My rat has bloody discharge

Question
I have 9 rats, one of which is VERY attached to me and I to him...he was the runt of the litter so I have always babied him, allowed him to sleep in bed with me, and he is constantly on my shoulder when I am not at work.
Anyhow, I noticed that lately he has been sneezing and coughing and has had some poryphin around his nose, but what alarmed me mostly was I noticed some blood around his penis area last week and again today (about 5 days later).
It is not alot, and he cleans it up right away, but it is making me very concerned.
Today is Sunday, and tomorrow is Christmas Eve and then of course Christmas, so I dont think I can get him to the vet until after Christmas but I had hopes you might be able to give me some advice to help him until I get him to the vet.
I read on another rat site that echinacea was helpful in repertory ailments and added a half a capsule to their water supply.
But back to the main subject, do you have any ideas as to what might cause this kind of bleeding.
I am very attached to the little guy and I would appreciate any help you could advise me with.
Thank you  

Answer
Hi David


Hematuria has many causes. However, in rats, mycoplasmosis is the culprit when it comes to urinary tract infections. Myco can attack the respiratory tract, urinary tract, reproductive organs in females and also causes otitis media (ear infection) that leads to head tilt.
Is there a way to telephone your vet and tell him what is going on and he may just give him meds to hold him over, although this may interfere with a urinalysis reading when he does come in for an exam.
Also, Echinacea is said to help the immune system build up to be stronger, but it is not a cure for anything. There is also no medical evidence that it works and in turn can give someone a sense of false hope and can possibly interfere with proper diagnosis in a professional medical setting.

Also adding something to their water can be mighty dangerous if your rat is picky and  doesnt like the new taste from whatever it was that was added. He may stop drinking and dehydrate. I suggest when anyone adds vitamins or any other supplment to the water they provide them with a second bottle of clean fresh water, just to be safe.

Hope this helps some and be sure to have a happy holiday!