Decorative breeds of rats were bred specifically for keeping the house. Today, some breeders are happy to engage in breeding, thereby constantly increasing the range of possible rat colors. Due to the fact that these animals are very unpretentious and perfectly adapt to living conditions, they are quite easy to maintain, as pets. However, it is not enough to know only about keeping rats at home. There are several factors that are no less significant, for example, you must be aware of how to feed domestic rats, and how to cure a particular disease of the animal.
Rat disease: how to determine and what to do?
Domestic rat diseases can be very different and you need to be able to identify them. The first sign of a pet’s health is a good appetite. Also important factors are the activity of the animal, the luster and smoothness of the coat. If the rat does not have one of these signs, then the first thing to do is take care of its diet. Food should always be fresh, and it is best to give your pet only his favorite food. In addition, it is necessary to create a warm place for the pet in which he would feel protected and could rest comfortably. If the condition of the animal is very alarming, then you need to urgently consult a veterinarian.
Types of Rat Diseases
A domestic rat disease can have a variety of, as already mentioned. Consider the most common ailments of these pets.
The animal’s disease is quite dangerous if it swallows a parasitic worm. In such cases, a strong weakening of the body is observed, and it is also difficult for a rat to chew and swallow food. Also, the weakening of the body can be caused by the presence of bugs, fleas or ticks. In this case, infectious diseases are very easily transmitted. Ticks usually "settle" on the ears, nose and tail. These places in the animal are very itchy and he combes them, sometimes even to the blood, and each time the wounds increase from scratching. In such cases, the animals lose weight very much and completely refuse to eat.
A domestic rat may have diseases associated with fungal diseases that cause it no less suffering than various parasites. The skin on the affected area begins to peel off strongly, due to which the epidermis is significantly coarser. It should be noted that in rats there are also such fungal diseases in which there are no symptoms. Therefore, in case of suspicious behavior or physical condition of the animal, it is necessary to contact specialists.
Viral diseases in rats are very common. In young pups, diarrhea is characterized by a litter with a yellow tinge, and a strong weakening of the animal is also observed. In addition, deaths are sometimes observed after similar diseases. The most feared domestic rat disease in this category may have been associated with pneumonia. For example, enzootic pneumonia is almost never cured in rats, and animals die from this disease.
Bacterial diseases do not pass without a trace . For example, infectious pneumonia appears in weakened animals and is characterized by symptoms such as fever, ruffled hair, and after them a runny nose and cough. Bacteriosis causes the weakening of the animal, the hair becomes tousled and falls off, and the rodent also loses weight very much. If the animal suffers from salmonellosis, then its temperature rises sharply, appetite disappears and vomiting and diarrhea appear . This disease is incurable.
Negative food condition may be affected by lack of food. Intestinal upset and loss of appetite can result from a lack of nutrients.
These are the most common diseases found in domestic rats, but, as already mentioned, rodents rarely suffer from them.