Mycoplasma Pneumonia
Almost all rats obtained from pet stores or trade shows are infected with Mycoplasma. That doesn't mean all of them will have problems from this bacterium. Some go their entire life without having any symptoms, and others get symptoms earlier. Why? This depends a lot on environment and how healthy the rats are otherwise. Here is a brief discussion of what Mycoplasma is, how we treat it, and what you can do to decrease the chances your rat will break with the disease.
Symptoms
Early signs of Mycoplasma are predominantly in the upper respiratory tract, and include sneezing, nasal discharge, redness and ulceration in the mouth, and porphyrin staining around the eyes (this can appear to be bleeding from the eyes but is just a protein that is released when a rat is stressed that causes reddish discoloration). Chronic Mycoplasma infections produce nodules of infection in the lungs called granulomas, and respiratory difficulty can worsen over time. There is no treatment for these granulomas once they form.
Treatment
Diagnosing Mycoplasma is usually by clinical signs and occasionally testing of nasal discharge. Because of this, we often start treatment without an actual diagnosis with antibiotics. Most rats will need these antibiotics off and on for the rest of their lives. Eventually, the antibiotics will stop working and euthanasia will be necessary to relieve suffering.
Prevention
Though there is no true way to prevent this disease, there are some husbandry practices you can institute to help decrease both the chances of your rat breaking with Mycoplasma and decrease the severity of signs if your rat has chronic disease. These are:
Symptoms
Early signs of Mycoplasma are predominantly in the upper respiratory tract, and include sneezing, nasal discharge, redness and ulceration in the mouth, and porphyrin staining around the eyes (this can appear to be bleeding from the eyes but is just a protein that is released when a rat is stressed that causes reddish discoloration). Chronic Mycoplasma infections produce nodules of infection in the lungs called granulomas, and respiratory difficulty can worsen over time. There is no treatment for these granulomas once they form.
Treatment
Diagnosing Mycoplasma is usually by clinical signs and occasionally testing of nasal discharge. Because of this, we often start treatment without an actual diagnosis with antibiotics. Most rats will need these antibiotics off and on for the rest of their lives. Eventually, the antibiotics will stop working and euthanasia will be necessary to relieve suffering.
Prevention
Though there is no true way to prevent this disease, there are some husbandry practices you can institute to help decrease both the chances of your rat breaking with Mycoplasma and decrease the severity of signs if your rat has chronic disease. These are:
- Good air quality and ventilation of the cage are the single most important factors in improving respiratory problems. Clean the cage often and use appropriate substrates (aspen and pine bedding are notorious for causing respiratory issues).
- Place your rat on a high quality, low fat, low protein diet and offer plenty of exercise
- Do not let the temperature vary too much in your rat's environment as cold drafts can increase respiratory problems
- Never smoke around your rat
- Treat any underlying problems such as intestinal parasites, fleas and mites early on to ensure overall good health