Rats make fantastic pets and can make a great addition to any home. Often referred to as ‘small dogs’, rats are friendly, inquisitive, playful and enjoy human interaction. Unfortunately, rats can suffer from a variety of health problems, including respiratory infections, tumours and red discharge from the eyes.
However, have you ever noticed that your rat’s urine is red? Should you be worried? Let’s have a look at why rats urine may be red and what the best course of action is to take.
Table of contents
Discount other possibilities first
Diet
Before we start freaking out, it’s important that we can discount a rat’s diet from turning their urine red. Rats can eat beetroot and raspberries, both of which can change the colour of their urine into a red or a pink colour. If you haven’t fed your rats, ask family members what they were given the past couple of days to make sure the red colouring has not come from their diet.
Red dye
Rats enjoy plenty of stimulation, so provide them with hammocks, bedding and plenty of toys. Ensure that the red colour has not transferred from any materials, bedding or toys. If you have any red items within the cage, make sure that the colour has not just simply leaked if it has gotten wet.
So, if you’ve established that the red colour has not come from an external source, other than from the rat, what are some medical reasons that a rat may be weeing red?
Medical issues that could lead to red urine
Unfortunately, if your rat is weeing red, it is most likely that there is blood in the urine. This is also known as haematuria. In some instances, blood may only be visible when examining urine under a microscope, known as microscopic haematuria. However, if your rat’s urine is noticeably red, then there is usually a medical reason as to why there is blood present.
The colour of the urine can change depending on how much blood is present and this can range from normal coloured urine with a few red streaks, to a pink or peach colour or even a deep red appearance. Either way, red urine (if you’ve ruled out the two options above) is not normal in rats and you should seek veterinary advice as soon as possible.
Injury
Whether internal or external, a wound may cause a rat’s urine to turn red. Perhaps your rats have been playing or fighting and have scratched or bitten around your rats more…delicate areas. A wound on the penis or vagina can cause blood to appear in the urine from the wound. If your rat has fallen in their enclosure, a wound may not be present externally, but they may have harmed an organ, such as the bladder. An internal injury may cause blood to appear in the urine.
Urinary infection
Urinary infections are common in all animals and can cause blood to appear in a rat’s urine. Some urinary infections can be particularly bad and can damage a rat’s urinary tract and if left untreated, can be fatal.
Bladder Worms
Parasites can cause blood within a rat’s urine, with the most common being a bladder Threadworm. These delightful creatures can live within a rat’s bladder and attach themselves to the bladder wall. Male worms can reach 1.5mm – 2.5mm in length, whereas the females can reach up to 10mm in size! Bladder worms are contagious and can be passed to other rats within the colony.
Kidney Disease or Kidney Stones
Similar to humans, rats can develop kidney or bladder stones. These stones can irritate the bladder and kidneys, resulting in blood found within the urine. Severe kidney disease can also cause damage, causing blood to appear in a rat’s urine.
Cancer
Unfortunately, cancers are extremely common in rats and blood in the urine may be indicative of a tumour within the bladder. Tumours are caused by abnormal cells that can multiply, divide and grow. These abnormal cells can start to damage the organ that they are growing within.
What to do if your rat is weeing red
If your rat has red urine, seek veterinary attention as soon as possible. It is likely that your rat will need medical or surgical intervention. If possible, try to identify which rat is producing red urine and try to obtain a urine sample as close to your veterinary appointment as possible. This will allow the veterinary surgeon to run diagnostic tests on the urine in an attempt to locate the source of the problem.
Do not delay booking a vet appointment. Whatever the problem, veterinary advice will be required.
How will a vet diagnose a problem?
Veterinary surgeons can diagnose conditions with a variety of different methods.
Clinical exam
A full clinical exam may provide a veterinary surgeon with enough evidence to know the cause of the problem. A short course of antibiotics and pain relief may be prescribed.
Urine sample
A urine sample may be required so that it can be tested ‘in-house’ at the veterinary practice. This may involve a microscopic exam as well as a dipstick test. A dipstick will tell the veterinary surgeon what traces can be found in the urine, such as blood, protein or white blood cells. In some cases, external analysis from a laboratory may be required to confirm a diagnosis.
Diagnostic imaging
Additionally, diagnostic imaging may be required. A veterinary surgeon may perform an x-ray to check the abdomen. Alternatively, an ultrasound may be performed to check the kidneys and bladder for stones.
What are the treatment options?
There are different treatment options depending on the outcome of the diagnosis. Keep in mind that sometimes a variety of medications are required to treat an ailment, and this can take a bit of ‘trial and error’ to see what relieves the symptoms best.
Antibiotics
In many cases, a course of antibiotics are trialled to rule out an infection. This course may need to be extended for full antibiotic coverage.
Surgery
If stones have been identified or a tumour has been discovered, surgery may be an option to try and remove the problem.
Referral
Your veterinary surgeon may be unsure of how to treat your rat’s condition and may suggest a referral appointment to a specialist. This is not because your veterinary surgeon does not know what to do, it just means that a specialist will be more familiar with treatment options.
Euthanasia
In severe cases, where treatment has failed, euthanasia may be required. Although upsetting, it will relieve any pain and discomfort that your rat may be experiencing.
Conclusion
Rats can start to pass red urine due to a number of problems. Always seek veterinary advice if you have confirmed that the red colour is not from the diet or the environment. If possible, try to obtain a urine sample ready for the veterinary surgeon to test. In some cases, whatever condition is causing blood in the urine can ultimately be treated. If your rat has had blood in their urine in the past, monitor their future urine outputs to ensure that it does not occur again.