hi there...just after advice for next time

Question
hi there

thanks for reading my letter (hope you get this!).

Just last night my flatmate lost her beautiful pet rat to a sudden illness and hoping that you may have some ideas as warning signs to look for next time should she get another.

"Dean" looked fine 4 days ago,eating well and playing..then yesterday i roused him by calling him at 2 in the afternoon,i noticed he looked sluggish but he really wanted to get out of his cage.He seemed really wanting cuddles,not normal for him until evening!He also seemed "shrunken 'around the hind quarters,sneezing ,nodding his head like drunk,could not stand or grip my finger..though he was passing wastes.There was also red mucus out his nose.I rang around vets,most were closed and others unwilling to treat a rat.

He literally died within 2 hours...i feel bad as his 'mum" my flatmate was on way from work.Was there anything that we should have looked for? My flatmate has had rats before and this my first meeting to pet rats..he won me over the little bugger :-)

Thanks for your time...oh 'dean" was 12 mths old if thats a thing that can help-Greg

Answer
Sounds like he had a fast moving infection of the lungs, usually caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcal pneumonia) which is a nasty  deadly bacteria.

This is a  super aggressive bacteria that can kill within 12 hrs after onset.  Nothing can really help but aggressive antibiotic treamtent MAY help....and I do stress "MAY"! help, but chances of recovery are less than 10% if this indeed was what the little guy had.  

Please read over my website, sandyscrittercity.com for more info on rat ailments.