Surgery for Pet Rats
October 16, 2009 by RatsRatsRats
Filed under Rat Health
Sometimes you can’t avoid your pet rat having surgery. Despite their size, rats tend to cope rather well under anesthetic. Here are some tips to help you care for them.
Desexing
When you first choose your new pet rats, try to get two of the same sex, that way you won’t have to get them desexed. Getting your rat desexed is a major decision, as (especially for females) it is major surgery for such a small animal.
That being said it is a possibility if your male rat has become aggressive. Having him castrated will suppress those raging hormones and the aggressive side of his personality should calm down. He will be happier castrated, than if he wasn’t. Wombat was never aggressive, but he did scent mark a lot when we first got him. After a couple of months this has calmed down, so it could be worth letting your rat adjust first. You may also want to check out our article on Curing Rat Aggression and then if you have to resort to surgery, you can rest assured you have tried all the other options.
It is very important to consider the pain your rat will be in after the surgery and to get your vet to give you something to help ease the rat’s pain. This is especially relevant for females who have been desexed.
If your female rat is having abdominal cramps after the surgery, you will see her looking uncomfortable and tense. She may stretch out flat. Give her 1 drop of oral Metacam once a day until the cramping has stopped.
There are pros to spaying a female rat too. It reduces the risk of mammary and pituitary tumors.
But remember this: Spaying is a more serious operation than removing a tumor – is it worth it?
Surgery
You do not need to fast your rat before surgery, as they cannot vomit.
Try to find a vet that uses Isoflurane anesthetic, as this is the safest for rats.
Make sure you ask the vet what stitches they are planning to use. For small incisions, dissolvable stitches are best. These can be hidden under the skin, which will make them much more difficult for your rat to chew.
If skin glue is used, the rat will not be able to resist chewing it.
After the Surgery
After the surgery, it is important to look out for any reactions to the internal stitches. This could be redness or swelling, or anything unusual.
After the surgery the vet will monitor your rat for a couple of hours, to check all is well. They may give you antibiotics to administer at home, although this is often not necessary for mammary tumors.
Make sure you have a clean, fresh cage at home waiting for your tired little rat. They should not be put in with their friends just yet, as they will be tired and will need to recover. You will also not want the other rats to damage the stitches.
It is very important to keep your patient nice and warm. You may have a microwaveable heat pad you can use. Make sure they have a space they can move to if they get too hot. Give them something cosy, like polar fleece to snuggle into.
Your rat will be groggy for a while. Check on your rat every hour and make sure they are drinking. You may need to offer fluids from a dripper, eye dropper, or your finger, to make sure they drink.
If your rat is not eating you can use a vitamin supplement, such as Nutrigel, to ensure that your rat is getting the necessary vitamins.You will only need to use a pea sized blob, and must not give too much. This vitamin gel tastes yummy, so your rat should take it easily off your finger. Some rats may not like the sticky texture, so put the blob on a small piece of bread and wrap it in the bread, before offering it to your rat. They should eat it easily.
Add grapes and broccoli to your rats diet, as these are both very high in antioxidants.
The Day After Surgery
Your rat can go back in with his friends the day after surgery. Make sure you have fully cleaned out the cage first.
If the operation was castration for aggression, you should wait about six weeks until you reunite him with his friends, as this is the time it will take for the hormones and sperm to dissipate.
If your rat has had surgery to remove a tumor, you may wish to introduce the anti-lump mix to her diet. Hopefully this will help towards preventing further tumors from appearing.
Is Your Rat Pulling Out Their Stitches?
If your rat won’t stop chewing at his stitches, there are a couple of things you can try:
1. Apply a bitter apple mix, or Johnsons anti-peck (there are various brands available). It tastes yucky, so your rat will be less likely to chew the area.
2. If this doesn’t work, try using a surgical stocking to cover the whole body of your rat (including the wounds). Cut holes for the head, legs and tail and this will be a barrier, so that your rat can’t reach the stitches.
3. Never use an Elizabethan collar on a rat. It is highly stressful and won’t work.
Make sure you give your rats lots of love, attention and care and I am sure your little one will be back to tip top health in no time.
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