My pet rat was lethargic, then convulsed and died. What happened?

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!

I'm sorry to hear about the loss of Cristen. Unfortunately, it would be hard to tell why he passed away without performing a necrospy, or animal autopsy. Some vets will do this for you. It's possible he may have had an underlying illness or genetic defect that caused him to pass away, or he may have just peacefully passed on his own in his sleep. It sounds like he had a very loving owner, and there probably wasn't anything you could have done differently. If you're having trouble coping with your loss, seeking out services such as The Rainbow Bridge may help you in your time of need.

Sorry for your loss. By the description, respiratory collapse is likely, probably mycoplasma. Respiratory difficulty can lead to cardiac arrest. A necropsy at a veterinary office can give more answers.

Rats, particularly as they grow older, are prone to getting tumors in their brain. In an older rat, this would definitely be my top differential. Other causes include an infectious disease or lack of sugar. In order diagnose a brain tumor, diagnostic imaging would be required. Hope this helps. He should be seen by a vet right away if the seizure activity is continuing and is violent in nature.

Symptoms may be any abnormal behaviors, circling, aggression, seizures, head tilt, pain, scratching the ear, altered mentation, confusion, unwillingness to eat/drink, etc. I'm so sorry for the loss of your rat. You may wish to consider a necropsy for confirmation of the cause of her illness.

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.

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.