Sprinkle rat is old? 2.10 yrs; possible stroke?

Question
We have two rats; Sprinkle (f) will be three at Christmas, and Snowy (f)will be one at Christmas. We had to buy separate cages for both because Snowy was so aggressive and Sprinkle looked like she was getting beat up constantly. The older rat recently seems to have lost more than just a little weight and possibly had a stroke. She can't seem to use the left front or back leg properly, and I'm afraid that she's been deydrated because her water bottle was placed too high. My daughter (9) takes care of her but we had to have a talk about how old Sprinkle was getting and how she needs to be treated like a little grandma - water bottle very low and also water in a low bowl, hand feed Cheerios, lab blocks and little treats to make sure she eats something, and we moved her into the longer, one level cage instead of the more fun but three level cage with wire upper floors. Here're my question:
I am certainly willing to take Sprinkle to the vet, but if he's going to say that she's just old and there isn't anything to do about her dragging limbs and weight loss, I'd rather not spend the money. I'm sorry if that's callous. She's had a good life and my children do play with her, although not as much now that school is up again. But I do not want her to be in pain. Would a stroke or paralysis cause continual discomfort in her or not? Is the weight loss just a part of her life cycle? She's been very healthy all her life and only got sick once, for which the pet store gave us medicine and she got better quickly. She is such a sweet rat and so gentle! Our Snowy is nice, but just not the same personality as Sprinkle. any thoughts would be appreciated. I enjoy reading your site.

Answer
Hi Kristen

For starters, if you mean you enjoy reading all experts, this is not my site, I am just a volunteer in the expert category concerning rat care.

However, my website is critter city:
http://www.freewebs.com/crittercity/gettingstarted.htm


If this is what you meant you enjoyed looking at, thank you very much:)

About your rat:

She may have had a stroke or it could be hind leg paralysis or degenerative changes in the rats spine due to inflammation including arthritis etc...which does come with age. Finally, it could be heart disease which can indeed cause problems with weight loss and also problems with limbs esp their hind legs.
The problem with our rats as they age if it isnt their health such as respiratory issues etc...rats life span is short unfortunately. A wild rat usually wont live past the age of 1 years old mainly due to predators including humans and poisons and traps etc... lets face it most people wont even think twice about killing a rat or mouse and people like us would rather set a humane trap and take it a few miles out to a nice field and release it. We are the few oddballs that are responsible for allowing wild rats to live longer. We are the oddballs that realize we are invading their space, they were here first, after all.
Anyhow, rats in captivity, domestic fancy rats, have a normal life span up to around 2 years old.  However, with so much research and exciting breakthroughs on research that benefit the health and well
being of the rats, including better breeding for health, breeding out certain diseases etc... and also more vets are taking extended courses in exotic medicine with the newest being that of the exotic companion animal medicine that will fall into place sometime around 2009. This is all good news for our rats. The bad news is the rats body is NOT made to last that long. Right around 18 months old, an intact female rats estrus cycle ends and estrogen levels rise. This in turn causes mammary tumors to develop. The good news is spaying the rat at a young age allows the female rat to have a much better chance, we are talking 75 % or better, at not growing these tumors and living longer. That doesnt mean her skeletal system is going to hang on that long. This is the time when changes in the skeletal system begin and this also includes male rats.
Their heart may also grow a bit weaker, sometimes become diseased, and we also see strokes in rats as they age too. Rats are tough, and rats have one heck of a will to live. A good vet can help your rat, yes, as long as it is not a brain tumor. I have my doubts that it is a brain tumor but I cant promise you this.  
The best I can tell you is this:  You will not be wasting time or money if you go to a vet that is a true exotic vet that understands exactly what I have told you above. They are willing to treat the rat if it is heart disease and yes, they can take the same medication humans take. In fact, I have heart disease at my young age and I have had rats take the same medication I take to slow their heart rate down and my rats have lived many more months happily while on the medication.  A true exotics vet will know this while a general vet that t only has a special interest in exotics will not know this and probably frown upon it. Also if it is arthritis or any other degenerative changes including nerve root compression etc...steroids can be used for a few days followed by daily doses of metacam which is an NSAID like advil. This will help inflammation and discomfort.  antibiotic's may be used in case the rat has arthritis caused by mycoplasmosis.  So there ARE things that can be done as long as its the right vet. Recently someone lost their rat and listened to their vet and had their rat put down because the vet said it had a brain tumor because she had head tilt and was walking in circles. The rat owners of course listened to the vet not knowing any better. It was raining out that day so they wrote me about it and they had put the rats body in their refrigerator to preserve it before burial because of the bad weather. Right off my worst fear was this rat did NOT have a brain tumor so I suggested a necropsy. Much to their horror but no surprise to me, the necropsy showed NO TUMOR, just an inner ear infection that could have been treated easily. The rat died for nothing all because of a vet that meant well but should have kept his nose out of exotic medicine because he only knew a few basics: He thought all rats tumors are cancerous, all odd behavior means brain tumors and that mycoplasma causes respiratory disease but dont realize how many more ailments this organism can cause. His knowledge was limited and a rat died for his arrogance for not taking the next step and learning MORE about rat care. At that moment on I knew I had to at least remind people to check the credentials of their vet and teach people that is a huge difference between exotic vets and vets that see exotics. A real exotic vet will spend at least 2 years more learning about exotic medicine and also avian medicine as well. They take a special state board exam that is a two day test. They often are off on their own practice and see just exotic animals because its not cost effective to supply exotics and dogs and cats with all the special instruments needed for so many different species. same applies for the general vet. They will accommodate the dogs and cats and have to make up things to accommodate the rat and other small animals which is not acceptable.  
Long story short, yes, a vet can help make your old girl more comfortable as long as its the right vet, if that makes sense.
If you need my help looking for the right vet, please let me know and i will be happy to help you find one.

hang in there. I dont think its the end for your old girl.  I have had many rats live to be well over 3 and closer to 4 years old. They are truly precious gifts. To get to this age shows that not only have you taken great care of this wonderful senior rat, but also she has one heck of a will to survive or she would have given up long ago.
Hope this helps!