Old Male Rat Sledging on Belly... :/

[lilspaz68]

Eros is 29 months old (son to Zeus, brother to Hermes) and I have seen his hind end get weaker but this is normal for old Ontario boys for the most part. But I noticed he wasn't lifting his front quart4ers up well and today I really saw him sledging around on his belly to get anywhere at all. I am not exactly sure what is going on, its not PT as he is weak in his front legs and his paws don't seem right at all, but when you hold him, he grips with those legs. He is okay lifting himself up when he's sitting still but when he moves his front legs collapse.

At the end of this something panicked him, and he started to shiver...I thought he might have been having a slight seizure but I am not sure...he also threatened to bite me (he actually pinched me with his teeth and then let go) so I cuddled him and put my poor boy back in his cage.

Have you seen this before? Could he have had a stroke?

 

[victoria]

Could it be a spinal cord injury or a pinched or severed nerve? The shivering can be pain, no?

 

[lilspaz68]

If it was an injury like that he would not be able to sit up normally, its only when he moves that everything collapses. I might try him on metacam tonight. I did gently palpate and manipulate his limbs with no issues.

He's always been a nervous boy all his life, I would open the cage for him to run, and he would stay in there. I would put him on the bed, and half an hour later find him in his cage snoozing.

 

[Godmother]

Poor old sweetie! That does sound odd. Usually strokes affect one side, but perhaps it's possible to have one affect the front limbs. I wonder if rats can get progressive muscle deterioration diseases.

 

[jorats]

What about bladder infection, didn't you have a boy like that once with a bladder infection?

 

[lilspaz68]

What about bladder infection, didn't you have a boy like that once with a bladder infection?

RTR Malcolm who had sudden paralysis of hind end, and a tender abdomen. Eros has been on antibiotics for months (chronic URI) and his hind end is just HED. His pee is normal as well (he slid over my arm, the little bugger LOL)

 

[Petunia]

Poor old sweetie! That does sound odd. Usually strokes affect one side, but perhaps it's possible to have one affect the front limbs. I wonder if rats can get progressive muscle deterioration diseases.

I am wondering this too, as it seemed like that's what Teddy had, some serious muscle wasting, and he was about 18 mos old.


I hope this fella doesn't go the way Teddy did