhile ago i woke up and my rats leg as swollen and wasnt the night before. After a few hours when i got home i went to check on him and his other leg was just as swollen out of nowhere. I was told it was a sprain or something and looked all over the internet and nobody had any idea what it was.
2 days after they swelled up i was gonna take him to the vets and see if they had any idea but when i woke up they were both back to normal ???
its been about a month since anything has happend, but his leg again swelled up again and i can't figure out why.
It doesn't seem to be bothering him at all,he still plays and runs around like he usually does and isn't scared or nervous. it's like he doesn't even realize he has a fat leg.

anyone help?


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## Gizzmo_2m (Mar 8, 2009)

im sorry i dont know anything about it but make sure that your rat isnt falling off of anything. im not sure thats the case but just a thought ???
good luck


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## my rats name (Mar 23, 2009)

yea at first i though it was a sprain or fracure, but when the first leg swelled up i put him in a cage where he could'nt hurt himself, couldn't climb or run around so he'd stay off his foot. But then the other foot started t swell too. 

oh, andlast time it was just his feet. this time it's starting to go farther up his leg :-\


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## Gizzmo_2m (Mar 8, 2009)

oh poor baby. it may be a virus or disease if its traveling up his leg. but i will let the proffesionals handle this because sometimes they get a little cranky when i make suggestions and they are wrong :-\


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## my rats name (Mar 23, 2009)

i'll check that stuff out some more too, thank though 


ALSO
i just read tht pine has oils in itthat are hazardous to rats, checkd out the bedding and it's pine woodchips :-[

thinking it could be an allergic reaction or maybe the pine has done something to him?
cause we've been using the pine chips for a few months now...


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## Gizzmo_2m (Mar 8, 2009)

ooooh. that could have possibly done it. i use aspen bedding and its perfect for rats. its light weight so they can still burry them selves. try switching and see if it stops. i will take a look on the web to see if pine causes that


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## my rats name (Mar 23, 2009)

ah alright, tyvm ;D


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## Gizzmo_2m (Mar 8, 2009)

ok all i found out was that pine only affects the respiratory system and liver because of the aroma so i doubt its that


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## my rats name (Mar 23, 2009)

ohh alright, thanks for your help. just cleaned out his cage and put a pillow case in there for now.
1am here so i gotta get some sleep lol.

i'll check back in the morning


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## Gizzmo_2m (Mar 8, 2009)

ok nite nite. see you tomorrow


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## ration1802 (Sep 25, 2007)

The swelling could have been caused by fluid retention or infection. Was there any obvious bruising/injury? Are there any other health issues?

It seems very strange that one leg swelled first, especially after you elliminated the possibility of future injuries


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## my rats name (Mar 23, 2009)

no none that i can see, it hasn't even changed colour.
he lets me touch it and move it though without a problem but squeeks when i pick him up =S

the infection, anything common that could cause one?


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## ration1802 (Sep 25, 2007)

How old is your rat?


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## my rats name (Mar 23, 2009)

=S sorry i read another thread and thought it was mine for some reason lol

he's around 2 years old, can't remember exactly how old he was when i got him.

i'll try to g a picture of it, but my camera isn't too great, ets rally bright and hard to see or blury no matter what i do


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## ration1802 (Sep 25, 2007)

If your camera has a macro setting (shown as a little flower) those are usually best to get detailed pics.

If your rat is two, and this is a repeatitive problem, you may want to take him to the vet and possibly get a urine sample tested. Males especially can be prone to kidney disease, one sign of this is fluid retention. I have known this in one of my rats, who had fluid pool just below the skin of his chest (gravity also can make it settle in the extremities). Without seeing pics it's hard to say one way or another, but considering his age it's certainly something that you may want to rule out at the very least. Although not conclusive, a urine sample can monitor the level of protein being processed by the kidneys and therefore monitor kidney function.

Another possible cause would be heart related, which could also cause the fluid accumulation. Your vet can give you more info about this, but can prescribe a diuretic (usually furosemide) which will help get rid of the fluid.

It seems strange that there is little or no pain and the problem comes back, this makes me think of something more than just injury. I'm not sure if it may also be a sign of Hind End Degeneration - perhaps someone else would be able to know


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## my rats name (Mar 23, 2009)

alright well thnaks alot for our help 

i'll have to check with the vet here, don't even think they know much about rodents. 
if not im gonna have to go for a long drive to find one.


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## Gizzmo_2m (Mar 8, 2009)

so did you take him to the vet? if so, how did it go?


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