My elderly rat

Question
My desexed pet male rat Neddy is 2-and-a-half years old, and he is having a hard time. He has sores all over his body, he has lost lots of his hair, I am positive he is deaf, he has respiratory disease and difficulty breathing, and no matter how much we feed him, he keeps losing  weight. My mum says I should think about getting him put to sleep, but I can barely think about that it is such a painful thought. Do you have any ideas that could help him in his old age, or do you think I should get him put to sleep?
From Alison

Answer
Hello Alison,
wow it sounds like he has mange mites as well and I would really take him to a vet for treatment of mange mites. Have you taken him to the vet for his respiratory problems? I think he could live longer if he was given treatment for his medical problems. The vet would know what was best and it's your choice whether you want to put him to sleep or not. Rats do generally live 2-4 years, but he till may have some spunk left in him if you can get rid of the diseases.
Good luck and keep me posted.