My rat is acting lazy and her eyes are turning white. Is she ill?

Hi, and thanks for your question. This is a quite generic but concerning presentation. Differentials are many, from gastrointestinal or respiratory diseases (infection/inflammations) to any disease that can spread systemically (causing lethargy for example) like infection, and anything that can cause pain/discomfort. A check up is needed if the signs last for more than 24hours. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Based on what you are describing it does sound as if Lucy is very ill. I would recommend either having her rechecked at your veterinarian or asking for a referral to an exotic capitalistic that can perform more specialized tests on small mammals like blood work, x-rays, and ultrasounds. Based on the age of your rat she may have something more serious going on like an internal infection or cancer. In the meantime, try to encourage Lucy to eat as best you can by offering her her favorite foods and/or syringe feeding her some baby food. I'm sorry to hear that she is not doing well and I hope your vet can help you find answers. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Although a picture of it could help to determine underlying cause more specifically, that is likely to be due to a mild to moderate conjunctivitis, probably secondary to a trauma or infection. A check up would be needed as appropriate treatment would include antibiotics and anti-inflammatory eye drops. Corneal injuries must be ruled out as well. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

This could be commonly due to a spinal cord problem (slipped disc with nerve compression, or spinal cord stroke). A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is immediately essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Possibly further investigations (like abdominal imaging as ultrasound or radiographs) may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Hello, and thank you for your question. The reddish discharge from the eyes is called porphyrin, which usually occurs in rats due to stress, often due to medical illness. Has she been feeling unwell lately? Common causes of illness in rats include upper respiratory infections (colds), systemic infections, diarrhea, skin problems, or skin tumours. If her energy or appetite are decreased, I would encourage you to take her to the vet to pinpoint the underlying cause. At minimum, they can provide supportive medications for pain or antibiotics if needed. In the meantime, make sure you are keeping Enni's living area clean, and cleaning out any soiled bedding daily. I hope this helps, and that Enni feels better soon.

This is a quite generic but concerning sign. Differentials are many, from gastrointestinal diseases (infection/inflammations often dietary related) to respiratory to any disease that can spread systemically (causing lethargy for example) like infection, and anything that can cause pain/discomfort. A picture of the red dot would be needed to understand its underlying nature. Conjunctival/corneal inflammation may be present. A check up is needed if the signs last for more than further 24hours. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If Chaos is housed with males, pregnancy may be changing her behavior. However, the signs you describe are pretty nonspecific, meaning that they can go along with a large number of conditions. There are a few things you can do to collect some more information - check to make sure that Chaos’s teeth align properly, check for any blood or diarrhea in the cage, and check Chaos for any swellings or masses. In the chase that Chaos has a contagious disease, I recommend keeping her separated from the other rats. There are vets in most towns/cities thatsee pocket pets, so it would be best to have Chaos evaluates as soon as possible.