# Swollen rat paw



## jlb1988 (Feb 20, 2012)

My rats front paw has become very swollen and she's having trouble walking on it, but still can use it to grab things and groom herself. It doesnt seem to be bumblefoot. I canont afford a vet visit right now, has anyone come across this before?


----------



## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

A little swollen or a LOT swollen? Rats sprain their legs all the time, and these heal on their own, but if the swelling is extensive, there's bruising or the rat is in real pain (not just ouchies) you should try to bring the swelling down. You can buy infant liquid ibuprofen (my fav is grape flavboured, dye-free pediadrops by advil, and this will help a lot. If you totally must get children, but infants is twice as concentrated so its a lot less to get into your rat.

Bumblefoot is a localized swelling on the heel.


----------



## jlb1988 (Feb 20, 2012)

How much do you give to the rat? Its her front paw and it's quite swollen all over the paw. I have no idea how she hurt it, somehow in her cage.


----------



## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

jlb1988 said:


> How much do you give to the rat? Its her front paw and it's quite swollen all over the paw. I have no idea how she hurt it, somehow in her cage.


It all depends on how much your girl weighs. eVen if you have a guesstimate that would do. I dose ibuprofen at 10-10 mg/kg and the infant concentration is 40 mg/ml...so all we need is a weight in grams if possible.


----------



## jlb1988 (Feb 20, 2012)

Well I got the ibuprofen...hopefully it works. She has swelling in both paws now :-( Also got honey, because I heard it helps too.


----------



## TobyRat (May 24, 2011)

I find it concerning how there's now swelling in the other paw. If you can, post a picture so we can have a better understanding on what you're dealing with.


----------



## jlb1988 (Feb 20, 2012)

All I had is the camera on my phone...and she didnt want to stay still so this is the best I could do for a picture. One paw almost looks like a stump its so swollen. She's been taking the medication (its infant tylenol, I couldnt get ibuprofen so hopefully its just as good)


----------



## TobyRat (May 24, 2011)

Ibuprofen would be best as it is an anti-inflammatory and would help with the swelling, as well as the pain. 

What type of cage is she in? Is there a possibility she could be catching her feet on something in the cage?


----------



## jlb1988 (Feb 20, 2012)

I got the cage from Petland...typical rat cage with bars (sorry dont really know how to describe it). I'm not sure what she could have caught her paws on...maybe after she injured one she injured the other because she only has one good one and fell? I've looked up all kind of rat injury pictures, and best I can tell it either looks like a sprain, or a bacterial infection (although I am not sure how to treat it if it is indeed an infection). The only kind of ibuprofen there was at the store was childrens (age 2 and up) if i get that how much ml's should I give her? I don't know exactly how much she weighs, she's not a big rat, she's one and a half years old, on the smaller side.


----------

