Heat Stroke

[sarahlovesmiike]

I don't know if you remember that thread about the girl I am retiring after her litter is weaned? Today I got home she was leaking water out of her mouth and her chest was soaked, her tail was very hot and she was breathing rapidly. My boyfriend quickly ran about an inch of cool water into the bath tub so that we could cool her down... She rolled around a bit in the water, which frightened me at first. I took her out and dried her off and now she seems a little fatigued but normal, about as miserable as the rest of the rats. The rest of them all seem fine... She is nursing her pups, drinking, eating frozen veggies, etc. It was about it got to about 95* in the room, but it was also well ventilated and dark.

How hot is too hot for these little guys?


Also, she was cocking her head for about two weeks. Not all the time but it seemed that whenever I approached the cage. Most people said maybe an ear infection but I have concluded it has something do with her eye because it is darker and bigger than the other eye. I'm almost certain she is blind in that eye. She tries to turn her head all the way around to see if I pick her up. Perhaps an infection or a tumor is causing the blindness?

[GoBoilers]

Sounds like more of a seizure than heat stroke...body temps will rise dramatically during a seizure (if it gets too high for too long a period of time, the brain can be damaged...you were right to get her cooled down asap). And given the fact that rats and mice are tumor factories, your guess is probably a correct one...I bet she seizured because of it! If it happens again, you may want to consider euthanasia or feeding her off...

[sarahlovesmiike]

Sounds like more of a seizure than heat stroke...body temps will rise dramatically during a seizure (if it gets too high for too long a period of time, the brain can be damaged...you were right to get her cooled down asap). And given the fact that rats and mice are tumor factories, your guess is probably a correct one...I bet she seizured because of it! If it happens again, you may want to consider euthanasia or feeding her off...

We have already decided to euthanize. I just feel terrible because she is still nursing and I don't have enough lactating moms to divide her litter up :/



That teaches me not breed a rat thats isn't young anymore... She seemed perfectly healthy when I put the male in

[mykee]

Breeding generally stops over 80 degrees, and death can occur over 90. Think about it: if it's too hot for you, it's likely too hot for your rats.