About Robin Bartlett Expertise I can answer any rat-related questions including feeding, housing, breeding, showing, genetics, health, and behaviour. I am a veterinary assistant and though I cannot answer in-depth health questions I am familiar with the most common ailments and treatments for rats. I have owned rats for 10 years and have been breeding them for 5 and have studied everything about them that I can get my hands on. I currently run my own rat care website at http://careguide.evergreenrattery.com and have been answering rat and other rodent questions via email and IM for several years now.
Experience I am a veterinary assistant who has owned rats for 10 years and bred them for 5. In this time I have learned nearly everything there is to know about rats and continue to study more about them every day. I have been answering rat questions via IM and email for several years now and I am currently ranked #3 on Yahoo! Answers for the best answers in the rodents category.
Organizations RatsPacNW, RMFE
Education/Credentials Though I am a veterinary assistant, I have not gone to college for it. My parents are both vets, and I have grown up with our family business and have learned what I needed to know on the job.
Question what can I do for my pet rat... his back left foot is really swollen and is a darker reddish with blue or purple. it is probably about the size of a finger it is so swollen.. i have there are no signs of cuts but there is blood on the towel we put down for him. we can figure out where it is coming from. it is a boy rat and this has never happened before. i am giving him ibuprofen and a tiny bit of benedryl
Answer It sounds like he may have caught it somewhere in the cage. You can give him children's motrin (ibuprofen) at a dose of 0.03mg / g of the rat's weight to help control the swelling and relieve pain. The blue color is a bit worrisome, as it means that oxygen isn't getting to the limb very well, though it could also be a bruise if he had it caught for a while and kept twisting around trying to release his foot. For now I would just give him the ibuprofen and watch him. If it gets any worse, he begins to limp badly, acts really sleepy or listless, has trouble breathing, shows any other new symptoms of illness, or if the swelling hasn't reduced at all in 48 hours, I would get him to a vet right away. It sounds like he just twisted his foot, hopefully the ibuprofen will get the swelling under control and he will be back to normal in no time. Good luck and let me know how it turns out!
