Lola is 2 year old Fancy Rat

Question
Hi, my Fancy Rat Lola is 2 years old and literally in a week she has lost almost all her weight and has became really sluggish; I'm sure its just old age. I'm having to make sure she is eating because she will no longer eat hard food, I'm having to feed her soft like fruit, along with that she used to just grab the food from you and run off to eat it NOW she wont grab it and sometimes when you think she has it she'll just drop it and then is unable to to find it, almost like she cannot see it. I've noticed that even when you show her or she has found the food she wont pick it up to eat, just eats it off the ground and keeps her paws curled.

What I'm getting to is, have you ever seen spine problems with rats? I'm 99% sure she does not have a tumor, like I said she has became very skinny and I'm sure if she had one I would feel it. She always seems to have one paw curled and often will start whipping her tail; that was the biggest sign of question; sometimes we'll just be sitting on the couch together and she will start whipping her tail uncontrollably, its not a usual thing for her either.

Recap; very wobbly when she walks, doesn't want to use either both or just one paw, tail will randomly start whipping. Do rats get spine problems, or is it just old age?

Thank you!

Answer
Hi there

Your rat is 2 years old. This is not considered an older rat. If she were closer to 3 years old, I would suggest it was old age but it sounds more like she may have something wrong with her.  Without an exam I cannot tell you what it may be, but can give you a few educated guesses from the symptoms you are describing.  Loss of appetite can be from several things, from illness to heart disease to a pituitary tumor on the base of her brain. If it were heart disease, she would also have rapid breathing along with becoming easily tired. Weight loss is a big sign along with these symptoms and acting out of the ordinary such as sleeping in an odd spot she never slept in before. You may notice a purple or blue tinge to her feet, which you did not suggest, so at this time I will not zero in on heart disease.  Problems with their teeth can keep from being able to eat hard food. Have you looked at her teeth to see if they were growing properly?   However, from the signs you have seen her display, it does sound more neurological.  Weakness in her front paws, especially unable to grasp and hold food is a big sign of a pituitary adenoma. It will also cause her back legs to become weak, she may sit in an odd position and her tail sometimes may become limp, but wagging it like she is may also be from a tumor as well.  You cannot see this tumor since it is located on the base of the brain. Going over your message again I am almost sure this is what she has, esp since you said she cannot use her paws and keeps them curled. Please see my website, sandyscrittercity.com and refer to the page on pituitary tumors so you can compare symptoms and also learn what you can do to make her more comfortable in the short time that she may have left.  You also should have a good vet on hand in case she needs to go in, which is very likely. I can help you find a good vet that knows how to care for rats if you let me know your location.
Here is the url to the page on my site about these brain tumors. There is no cure for them, at least not in rats. In humans, the pituitary gland is usually removed but in rats this is of course not possible. http://www.sandyscrittercity.com/pituitarytumors.htm