I have a mom here in the rescue that is a beige veriberk with a blaze and odd eyes. I believe this is considered high white and risk for mega colon? Am I correct? Also pretty much all of the babies in this litter have some WILD crazy markings. I am talking markings like I have never seen before. I plan to take some pictures as soon as I can for you all but I am been busy with 13 litters and now I am sick with a nasty flu/cold thing as well. But some of these rats are all white with a round patch over one eye. One looks like a ying yang with one half of his body white and the other black. A few have some HUGE wedge blazes on their noses/faces. Some looks like Black and White cows like you see on the happy cows commercials. I mean they are cute as heck but I believe that makes this litter extremely high risk for mega colon? I am looking for some answers. How soon would this present. Is there any kind of diet I can start them out on once they start on solid foods to maybe prevent it? How late can it present? Any advice or input would be appreciated. I have only dealt with one other mega colon issue in all of my years with rats and that was a late onset case, which was kind of odd.
High White / Mega Colon Litter Question
- Thread starter OldsGal
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Yes, that's very much high white. I *think* early onset MC can show as early as 2-3 weeks. Late onset MC can show up into young-adulthood. At 2-3 weeks, failure to thrive would likely be your first symptom to look for (since they cannot absorb nutrients properly). Look for the bloating and runny/abnormally shaped poop.
lilspaz68
Well-Known Member
Another thing I learned recently is that their hind legs/hindquarters will be underdeveloped as well. Watch for failure to thrive, and any change in poops and belly as Chelle said 
Lets hope that you just end up with a whole pile of crazy adoptable babies instead of heart ache. ((hugs))
Lets hope that you just end up with a whole pile of crazy adoptable babies instead of heart ache. ((hugs))
lizmo1221
Senior Member
Sorry, but I am not up on the lingo, but what does high white and mega colon mean? And what is the issue with it?
lilspaz68
Well-Known Member
Rachael
Well-Known Member
xxchelle said:
Not in the UK it hasn't very luckily. :sad3: It is not nice at all to deal with.
minnow
Well-Known Member
I'm pretty sure all of the moms from this rescue (or the dads that they were bred to) have at least high white genes - even the plainer ones have headspots, and I've got some crazy markings in my fosters too. At least we know what to look out for, I guess.
:rant: Backyard breeders...
:rant: Backyard breeders...
Rachael
Well-Known Member
I will keep my fingers crossed.
SQ
Senior Member - Vegan for the animals
Late onset can show up as late as 10 months of age.
jorats
Loving rats since 2002.
When you adopt these sweeties out please stress the importance of not breeding them due to the health concern. Some people are going to want to get their hands on these perfect fancies for breeding.
Oh most definately Jo....I know that some people know how to be cunning and lie there way through the adoption process and try to tell me what I want to hear but I try really hard to screen as well as I can and I always tell them no breeding and make them sign a no breeding contract.
dogsnbears
Well-Known Member
when looking back, i think size difference and runny poops were the signs i saw but this didn't really show until they were eating more solid foods (weaning). most of the babies i had died before opening their eyes and i didn't see any signs (assuming it was mc)
hope all is well with your litter though
hope all is well with your litter though
minnow
Well-Known Member
I'm really tempted to spay/neuter the fanciest looking ones before allowing adoption... it ups the price, but it may be worth it when it's financially viable.
Katzedecimal
Well-Known Member
Little Mischief Rescue routinely spays/neuters before adoption, especially with high-risk animals. They have a deal worked out with their principal vet, but it still costs more than their adoption fee, and they certainly aren't turning a profit off of it. But they do have peace of mind, knowing that little boys won't be overly aggressive, little girls won't develop tumours, and most importantly, nobody who leaves their rescue will be breeding more 'business.'
jorats
Loving rats since 2002.
I think having them spayed and neutered might even make them more desirable.
