Discoloration of albinos fur...getting darker

Question
Hello again.

Yoshi's coat is getting darker in color. As I've stated, she's quite old & slowing down. The coat is getting brownish in color in spots, especially on/near the top of the neck. You can still tell she's an albino, but she's looking pretty "mangy" as of late. I have no idea what's going on there. I have another rat, Lucy, who has started to turn gray in spots.

I'm applying medicine to the eye that's squinting. She's also on baytril for her chirping, but I don't think she'll last the whole 21 day cycle. Then again, I thought she was finished at least 3x since January & keeps bouncing back. Her energy and eating is good, but can't go for long periods.

Thanks for your help. You've been very helpful & I've learned a lot. I wish I had found this site before Bob became seriously ill.

Answer
Hi Jim

What your seeing on your white rats fur is porphyrin staining.
Any of the reddish brown discharge that is coming from her eyes and nose gets on her paws during normal grooming. In turn, as she grooms the rest of her body, especially her face and her neck and chest etc...this  smears the porphyrin onto the fur which stains it pinkish red to brownish red.  It usually stains the upper body the most because it is fresh on her paws and as she licks her back and belly etc...the porphyrin fades from her paws since it already rubbed off on other parts.
It will fade over time though and I dont suggest a bath as this will stress her more.
As rats age, they do turn gray. I have black rats that are now "senior citizens" and they have that handsome "salt and pepper" look to them now. Its attractive looking actually. They look like some specially bred rats with that mixture of white hair ticked through the deep dark black fur. Sometimes dark furred rats turn "rusty" and this is not from porphyrin staining either, its from age.

Also it sounds like your girl has possibly some scarring or perhaps lesions on her lungs, sometimes even blistering can occur,all from chronic myco flare ups!