anemia in rats

Question
Hello, we recently acquired a pet rat(he's around 2 yrs old) from a family that moved out of state. We did not know the family. After one week, we realized he had lice, he was scratching, losing hair and we could see the bugs. I texted the lady and she said she didn't know, but that he had just recently started losing hair. We treated him for 2 weeks with spray and baths and bugs are gone. But his nose has been bleeding since we got him, and it hasn't stopped. When we change his bedding every week, his towel is spotted with what looks like blood and his nose has brown dried blood all around it. He is losing weight and looks like he is getting weak. We researched and found that he is probably anemic since he was covered in bugs. If he is anemic, what can we do to help? Thanks, Amie

Answer
Your research is correct.  Lice can often cause anemia in rats after the lice have been eliminated.  He needs to be fed lots and lots of food rich in iron and vitamin B.  You can feed turkey baby food, fresh cooked turkey thighs, cooked chicken livers, and vitamin B complex, which can be purchased in suspension drop form.  Since vitamin B is water soluble, you cannot overdose on it.   You can simply mix a few vitamin B drops into any wet food like the turkey baby food.  You should also feed fresh greens twice a day, providing iron and bp vitamin B.   Good greens choices area spring mix with kale, spinach, endive, escarole, dandelion leaves, etc..  You can also offer Gatorade, but don't add it to his water...just give a little bit at a time separately.  

I hope your boy will be ok once on this diet plan.  Please write me again and let me know how he is doing.   Also, if you have any other questions, please feel free to ask.