My ratty is sick:(

[Mri]

That's sad to hear, though maybe take her to the vets beforehand? As it might be something treatable?

And yeah, in the simplest form the more white a rat is, the higher chance it has of having medical issues. Also, the more bred it is for recessive genes (like Siamese, Himalayan, blue, etc) the bigger the risk. Pigmentation genes effect more than just the colour.

 

[Georgia Leigh]

That's sad to hear, though maybe take her to the vets beforehand? As it might be something treatable?

And yeah, in the simplest form the more white a rat is, the higher chance it has of having medical issues. Also, the more bred it is for recessive genes (like Siamese, Himalayan, blue, etc) the bigger the risk. Pigmentation genes effect more than just the colour.

I'll see if there are any antibiotics or anything that they can give to her.
Oh wow I should research rats a little more then, these were things I didn't know.

 

[Mri]

I'd imagine those are things a lot of people don't know. It's the same with dogs too. Labs are prone to hip problems, damsons to eye and ear problems, pugs to respitory issues, etc. When people breed for looks, they don't realise that nature has made those genes recessive for a reason.

This is a good site as it's run by a biologist not a rat breeder http://ratbehavior.org/CoatColorMutations.htm

 

[SQ]

Most vets do not know how to humanely put a rat to sleep so you need to be her advocate and make sure it is done properly.
Ask questions and tell the vet how you want it to be done.
Stay with her if at all possible.

How it is done:
She should be given the gas/oxygen mix used for surgery. Once she is unconscious the vet should test her eye and toe reflexes (gently pinch her toes). When she is unconscious to at least a surgical level, then the vet will inject her - this is usually done into the abdomen or liver. She should be kept unconscious, breathing in the gas/oxygen mix until she is dead. She will stop breathing and awhile later her heart will stop. Her brain will still be alive for several minutes.
Never allow a vet to inject a conscious rat into the heart - this is so cruel that it is illegal in some places

I am so very sorry that this is happening to both of you. {{hugs}}