Well as much as the idea makes sense it is not in the rescues budget to spay and nueter all of the high white litters. We probably have about 6 or 7 litters that all show signs of high wight markings. Also you would think an altered rat would be desirable but from what I have discovered in the past when I have neutered a male or two they ultimately end up sitting in rescue for ever because no one wants to pay the adoption fee of $40 which I have to charge to pass on the costs of the neuter.
lilspaz68
Well-Known Member
Each area is very different and I have seen Staci's rats languish after altering. Very sad that people do not know the insane value of what they are getting there. :undecided:
Sorraia
Well-Known Member
For anyone interested, here is an article about "high white" and megacolon, which can also be used to help identify "high white" markings.
http://www.spoiledratten.com/highwhitecont.html
The big problem with "high white" is that it does NOT always show up as a lot of white, as the name would imply. Sometimes "high white" rats are solid in color! (If you are familiar with horses, the similar marking in horses is "frame overo", which is a dominant gene. Frame over can be tested for in horses, unlike "high white" in rats, and even solid colored horses have tested positive for frame.)
I do agree with everyone else though, it does sound like these are probably high whites. The blazes and head spots are not necessarily indicative of high white, as these can show up even in the non-high white markings. However, your description says it all "crazy markings I have never seen before". That is very telling, and that's exactly the kind of thing to look for in determining "high white".
I also find it unfortunate that spayed/neutered rats aren't more desirable. Especially for people who want to keep both males and females, but don't want babies! Unfortunately too many people only look at the price tag and think $40 for a neutered rat is "too much". Especially when it comes to rescues. Too many people seem to look at a rescued animal (less so for cats and dogs, but even then) and think it is "damaged" in some way. Some people seem to think these animals should be given away for free. Its just horrible. Those kinds of people really show their true colors though, and are the kinds of people who shouldn't be keeping ANY animal, no matter where it comes from. Those are likely the same people who dump the animal back at the rescue when it is no longer a cute baby, or it has developed behavioral problems from the lack of proper training and guidance.
http://www.spoiledratten.com/highwhitecont.html
The big problem with "high white" is that it does NOT always show up as a lot of white, as the name would imply. Sometimes "high white" rats are solid in color! (If you are familiar with horses, the similar marking in horses is "frame overo", which is a dominant gene. Frame over can be tested for in horses, unlike "high white" in rats, and even solid colored horses have tested positive for frame.)
I do agree with everyone else though, it does sound like these are probably high whites. The blazes and head spots are not necessarily indicative of high white, as these can show up even in the non-high white markings. However, your description says it all "crazy markings I have never seen before". That is very telling, and that's exactly the kind of thing to look for in determining "high white".
I also find it unfortunate that spayed/neutered rats aren't more desirable.
Especially for people who want to keep both males and females, but don't want babies! Unfortunately too many people only look at the price tag and think $40 for a neutered rat is "too much". Especially when it comes to rescues. Too many people seem to look at a rescued animal (less so for cats and dogs, but even then) and think it is "damaged" in some way. Some people seem to think these animals should be given away for free. Its just horrible. Those kinds of people really show their true colors though, and are the kinds of people who shouldn't be keeping ANY animal, no matter where it comes from. Those are likely the same people who dump the animal back at the rescue when it is no longer a cute baby, or it has developed behavioral problems from the lack of proper training and guidance.minnow
Well-Known Member
The sad thing is that these are *incredibly* sweet babies well worth over a hundred dollars for temperament alone. Unfortunately, too many people see them as disposable pets, especially in this state. Heck, in my area people are reluctant to pay $40 to adopt a cat...
I still do plan to get the ones that don't go while 'young and cute' neutered, at my own cost, and accept that this makes them less likely to be adopted. Fortunately I only have 5 boys, 3 of which are (probably) already spoken for. I'm just too allergic to keep intact males for longer than necessary. I'll have to start grabbing up Staci's pre-neutered rescues, though.
I still do plan to get the ones that don't go while 'young and cute' neutered, at my own cost, and accept that this makes them less likely to be adopted. Fortunately I only have 5 boys, 3 of which are (probably) already spoken for. I'm just too allergic to keep intact males for longer than necessary. I'll have to start grabbing up Staci's pre-neutered rescues, though.
