RatPalace.com - Pet Rat Care and Discussion

Mon Feb 13, 2006 9:25 am

I've had rats for about four years now but I've never seen anything like
this, one of my baby rats, who was fine today, just suddenly started sucking
in his sides and walking "sideways". It's almost like his spine is curving to
one side or the other. Puppy Dog Eyes

Like I said, he was just fine and I've been
watching him all day, I didn't see him get injured. What could be causing
this?? wtf

I also forgot to mentio nthat I've tried feeling him all over, pushing on him and
massaging him to see if he is hurt, but he doesn't cry or try to pull away. He will
sit up and clean himself and sit in my hands but a few seconds after I put him
down, he seems to wobble and his back legs seem crippled. Sad

Mon Feb 13, 2006 9:31 am

How old is he? Was he puffing up his fur? Does he have other cagemates? How long did it last and does he show any other signs of illness? Squeaking? Hissing? Breathing issues or tenderness in his tummy perhaps?

_________________
Andy & The Rats

~ Darwin ~ Maisie ~ Ella ~ Zak ~

~ Finn ~ Malachi ~ Azrael ~ Newton ~ Charlie ~

Mon Feb 13, 2006 9:35 am

He's probably about 2 months old, we just got him out of quarantine from a friend and brought him home this afternoon. He seemed just fine, he hasn't moved in with my other boys yet because I know he needs time to be introduced. He isn't squeaking, hissing, and it doesn't seem like he's having trouble breathing, just walking very strange. I did try putting pressure on him, all over. His tummy, his back, even his legs and feet and I don't feel anything odd and he doesn't pull away or act like it hurts at all. Sad

He is even climbing around in his cage and eating but just suddenly he'll suck in his sides and his back will go all funny and crooked. ???

Mon Feb 13, 2006 9:37 am

I forgot to say that he doesn't puff up his fur, but he will get kind of slow. He stops and stays that way until I pick him up, then he goes back to normal. But as soon as I put him down again and he starts walking, he does it again?

Mon Feb 13, 2006 9:47 am

OK the back leg things changes everything - if he seems crooked and he's weak at the back end, he could very likely have a spinal injury... the fact that he has some movement in the back end hopefully means it's not going to mean total spinal cord injury - but I think if he's seeming crooked, in pain (the sucking sides in could indicate pain) and weak at that end, he could well have an injury that needs seeing to right away. Is he permanently weak and crooked or is it just happening now and again? How often and how long for? Another alternative is that he has some kind of stomach pains or cramps - causing him to suck in his stomach and kind of curl up temporarily... possibly renal colic (a kidney stone)? Or some other neurological problem maybe....

How does he seem mentally when this happens and before/after?

_________________
Andy & The Rats

~ Darwin ~ Maisie ~ Ella ~ Zak ~

~ Finn ~ Malachi ~ Azrael ~ Newton ~ Charlie ~

Mon Feb 13, 2006 9:52 am

I tried rubbing him along his spine, because I thought might have hurt myself too, but his cage is so small right now, he can't do much in it, he just has a small box and it's not very high, even if he fell from the ceiling of it I don't think he would get hurt too bad ... His back legs are curving to both sides as well, not just one. He doesn't seem permanently weak, I will hold him and he'll walk around in my hands just fine for a moment, and then he goes crooked. I sit him down on the floor and he walks for about 5 seconds and then his legs go sideways, to one side or the other. He just walks that way until he stops, he is still shy about being here, and then I pick him up and his back goes back to normal.

He seems just fine mentally, but when it does happen, he sort of stops and doesn't move after a moment, maybe he is in pain? But I tried feeling all over him and he not once acted like it hurt at all. Poor little guy, it looks so horrible when he does it and I have never seen anything like this and can't find anything about it!

Mon Feb 13, 2006 10:02 am

I was just to check on him and he seemed fine, he was stretching against the side of the cage and everything, so I got him out of the cage and let him run around a bit, I picked him up and sat him down a few times and he seemed fine, but then he did it again so I picked him up to put him back in his cage and he jumped him and stayed in the corner with his sides sucked in and his legs to the side and he won't stop doing it. I tried pick him up and massaging him a little, that helped before, but he won't stop doing it now. He isn't crying or anything when I touch him, could he have a spinal injury and not cry out when I touch him?

Mon Feb 13, 2006 10:08 am

He could do - or he could have a number of other problems - I think in all honesty, you're going to have to get him to a vet ASAP to be seen because I honestly can't tell for sure what's going on with him right now. Sad

_________________
Andy & The Rats

~ Darwin ~ Maisie ~ Ella ~ Zak ~

~ Finn ~ Malachi ~ Azrael ~ Newton ~ Charlie ~

Mon Feb 13, 2006 10:10 am

I am taking one of my rats back to the vet tomorrow to get his stitches checked (Julio, the one with the lumpectomy) so I am going to call in the morning and see if I can bring the baby along. Sad

This really breaks my heart, he is so small. Sad

Do you know if there is a lot a vet can do for a spinal injury?

Mon Feb 13, 2006 11:42 am

It really depends what has happened - if it's just a muscular issue, then it should recover. If it's a fracture (and it doesn't take a big fall to break something, just an awkward one) then it should heal. Steroids can probably help reduce inflammation of the spinal cord but I don't know how quickly it would need to be given to be effective. Really it depends on what the injury is - it might be just a case of rest and painkillers/antiinflammatories. But it might be something else causing him weakness or pain - and the treatment would depend on that. Hopefully he can demonstrate his weakness to the vet. I know people often mention the sucking of sides is suggestive of abdominal pain, stomach or uterine cramps and seen after spays - so if he's sucking his sides in, it could be an indication that something in his abdominal area is hurting (not a uterus, obviously, being a boy!) or that perhaps he has referred pain from kidneys or back etc. How is his wee - does he have any signs of blood in it or cloudiness?

_________________
Andy & The Rats

~ Darwin ~ Maisie ~ Ella ~ Zak ~

~ Finn ~ Malachi ~ Azrael ~ Newton ~ Charlie ~

Mon Feb 13, 2006 9:29 pm

Well I'll be taking him in with me today so the doctor can see him - that is, if he's even still doing it. I should probably get an appointment for a check up with him anyway, just to give him a clearing, I don't think behavior like that is normal and he should probably be checked over anyway! I suppose that just because he stopped doing it doesn't mean it doesn't still hurt.

His urine does look fine, I don't see any blood or cloudiness in it. I'm going to try and check on him more now and see how he's doing, he was sleeping soundly about 20 minutes ago and I didn't want to wake him.