Disclaimer:
I am not, nor do I claim to be a certified veterinarian. The information provided in this care guide is meant only as a basic outline and should not replace the expert advice of a qualified veterinarian trained in the care of pet rats. Please consult with your rat vet if your rat shows signs of injury or illness.
+ First Aid +
Cuts & Scrapes
Minor wounds and scrapes on a rat normally bleed very little and will heal quickly. Applying a topical antibiotic such as neosporin or bactine will keep the wound from getting infected and help it heal faster. Neosporin plus contains a mild anesthetic to relieve any pain your rat might be having. A wounded rat should be moved in to a completely santized cage with towels, rags, or paper towels in order to keep bedding out of the wound which can sometimes contaminate it. A wounded rats cage should be changed once or twice daily to keep urine and feces away from the wound, if any were to get in to the cut it can cause serious infections.
Heat Stroke
Rats are tiny creatures that do not adapt very well to extreme heat. Avoid keeping cages near heating vents, radiators, sunny windows or on heating pads. If using a heating pad make sure the rat is unable to come in direct contact with it by placing it UNDER the aquarium and on the lowest possible setting. Make sure there is another barrier of cloth between the aquarium bottom and the rat to keep him/her from being burnt. Make sure that when using a heating pad the rat is able to escape the heat source in to another part of the cage. Symptoms to look for in heat stroke include but are not limited to: drooling, unconsciousness, lethargy, or a hot tail or limbs. A quick way to cool your rat down is to submerge him/her in lukewarm water up to the neck keeping the ears, eyes & nose above water. Try dropper feeding him/her a beverage containing large amounts of electrolytes such as gatorade or pedialyte, if this is something you do not have on hand you can mix lukewarm water with some salt & sugar. These should only be your first steps to helping your rat recover from heat stroke, vet assistance is highly recommended.
Wounds on Extremeties
The mouth, ears, feet & tail contain a large amount of vessels and blood flow. Open injuries to these areas can cause a considerable amount of blood loss in a short period of time. The first thing you want to due with an injury such as this is to apply direct pressure to the affected area for atleast 2 minutes. If the bleeding is not stopped completely by this you can try putting cornstarch or flour on to the area to help the blood clot. Ice on the area can also slow blood flow considerably. There are syptic powders that you can purchase at petstores but flour and cornstarch are normally on hand in emergencies. If the wound is large or can be described as a "gash" rush your rat to the vet after you have slowed the bleeding as they may need stitches and antibiotics to keep the area from becoming infected.
Bloating & Megacolon
I found a very helpful artical by Debbie "The Rat Lady" Ducommun on these ailments that can be read by clicking HERE .
+ Bumble Foot +
Ulcerative Pododermatitis, or in lamens terms, Bumble foot is a bacterial infection usually caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. This bacteria is normal and is found everywhere like inside your nose. Normally it won't cause any problems until, of course, it gets in to a place that it shouldn't be.
Bumble foot is most commonly caused by walking on wire cage bottoms. Over a long period of time, walking on the wires will cause abrasions on the feet which allow the bacteria to get in causing an infection. Its very important to keep rats out of cages with wire bottoms and to ALWAYS keep it sanitary and clean. However, wire bottoms are not the only cause. Normal everyday walking, even on plastic surfaces can cause abrasions and your rat could still get bumble foot.
Bumble foot looks like a large lump on the bottom of a rats feet. You might think at first that it is a tumor but is actually a closed abcess. Without treatment the infection can spread to the bones and blood stream leading to a fatal infection. Vet treatment is recomended to have the abcess drained. Your vet will also prescribe an antibiotic to kill off any infections.
Porphyrin
Porphyrin is secreted by the Harderian gland and appears around the rat's eyes and nose. This red substance looks like red tears or blood, and can be startling to those who are unfamiliar with rats. Occasional low levels of porphyrin staining are normal, but regular large amounts of porphyrin indicate stress, sickness, or poor diet. If you notice porphyrin around a rats eyes or nose for an extended period of time, it wouldn't hurt to have them checked out by a vet. You can also look over their habitat again- are they near a drafty window? Has their diet recently changed? New bedding? Have they been moved, been to the vet, or been on a car trip? Even having a bath can stress a rat out enough to produce large amounts of porphyrin, if all of those things are ruled out, your rat could be ill.