Rat dieing
Rat dieing2007-11-24 22:14:46
i have a lil babby rat in a aquairun with its ma,pa, and sis. my cat got the babe. I got it in time. it has a broken foot. I wraped it. what should i do?A.S.A.P! Tell me!plz!
Answers:The problem is shock and an open wound that may attract the other rats to bite it. Unfortunately this is a common problem when rats are hurt. A broken foot is ok if it is not an open wound however if the break is severe enough the foot may die and need to be amputated. If there is an open wound you may need to get the rats antibiotic and PLEASE house the rat seperately until it is fully healed. If you do there may be a problem with reindroduction...use your instincts.
Take the baby to the vet and see if it can be set somehow. Rats don't do well in aquariums anyway because the ventilation sucks, even with no top. Get a cage that will offer them plenty of fresh air and keep them relatively safe from the cat.
take it to the vet
My rat her foot too. :(
Accept her's is now bleeding, and she is breathing VERY irregularly.
Quite honestly there really is nothing you or a vet can do for a broken foot or leg. Experienced rat-keepers know that you leave the leg/foot alone and allow it to heal on it's own. Putting a wrap on it, or trying to splint it, will do more harm then good as rats do not like having these devices on their bodies and they will do more damage to themselves as they try and chew it off. Remove the wrap! If you have wrapped the foot wrong the bones will heal incorrectly, causing perminate disability. If your boy is leaving the wrap alone at the moment it could be that he is in great pain and/or shock. Treat this as an emergency. If the break is severe, or the wound gets infected, the vet may choose amputation of the leg as the best option to save the rat's life.