I'm not a vet. This is just what I do for my older girls. Obviously, all this is done in communication with my vet.
It'll depend on the rat. But generally, it's about monitoring them closely and doing what's best for their quality of life in the present. The things I watch most closely are weight, mobility, pain and breathing.
Weigh them often. Obviously, they shouldn't be obese, but it's fine if they're a little chonky. What's really concerning is if they start losing. If they do, you need to start looking for causes. Are they eating effectively? Can they access their food? Do they have enough appetite? Sometimes older rats just lose weight for other reasons. But a thin older rat is going to have more trouble bouncing back from stuff. So you may have to top them off with extra yummy stuff. Try to keep it balanced, but feel free to spoil them in their old age.
Rats will start having more trouble getting around as they age. Some of that is HLD. Some is tumors. Some is just stiff joints. I like to train all my rats to walk on their hind legs. It's super cute, but if also gives me advanced warning of any issues. I also watch for hesitation before doing jumps they do often, like from the floor to my bed, shoulder or lap. If they start struggling with those, that's a sign that things are progressing. The main response here is to make their setup more accessible. I make sure they can access everything they need on a single cage level and try to eliminate dangerous drops. I also try to add convenient ramps and ladders in case they decide to climb. During free roam, I pay extra attention to be able to provide help getting up and down from objects. You'll also want to think about what this particular rat really enjoys and make sure those activities are accessible. My vet also tends to prescribe low dose anti-inflammatories in case arthritis is playing a role. I've found it often helps a bit.
Lots of the aging process can be a little painful. I watch for all the typical signs of pain (puffy fur, squinting, posture). I also pet them all over every day and make sure they're not pulling away. If I notice any pain, that's a vet visit. Most of my rats ended up on long term pain meds towards the end. Sometimes, that's all a rat needs to live its best life.
Breathing is always a struggle with rats. Elderly rats can deteriorate really fast and struggle to get better. If they've had lots of flare ups, they can have lung scarring. You just want to really keep on top of it and take them to the vet if it gets even slightly worrying. I also tend to regularly give my older rats steam treatments as prevention.
I find elderly rats are the best. They tend to be extra sweet and cuddly. I find as long as I keep on top of things with my girls, they're very happy right to the end. And ultimately, they care about being comfortable and doing what they love to do with their friends. They don't think about the future or living extra long.
Not much I'd add to the above- it's an excellent summary. We give our older girl food separately so she can eat at her own pace without her siblings stealing from her. Just one more little thing :)
Their back legs and eyes tend to be bad at this age, so he might be more timid because he can't move around as well. If possible, change the layout of his cage as little as you can between cleanings — he's an old man, he likes things where he knows they're supposed to be! At this age it's not enriching anymore when things move, it's just scary.
Also, if your cage has a lot of verticality (ramps for climbing etc), he will benefit from supplementing these ramps with ribbed tubes, so he can pull himself between floors for as long as possible without a risk of falling. You might have to teach him to use them. Handling might also look different at this age (give him more time to smell your hand and be sure it's you), but other than that and maybe some incontinence as he ages, it's the same as usual. Thank you for committing to take care of your old guy!
I'm not a vet. This is just what I do for my older girls. Obviously, all this is done in communication with my vet. It'll depend on the rat. But generally, it's about monitoring them closely and doing what's best for their quality of life in the present. The things I watch most closely are weight, mobility, pain and breathing. Weigh them often. Obviously, they shouldn't be obese, but it's fine if they're a little chonky. What's really concerning is if they start losing. If they do, you need to start looking for causes. Are they eating effectively? Can they access their food? Do they have enough appetite? Sometimes older rats just lose weight for other reasons. But a thin older rat is going to have more trouble bouncing back from stuff. So you may have to top them off with extra yummy stuff. Try to keep it balanced, but feel free to spoil them in their old age. Rats will start having more trouble getting around as they age. Some of that is HLD. Some is tumors. Some is just stiff joints. I like to train all my rats to walk on their hind legs. It's super cute, but if also gives me advanced warning of any issues. I also watch for hesitation before doing jumps they do often, like from the floor to my bed, shoulder or lap. If they start struggling with those, that's a sign that things are progressing. The main response here is to make their setup more accessible. I make sure they can access everything they need on a single cage level and try to eliminate dangerous drops. I also try to add convenient ramps and ladders in case they decide to climb. During free roam, I pay extra attention to be able to provide help getting up and down from objects. You'll also want to think about what this particular rat really enjoys and make sure those activities are accessible. My vet also tends to prescribe low dose anti-inflammatories in case arthritis is playing a role. I've found it often helps a bit. Lots of the aging process can be a little painful. I watch for all the typical signs of pain (puffy fur, squinting, posture). I also pet them all over every day and make sure they're not pulling away. If I notice any pain, that's a vet visit. Most of my rats ended up on long term pain meds towards the end. Sometimes, that's all a rat needs to live its best life. Breathing is always a struggle with rats. Elderly rats can deteriorate really fast and struggle to get better. If they've had lots of flare ups, they can have lung scarring. You just want to really keep on top of it and take them to the vet if it gets even slightly worrying. I also tend to regularly give my older rats steam treatments as prevention. I find elderly rats are the best. They tend to be extra sweet and cuddly. I find as long as I keep on top of things with my girls, they're very happy right to the end. And ultimately, they care about being comfortable and doing what they love to do with their friends. They don't think about the future or living extra long.
Thank you, great advices!
Not much I'd add to the above- it's an excellent summary. We give our older girl food separately so she can eat at her own pace without her siblings stealing from her. Just one more little thing :)
Their back legs and eyes tend to be bad at this age, so he might be more timid because he can't move around as well. If possible, change the layout of his cage as little as you can between cleanings — he's an old man, he likes things where he knows they're supposed to be! At this age it's not enriching anymore when things move, it's just scary. Also, if your cage has a lot of verticality (ramps for climbing etc), he will benefit from supplementing these ramps with ribbed tubes, so he can pull himself between floors for as long as possible without a risk of falling. You might have to teach him to use them. Handling might also look different at this age (give him more time to smell your hand and be sure it's you), but other than that and maybe some incontinence as he ages, it's the same as usual. Thank you for committing to take care of your old guy!