Q. My Rat Is Scratching and Her Fur is Untidy. What's Wrong With My Rat?

Posted by Mia Carter Nov 6, 2008

On November 1, 2008, I received the following question on an article titled Signs of a Sick Rat: "Hi. My name is Joanna and I think there is something wrong with my rat, Isabella. At first I thought it was just because she is old (just about two years now), but now I'm concerned because I found sores on her. The first thing I noticed was how untidy her fur is, though she does have other cagemates. It's not as much untidy as it is... well it's not as smooth as it used to be. I can see spots where she has been scratching a lot where fur is falling out. Also, she has sores around her ears.

"She makes funny noises like... monkey noises almost. When I look at her she looks like she is hyperventalating while making these strange noises. I recently changed her diet, because the food I was buying from the store they didn't eat the pellets in it and I thought that was a waste, so I bought bulk sunflower seeds, corn, peas, etc. Do you think that could be causing this? I also thought it might be fleas, so I sprayed their cage with small animal flea killer (though it says to use only on hamsters, gerbals, and ferrets the lady at the store said I could use it on rats too.) The problem is my vet that is close to me doesn't see rats, and to take her to a vet is a hour drive. What should I do?"

This is a great question and I've seen these exact symptoms in one of my own rats, so I have very strong suspicions about what is causing this. And I've yet to get an opportunity to address this issue in any of my rat-related articles.

Joanna, I think Isabella is suffering from mites. Mites are a type of parasite, but they don't always live on the surface of the skin like fleas, and they cannot be killed by sprays and shampoos. Most mites of this sort live in the hair follicle and the only really effective mite treatment is a drug called Ivermectin, which is either given orally or by injection. I would strongly recommend requesting the oral dose of Ivermectin, as even a slight mistake in dosing via injection can lead to overdose and death. For this reason, she will need to visit a vet, as she may require other additional treatment, like antibiotics to clean the sores that have developed.

Mite infestations are usually present from the time the rat is born - a healthy rat will not be prone to many types of mites. Though there are some that can spread to other healthy rats, so again, a vet visit will be essential to determine what type of mites are present.

In this case, the tip-off that suggests mites is the scratching to the point of sores (which occur when she breaks her skin scratching, and her nails contaminate the wound, leading to a minor infection). Another sign that suggests mites is her odd fur - it's very common to see thinner, coarser fur in rats with mites. In many cases, the rat owner may not realize there is anything wrong with the rat's fur, since it's often been that way for the life of the rat.

A less likely cause would be a food allergy. So I would try to treat her for that at home, just in case. That's something you can start working on immediately to try to remedy and if the situation improves, you'll have your culprit. I doubt this is the only problem here, but it could be a situation where she has mites and the situation is being exacerbated by a food allergy. I'd start her on a homemade rat diet of fresh meats, pasta, veggies, cheese, nuts, etc. (basically, whatever you eat), combined with a high quality lab blocks, which are generally better tolerated than kibble mixes like she's on now. Here's a link about food allergies - the article applies to dogs, but much of this is the same across the board for all animals.

It's also possible that a diet high in protein can cause this type of rat skin problem. So I would review this rat's diet and cut back on all protein. A high-protein diet can cause skin problems for rats much like you describe.

To help moisturize her skin, in case dryness is a factor, give her a small amount of olive oil with a dropper every day. Just three or four drops. You can also soak a little piece of bread and feed it to her - that's even easier than the drops!

We also need to promote healing of the sores. So you'll need to wash the sores with anti-bacterial soap twice a day. Follow by dabbing a bit of Betadine (an antiseptic, found in the first aid section of the drug store) on each sore and conclude by dabbing a bit of antibiotic ointment on each sore. I'd try this for about a week - you should start to see improvement by then. If you don't see improvement, this means it's a case where you'll likely need antibiotics to promote healing, so continue with the cleanings until she sees the vet. Keeping her cage VERY clean - daily cleanings to remove any urine spots and droppings - will help reduce the chance that her feet will contaminate the sores when she scratches.

I hope Isabella is feeling better soon!

Have a pet question? Or a suggestion for a pet care article? Send your questions and suggestions to Mia.Carter@Suite101.com

Disclaimer: I have extensive experience in caring for animals, including sick and special needs animals, but I am not a veterinarian. I can provide information and advice based on research and my many years of experience with pet care and training, but it's not a substitute for seeking medical attention from a veterinarian.