Why Do My Rats Keep Getting Respiratory Infections?
Why Do My Rats Keep Getting Sick?
“I bought my rats from a pet store, and I’ve taken them to the vet many times for respiratory infections. I know it’s probably chronic, so how can I help my rats with this?”—Tanya
Repeated Infections May Cause Lung Damage
It is common for respiratory infections to happen more than once in pet and laboratory rats. Atelectasis is a common problem after repeated respiratory infections in people and all types of animals. A part of the lung collapses, or the air sacs do not inflate normally, and the pet has less lung tissue available to take in oxygen.
Every time they suffer from a respiratory infection, the scarring and lung collapse is a little worse, and they are more likely to suffer from another infection later on.
What Is Causing Your Rats to Get Sick?
Many different viruses can affect rats, and it is possible that you brought one home from the pet store without even being aware of it. Rats suffer from a type of coronavirus, and just like people, it is spread by aerosol. Mycoplasma is the most common bacterial infection, but coronavirus is the most common viral infection of rats. (1)
If they come into contact with any new rats, they can pick this up, but it is also possible that your rats had this from the time you brought them home and have contaminated their environment. It is not fatal but when there is a secondary infection, like another virus or a bacterial infection, some pets do die.
Some viruses and bacteria will only make a rat sick if there are other diseases going on. Mycoplasma is a common problem in rats, too, and becomes serious when there is a viral infection. The best way to treat it, after giving antibiotics and clearing up the active infection, is to prevent it from happening again.
How Can You Prevent This From Happening Again?
Usually, when respiratory infections are treated, we discuss how to prevent them from coming back. The best suggestion for pet rats is to remove the bedding, which tends to become aerosolized and irritates the lungs, and use only paper towels or bedding like cardboard or paperboard. There is also a article on rat enclosures goes into detail on picking a new cage if you need one.
Rats really need to be kept in a cage with wire walls to avoid the ammonia fumes from their urine, since even if you clean the cage every day it may not be enough to avoid irritating the lungs.
Besides changing the type of bedding, another good suggestion if you are raising rats to sell as pets or to give to friends is to separate your males and females and hold off on producing any new babies for about three months. Some viruses will only thrive if they have a new host in which to multiply, and just breaking the breeding cycle is enough to stop the spread of the viruses.
Sources
- Schoeb TR. Respiratory diseases of rodents. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000 May;3(2):481-96, vii. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7110835/
This article is not meant to substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal and individualized advice from your veterinarian. Animals exhibiting signs and symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately.
© 2024 Mark dos Anjos, DVM
