Old rat struggling to eat (sort of?)

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pixelrat

New Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2018
Messages
4
Location
England
Hi. So one of my ratties has recently been showing old signs of age all of a sudden. He's only just over 2 years old, but when I adopted him at 9 months he already had a respiratory problem and it has affected him his whole life, so he's always been on antibiotics for that. The RD obviously doesn't help his deterioration.

Recently he's lost a lot of weight. I took him to the vets for a checkup a couple weeks ago and he gave him a good check-over and said there's nothing else they can do, just told me to monitor his quality of life. However now I'm worried he's not really eating anything. I've started spoon-feeding him baby food, and he's also had porridge every evening- i have to separate my other 2 rats from him whilst he eats because he eats very very slowly, almost just sort of licks everything? What's weird is, after he's eaten (and he doesn't eat much) he will go for the closest thing to him and start frantically chewing on it? Fleece bedding, or cardboard boxes, whatever he is next to he will chew on for a good few minutes, almost like something is irritating him? Does this seem to ring any alarm bells to anyone or is it just some weird old-age habit? :(

I'm going to phone the vets again tomorrow and book him for another appointment, to get his teeth a proper check over etc. But just wondering if anyone has any other advice in the meantime... I'm really worried about him, and worrying his quality of life really isn't that great anymore... Thankyou.
 
Is he skinny especially in the waist and losing weight? Can you try to squeeze his chest and see if it is hard with very little give to it? Compare this to a healthy rat if necessary?
 
He's very skinny now. You can easily feel his spine just by brushing your hand down his back. The youngest rat in the cage, Loki, is certainly very healthy in comparison. ): The vet told me the weight loss was normal, but his lack of appetite is concerning me even more now.

(edit) This is an update from yesterday. Gumball seems to be eating better tonight! I'm so relieved. He's still not eating as much as a young healthy rat would, of course... but he's had a few spoons of porridge and also baby food tonight. I'm so proud of him. <3

Question, if I soak some of his usual nuggets in water (he has Science Selective rat food) will that take away any of the nutritional value? Is it worth doing?
 
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Lab block mush is fantastic for oldies. My rats adore it. It's just easier for them to eat especially when they are elderly, and use less calories to eat it with. I have kept rats with tooth/toothless issues on it all their lives and they were healthy.
 
Okay, thank you.

Sadly things don't seem to have taken a good turn. I fear he may have suffered a stroke whilst I was at work today? I got back and found him lying very oddly. He won't move much but gets a sudden burst of energy to run to the front of the cage so he can climb onto me. I just read online that they sometimes do this for reassurance? I'm phoning the vets in the morning as it's nearly midnight here. I've been laid with him since I got home, he's been very lethargic too so he's drinking plenty of water. Won't eat though... ):
 
you can also feed organic soy infeant formula thickened with baby cereal - to be licked out of a shallow dish, off your finger or fed by syringe (no needle) one drop at a time into the side of his mouth so it does not go into his lungs …… or ensure etc

If he needs to be put to sleep. make sure the vet knows how to do it properly as most do not ……… gas/oxygen mix until unconscious, toe and eye reflexes tested, when unconscious to at leasta surgical level then injected and kept unconscious with the gas/oxygen mix until dead ……. a conscious rat can never be injected into the heart as it is so cruel … even illegal in some places because of the cruelty
 
I'm so sorry for the late reply. I stayed awake with Gumball all night after posting that comment. He sadly passed away in my arms the following morning ... I am absolutely heartbroken. I got him cremated and received his ashes back yesterday, in a very lovely scatter tube. It's been a really rough few days. I really appreciate all the advice I was given though... Bless his little soul, I miss him so much. </3

His brother has been surprisingly okay so far, he has a younger cage mate who has been keeping him company. I will keep an eye on them both, I hope they don't grieve too hard. ):
 
I'm so sorry for the late reply. I stayed awake with Gumball all night after posting that comment. He sadly passed away in my arms the following morning ... I am absolutely heartbroken. I got him cremated and received his ashes back yesterday, in a very lovely scatter tube. It's been a really rough few days. I really appreciate all the advice I was given though... Bless his little soul, I miss him so much. </3

His brother has been surprisingly okay so far, he has a younger cage mate who has been keeping him company. I will keep an eye on them both, I hope they don't grieve too hard. ):
Oh no.. I'm so sorry !
 
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