Rat eyes

Question
QUESTION: I know I come to you a lot about rat questions and I thank you for all the answers you give me.

I found a website describing rats with young cataracts and small eye development but have yet to find it since, I was going to refer to that instead of asking you but have been unable to find it.

I have a rat, Seer, who has had cataracts since he was about 2 months old when he arrived at the pet store, he is now about 7-8 months. He is a dumbo rat but his eyes are smaller than rats his age and he grows slowly. Recently he has developed a bright red pigmentation in his right eye(I would give a picture but I couldnt get a good picture). The redness is on the lower portion of his eye and he doesnt show pain when his closed eye is touched or gentely pushed. He is moving around find and doesnt seem to be in pain. I know I should bring him to the vet but my vets around here are flaky with their answers in regards to rats(one vet told me my rat would die without expensive doxicycline but a good course of baytril made him well and he has been find since). I am wondering if I should be concerned or just keep an eye on it?

Possibly needed info:
My rats are fed Katee lab blocks(will be changing their diet to mixed grain featured on your site or other sites) and fresh vegetables with the occaisonal fruit, meat, or junk food like a small chip, cereal, bread. Their bedding is Carefresh. And I have the one Im describing, Seer, is with two other rats, a 6mth old rat and a 9mth old hairless rat, they get into mild squabbles but Seer seems to be the dominant one who has yet to get an injury from them.

Thank you,
Kelcie

ANSWER: Hmm...without seeing his eye its hard to tell, but sometimes red in the eye indicates bleeding either behind the eye or in the eye itself.  I am shocked the little rat has had cataracts since he was so young. Thats so sad. I hope so much the person breeding these rats (pet store breeders are the worst!!) doesnt breed using the same line again. In fact, I bet most of his siblings have them too!!

The good news is that rats do not rely on their vision to get around, but having bleeding in or behind the eye isnt always good either.  You can also find info on rats eyes on the rat guide. Its a great informative website too.   Also, if you want, I can help you find a vet for your rats. Just let me know your location and I can give you some names.


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QUESTION: My location is Hyannis Massachusettes 02601.

He has never been a sickly rat, thin for his age though despite what he is being fed (the others dont feel thinner than normal). Hes a dumbo but his body is like a 6mth old rat. I know I should get something to weight them.

ANSWER: Sometimes we have to make a drive to get to a good vet. The vets that I have found for you are not right next door, unfortunately, but its worth the extra miles in order for the ratties to have a qualified vet to care for them.  The only time its a bit of an inconvinience is when the rat is having problems breathing or bleeding after surgery etc... when the vet is not local, I suggest the rat spend a night or two at the Vets clinic after surgery just in case.  However, some ER clinics will see the rat and call the vet that cares for the rat for instructions on what to do if they are not really up to par in rat care. I used to work for an ER clinic that would call the vet that the rat was a patient of and he would instruct the clinic on what to do such as procedures and medications.  This saved many rats lives.  It looks like vets could care less when they turn the rat away as a patient if the rat is critical when they could very easily do a consult over the phone with the vet!! Anyhow, here is what I have for you as far as vets go that are closest to  your location.  Are you far from Boston?  There are several awesome places in Boston!!


Less than an hour from your location:

Dr. Willard Gould
Mattapoisett Animal Hospital
91 County Road
Mattapoisett MA 02739
Phone:  508-758-6400
Website: www.mattapoisettah.com


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QUESTION: Im about an hour and a half away from Boston during non-holiday times. I'll give the vets a call, it would be great if they could work with my local small animal vet for any extra services. *crosses fingers* Hope their costs arent too high, but if they are good then it wont matter really. Thank you very much, if you could let me know about the Boston ones then that would be great too. Im just glad my rats havent been sick otherwise, no Myco from them so far.

Answer
Here are some names of places in Boston for you as well:





Avian and Exotic Medicine Angell Animal Medical Center
350 S. Huntington Avenue
Boston MA 02130
Phone:  617-522-7282
Website: mspca.org






Angell Animal Medical Center
350 South Huntington Avenue
Boston MA 02130
Phone:  617-522-7282
Website: http://www.mspca.org