How to Treat Conjunctivitis in a Rat

"Conjunctivitis" means an infection in or around the eye. (The conjunctiva is the membrane on the surface of the eye.) It is probably the most common health problem in rats. Conjunctivitis can be caused by external irritation (high concentration of ammonia in the cage or exposure to chemicals in the bedding) or by an internal infection. If your rat has this condition, your vet can prescribe a topical ointment or an oral antibiotic.

Things You'll Need

  • A cotton swab (or unscented toilet tissue or facial tissue)
  • Warm water or saline solution (used with contact lenses)
  • The ointment or medication prescribed by your vet
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Instructions

    • 1

      Determine if your rat has conjunctivitis. Look for any discharge coming from the eyes (either clear or cloudy), "crustiness" around the edges of the eyes, redness in or around the eyes, swelling of the eyelids, sneezing or discharge from the nose, or face-rubbing behavior.

    • 2

      Cleanse the area around the eye by using a cotton swab and warm water. You can also use sterile saline solution (the kind used for contact lenses). Do not use soap. If there is crustiness around the eyes, soak the area before trying to clean it off. If you do not have a cotton swab, you can substitute with a piece of unscented toilet paper or facial tissue. (If your rat is too squirmy, wrap it up in a towel so that only the head is sticking out).

    • 3

      Examine the cage and any items in the cage to determine if there may be some irritant causing the problem. Have you switched the type of bedding recently? Have you waited too long to change the cage (causing a build-up of ammonia)? Are there any items in the cage which might contain a dye or perfume?

    • 4

      Cleanse the eyes again If the symptoms return. If the symptoms persist for more than a day or two, take the rat to a vet who specializes in small animals.

    • 5

      Take your rat to the vet for examination. The vet will most likely give you an ointment for the eyes, and possibly an oral antibiotic as well.

    • 6

      Follow any instructions the vet may give about changing the type of bedding you are using or making any other changes to the rat's environment.

    • 7

      Apply ointment to the rat's eyes if the vet prescribes an ointment. Before applying the ointment, cleanse the area around the eye using a wet cotton swab.

    • 8

      Apply the ointment to the rat's eye by putting the ointment directly on the eye then opening and shutting the eyelids a few times. Be careful not to touch the tip of the tube to the eyeball. Only the ointment should touch the eyeball. If you have trouble keeping the rat still, wrap it up in a towel so that just its head is peeking out.

    • 9

      If your vet prescribes a oral antibiotic, follow the instructions for giving this medication.