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Unfortunately it is a fact that rats only live long enough for us to really become attached to them. So what can
be done to help your favourite ratty enjoy it's old age? Well for starters it is necessary to define old age in rats.
With rats living anywhere between two and five years depending upon the quality of their breeding their can be a large difference
between the health of rats of the same age. For many rats old age is only very short, marked by a general decline of
health just before they pass away. This decline often includes a thinning of fur, which can also become slightly dull
and ragged looking, a decrease in activity and a lowering of the immune system, which can result in an increased prevalence
of colds and flu.
So what can we do??
As guardians of our ratties we have a responsibility to them to ensure that they are cared for appropriately at all stages
of their life. Old rats should be kept warm and free of drafts. If you have a very smoochy rat of the same sex
that will act as nurse maid to help keep an old rat warm that is ideal, if not a heat pad or a hot water bottle wrapped in
a towel each evening before bed is the next best thing. To ensure that your old rat stays in top condition for as long
as possible a diet with extra energy can help. Simply offering your elderly rat about 1/4 of a piece of toast with a
sprinkle of an energy drink such as sustagen and soaked in warm soymilk as well as your rats usual grain based diet can give
your old ratty the energy it needs to get through the day. Any left overs should be removed at the end of each day to
ensure that it does not go off.
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If despite your best efforts your elderly rats health continues to decline to the point when it is obviously
suffering, the most humane things to do is to have your vet put him or her down.
While this can be a very painful decision to make, it must be remembered that quality of life is the key and a life of
constant suffering is not fair.
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