Key points for the prevention and treatment of common diseases in bamboo rats

Causes and symptoms of colds

Colds in bamboo rats are mostly caused by infection with viruses, molds and bacteria. Damp burrows are also very prone to mold growth. Colds are especially likely during seasonal transitions. If a bamboo rat sneezes, has a runny nose, watery eyes or eye discharge, and its body temperature is higher than usual, then it has a cold. If it worsens, it may lead to pneumonia or difficulty breathing. Treatment: the usual approach is to give the sick bamboo rat oral antibiotics. In addition, before the cold has cleared up, pay attention to keeping the burrow warm and controlling temperature changes.

Causes and symptoms of eye discharge

When bamboo rats have eye problems they mostly develop eye discharge, and eye discharge can also occur when their bodily functions are impaired. If it is not an eye disease, then a thorough whole-body examination is needed, and it must not be taken lightly. Treatment: simple conjunctivitis in bamboo rats can be cured just by applying eye drops. For allergic conjunctivitis, the bedding in the burrow and the sand in the litter tray must be removed promptly.

Causes and symptoms of malocclusion

The teeth of bamboo rats grow continuously, so they must gnaw on hard objects to wear down overlong teeth. However, if the upper and lower teeth of a bamboo rat differ in length or do not align properly, it will be unable to bite things, and its appetite may even drop; the mouth cannot close completely, leading to drooling. Some bamboo rats have congenital malocclusion, but most cases are caused by teeth becoming deformed when gnawing on hard objects, or by bending or breaking at the tooth root. To avoid this, it is best to put some harder foods in for the rat to gnaw on, such as tree branches, mineral stones and so on. Treatment: grind the bamboo rat's teeth down to an appropriate, even length.

Causes and symptoms of fractures and sprains

There are many causes of fractures and sprains in bamboo rats; sometimes they are caused by the rat's foot being caught and injured, and the hind legs are especially prone to this. Also, to keep bamboo rats warm, people put things like towels in the burrow, but because towels have many mesh holes, they easily catch the rat's feet and injure them. In addition, the claws of bamboo rats keep growing, and if they get too long they also easily cause injury. Falling from a height or fighting with companions can also cause sprains or fractures in bamboo rats.

Causes and symptoms of tumors

Tumors in bamboo rats are also divided into benign and malignant, and determining benign versus malignant requires examination of tissue biopsies. After surgical removal of a malignant tumor in a bamboo rat, it may still metastasize to other parts of the body. Treatment: give the sick bamboo rat anti-cancer drugs, though these produce side effects. If it is simply a suppurating tumor, it is enough to cut it open, wash and disinfect the tumor site, and then give antibiotic treatment. If it is a benign tumor, removal alone should cure it completely.

Causes and symptoms of fatty tumors

If there is too much fat in a bamboo rat's body and it cannot be expelled, a fatty tumor will form. The way to prevent this is not to feed bamboo rats too much high-protein food. Treatment: fatty tumors in bamboo rats can be removed surgically, but if they do not affect bodily functions, it does not matter if they are not removed.

Causes and symptoms of uterine tumors

This is a disease only found in female bamboo rats, in which tumors form in the uterus and ovaries. Most cases are caused by infection. Treatment: perform surgery to remove the uterus or ovaries of the sick bamboo rat, and give antibiotic treatment.

Causes and symptoms of heart disease

This is mostly a disease of older bamboo rats; symptoms are difficulty breathing, poor appetite and poor exercise capacity. An X-ray examination can tell whether there is ventricular hypertrophy or other such disease. Treatment: diuretics, vasodilators and cardiotonic agents can be given to stabilize the condition of the sick bamboo rat.

Causes and symptoms of lymphocytic meningitis

The cause is a virus called the Arena virus, and humans can also become infected. The symptoms in infected bamboo rats are mostly convulsions, hind-limb walking impairment and stunted growth. Infected bamboo rats excrete these viruses in their urine, and can then transmit them to other companions or to humans, so special attention must be paid. Treatment: there is currently no treatment, and one can only take the passive approach of avoiding secondary infection.

Causes and symptoms of liver disease

It is caused by nutritional imbalance in bamboo rats or by viruses, bacteria and other factors. Symptoms include deteriorating liver function, enlargement of the liver, and fluid accumulation in the abdomen. Treatment: a blood test can be used to check liver function and liver enzymes for diagnosis. Keeping the bamboo rat's food nutritionally balanced is the best approach.