stroke

Question
I have a female rat, Tia, who is around 2yrs 3mths. Over the last few months she has shown signs of ageing - coat not looking as good, climbing ability not as good but still willing!
On Saturday we moved house and she slowed her eating right down, not eating much of her dried food but still eating bits of bread, ham, etc...and still drinking water.
On Tuesday I think she had a stroke, in the morning she was ok, not willing to climb her cage for food but I put that down to her age and at lunch time she came out of her bed with legs going everywhere, the only way I can describe her walking is like a dog on a slippery kitchen floor, her cage floor is cardboard so no grip.
She is unable to hold her head up and is moving around, slowly and dragging, falling onto her side alot (mainly right side) and after 30secs movement she needs half hour sleep. She has stopped eating and drinking so I am trying to give water and apple sauce by syringe but shes not taking much. Her bottom lip is drooping and she has red mucus from her eyes and nose.
I dont feel that she is in pain and I dont want to take her to the vets unless absolutely necessary as I feel the journey will be too traumatic.
Any advice on care for her?

Answer

Hi Caroline

Little Tia sounds pretty sick. It also sounds neurological for sure.
It sounds more like an abscess of the brain rather than a stroke  but it could be anything,really, even a brain tumor that has finally caused enough inflammation and pressure to show signs and symptoms.     

The red mucus is porphyrin which is produced by the rats harderian gland that is located behind the eyes.  Normally this gland produces porphyrins to lubricate the rats third eyelid, but studies have shown that when a rat is stressed due to illness or another factor, the gland produces excessive amounts of porphryin that often tells the rat keeper that something is not right with the rat.  Although it is a good way to know if the rat is not feeling well, some rats do produce small amounts regardless of how they feel so over time the rat keeper will know what is normal and not normal.

To be honest, she may even respond to steroids and aggressive anbitbiotic treatment.  She is an older rat, yes, but she is not terribly old that signs of old age would really start to show up yet.
Do  you have an exotic vet that you can take the rat in to see?