Weak Hind Legs and Paraplegia
by Debbie Ducommun
updated 8/10/17
Paralysis
of the hind legs in rats can occur suddenly or gradually. Sudden onset can be caused
by an injury to the spine, a subluxation (displacement) of a vertebra, or a
blood clot in the spine. An x-ray might be helpful in identifying displacements
of the vertebra but not soft tissue injuries, such as bruising. An
anti-inflammatory can help an injury. A chiropractor who is willing to work on
animals, or a veterinarian who knows chiropractic, can help in cases of
subluxation. My chiropractor has successfully treated 3 of my rats for neck,
jaw or back problems. (In
In elderly rats, the muscles of the hind
legs can weaken but this doesn’t usually affect how the rat walks. If a
rat has trouble lifting his hind legs to walk then the rat has a disease. The
most common cause is spinal nerve root degeneration (SNRD) of the ventral
spinal nerve roots (nerves exiting the spinal cord which govern motor control).
This usually progresses slowly over a period of several months. We do not know
the cause, but it might be a deficiency of B vitamins. It is common for one leg
to be affected more than the other. This condition isn’t painful or life
threatening, and the rat usually learns how to get around even with the
disability. Even if the hind legs become completely paralyzed, the rat can
still lead a comfortable life.
The
second most common cause of gradual hind leg paralysis is a pituitary tumor. (See Tumors.) This usually occurs over a few weeks. Two
other rare causes are a spinal tumor (I know of only one case) and arthritis of
the spine.
B
vitamins, especially vitamin B12, are important to the proper functioning of
the nerves, and a supplement has reversed or slowed the progression of SNRD in
some of my rats. It could be that some rats have a higher need for this
nutrient as they age. I recommend all rats over 1½ to 2 years of age get
a vitamin B complex supplement, and especially if you notice that a rat is
walking funny with her back legs. B vitamins are also good for respiratory
disease.
You
can buy a human liquid vitamin B complex supplement from a health food store.
Give the rat enough of the liquid to supply 10 mcg of vitamin B12 twice a day.
The vitamins can be given plain or mixed with food, Ensure, baby formula or
some other flavoring.
To
figure out the dose, divide the amount of B12 in the human serving by 10 mcg to
see how many rat doses are in the human serving. For instance, if there are 50 mcg/ml,
then 1 ml contains 5 rat doses, so the dose for a 1-lb rat is 0.2 ml. A more
concentrated brand might have 1200 mcg/ml, which is
120 rat doses. A formula this concentrated needs to be diluted. If you add 11
ml of flavoring to 1 ml of this product, the 1-lb rat dose is then 0.1 ml.
Care for Paraplegic Rats
Most
rats get along just fine with some paralysis, and don’t seem to suffer.
Some extra care will help to maintain their quality of life. You may need to
switch to soft food when the patient can no longer hold food in his hands.
Soaking rat blocks in water, soy milk, or a liquid supplement such as Ensure
makes a mush that is easy for a paraplegic rat to eat. You can break the blocks
up with a hammer or nutcracker, so they will absorb the liquid quicker.
Move
a paraplegic rat to a one-level cage. If your rat likes a hammock, you can
lower it to almost floor level. You can also create a comfortable, floor-level
nest away from their potty areas with soft fabric.
A
paraplegic rat will usually need modified bedding in his cage, and you may need
to
clean the cage more frequently. In an aquarium or deep-bottom cage, a layer of aspen shavings
at least 3" thick can work well. With a thinner layer of loose bedding, he
will tend to push the bedding away as he tries to pull himself around and can
end up laying in a puddle of urine. A thick fabric pad
such as those sold for dogs to sleep on will stay flat instead of bunching up
and will allow the rat to pull himself along. If the
rat gets wet with urine, you can pin a human incontinence pad (underpad) on top
and change it as needed.
Any
urine on the skin must be washed off, sometimes more than once a day, or it
will burn the skin. You can hold your rat under the faucet with warm water,
with maybe a little soap and then pat dry. If the urine still causes his skin
to become red and irritated, you can treat it with Rescue Remedy
Cream (available at health food stores) rubbing in it liberally.
You
might also need to help groom your rat. You can brush him with a toothbrush, or
wipe him with a damp cloth or baby wipe if needed. Most paraplegic rats also
like you to scratch the areas they can no longer reach with their feet.
You
may need to clean wax out of your rat’s ears with your little fingernail
or a cotton swab. You may need to clean a male’s penis of waxy build-up
daily by gently pressing down on either side of the penis to pop the waxy plug
out. You may need to wipe a female’s vaginal area of discharge. Rats with
a reduced activity level, especially those with some paralysis, usually need
their toenails trimmed regularly.
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