Eye Discharge and Breathing Funny

Question
I have just purchased a hairles rat from Petsmart and I know the experts will tell you never to buy anything living from a pet store..but he was just too cute.  And all alone.  However, Ive had him for only about two weeks now and this morning I noticed the eye gunk that is reddish-brown.  And he also sounds like he's got marbles rolling around inside when he breathes.  I know he is pobably sick.  I was just wondering if you could tell me of any vets in my area that treat exotics.  My zip code is:  16510

Answer
Hi Tami


I wont scold you for buying a pet store rat. I am guilty as charged!
Its best NOT to, mainly due to the fact your not getting a well bred rat that is bred for health and temperament (usually) but I cant even say that.  Some of the rats I have had that were meant to be snake food lived to be over 3 years old and were not sick a day in their lives.
So that said, your little rat could be sick simply because he picked up Myco.  Since all rats are born with mycoplasmosis, even stress can trigger it since stress weakens the immune system.  
If your not up to par about mycoplasmosis, please check out my website and you will learn all about it. I wrote a page on it so I can share it with the people that write in since I dont always sound like a broken record.  Also, the red discharge you saw is called "porphyrin".  Check out this page here for photos of rats with this reddish brown discharge. It is a definite sign the rat is stressed, be it from illness or simply anxiety.   Once he is seen by a vet, you should buy him a friend. He can live with a furred rat, he doesnt need to be with hairless rats just because he is naked himself. :)

As for vets in the Erie area (I am originally from Youngstown Ohio) I did traces in your area, Ohio and even New York and there are NO exotic vets that are less than 90 minutes from you. Not sure how far you want to drive.  I do know that a vet that sees rats but is not an exotic vet has to be in your area but if you would have bigger issues, such as (an example) he had to have an eye removed due to infection, like mine did last year, it would be worth the 90 minute drive.  

Anyhow, here is what I found that see rats and have a special interest in exotics:

Glenwood Pet Hospital
3853 Peach St
Erie, PA 16509

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Animal Ark/Animal Kingdom Pet Hospital, Inc.
W. 12th St. & E. 38th St.
Erie, PA  16505
Phone: 814-838-7387
Fax: 835-2034

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