Causes for Why a Pet Rat Has Breathing Problems & Is Turning Pale

Having rats as pets can be rewarding as they are very loving pets, but it can grow difficult, especially when having to deal with rodent illnesses. Breathing problems are one of the most common illnesses among pet rats. Usually owners will notice slight symptoms, but unfortunately what starts slowly can quickly progress to a life threatening issue.

  1. Rat Breathing Problem Causes and Symptoms

    • Almost all pet rats will have a breathing problem at some point. Breathing problems are often caused by something called Mycoplasmosis pulmonis, a highly infectious bacteria that quickly spreads from one rat to another. If your rat has been infected with this bacteria, you will notice symptoms similar to when you get a cold such as runny nose, watery eyes and sneezing. You may also notice your rat wheezing or breathing heavily.

    Breathing Problems Leading to Pale Skin

    • Just as in humans, a lack of oxygen in the blood can lead to skin pallor or paleness. Thus, when a rat is having trouble breathing, their blood is not oxygenated enough to ensure that circulation of the blood properly reaches all extremities. Because fur covers all of a rat's body except for its feet and nose, owners might notice the paleness of the skin in those areas.

    Easing Rat Breathing Problems

    • Rat breathing problems can be treated very similarly as breathing problems in humans. The first line of defense starts by taking your pet rat to the vet so that he or she can be provided with liquid antibiotics. Secondly, you can place a humidifier in the room where your rats are housed to help ease their breathing troubles. If the breathing problem is more serious, pet rats can be taken to the vet and placed in an oxygen cage which will help force oxygen into their lungs.

    Ways to Prevent Mycoplasma

    • Although Mycoplasma bacteria infecting any rat is inevitable, there are some steps you can take to try and protect your rats from having breathing problems that lead to pale skin. The main two things you can focus on are sanitation and isolation. Make sure to keep your rat's cage as clean as possible by changing the bedding on a regular basis every one to two weeks. Also, if you bring a new rat home to be a part of the colony, make sure that you isolate them from the rats you already have for two weeks to a month so that the new rats do not infect the established rats.