Bulging eye

[star]

I have a female rattie around 1 year old. She was in what seemed to be perfect health, except now, one of her eyes is bulging out really far. Has anyone ever seen this before? I have the feeling that she is blind in that eye now. She is still eating and drinking and acting pretty much the way that she was before, but she looks really bad.    She is in a cage with 3 other ratties and, luckily, they don't seem to be bothering her. Thanks for any info you can give me!

[Mindy]

Did she maybe get into a fight or anything that might have poked her in the eye? does it look like there are any punctures anywhere? I have two of my furries that have one blind eye each. One has what you explained, the eye bulging way out. I took her to the vet and he said while they were playing one of the other rats poked her in her eye. He gave me some drops for her eye, to keep it moist but he told me that she would loose vision in that eye. She has a white milky covering over that eye now, but cruizes along like nothing is wrong.
You should take her in to get looked at, thats what i would do.

[Grace Jr]

The first thing that comes to my mind is SDA, a very nasty, very contagious disease that knocks down the rats immune system, making relatively minor infections become deadly.  It is highly contagious, and can be spread through clothing, nostrils, etc...  Bulging eyes is one of the symptoms.

Here's a pic of a rat with SDA

http://www.rodentfancy.com/rmfe/virus.shtml

HOPEFULLY it is something else though...  Actually, is she just bugging her eye out at certain times (like when you're playing with her), or all times?

[Ray]

I can't really say what that may be, all I really know is I had one rat that had its eyes rattle inside its scull a little when he ground his teeth, but he wasn't blind, and he lived to be 5.  Sorry about your rattie, may be a tumor, but I really don't know.

[Evergreen Rattery]

It could be a tumor in the eye socket.  I'd take your rat to a vet for sure.  Good luck!

[Mandarb]

Is SDA a virus or bacteria and does any one know the symptoms and treatment if any?
By the way I am sorry about your little one.  If it is just one eye then it is less likely to be a systemic problem like an infection, but a check up would be a good idea.  Good luck.

[kmw]

Is SDA a virus or bacteria and does any one know the symptoms and treatment if any?

SDA is a virus.  It exists both in the US and UK, but the UK strains are quite mild, as such, most UK rat fanciers do not observe the strict quarantine procedures we do in the US.  SDA in the US can be lethal, and can kill entire colonies.  You can't treat SDA, but you can provide antibiotics and SQ fluids to support the rat while the disease runs it's course.  The last big outbreak I heard about was in Cali.  If you want more information, try these links:

http://www.rmca.org/Articles/sda.htm
http://www.rodentfancy.com/rmfe/virus.shtml

[JulesDoug]

On no..that pic looks like Bonnie her eyes are always bulgy and her coat always looks a little shabby I thought that was just her appereance, She seems healthy otherwise... oh poo as if I didnt have enough to worry about!  Off to check out the links.

[kmw]

On no..that pic looks like Bonnie her eyes are always bulgy and her coat always looks a little shabby I thought that was just her appereance, She seems healthy otherwise...

OK, before we start a panic attack amongst the ranks...

Rats' eyes ARE bulgy, and beady, and the stereotypes are true  There is cause for concern when they suddenly BECOME bulgy, or if one is affected, but not the other.  

Shabby coats - certain coat types can give the appearance of being rough - especially the rexes.  O'Reilly has a very mild form of rexism (makes it sound like a disease, doesn't it!   ), so his coat always looks a bit rumpled.  Many rex coats also don't "shine" like standard coats.  

SDA is something to be vigilant about in the US, but there are far more common ailments to keep an eye out for

[JulesDoug]

 
Thankyou kmw panic abaited lol!! Where does this disease come from?
Jules n the gals

[kmw]

Where does this disease come from?

The disease is passed from colony to colony by contact with infected rats.  It is important to note that a rat may NOT show any symptoms of SDA, but stil be able to transmit the disease.  Many of us may have come into contact with SDA, and not even know it.  

It can be carried through the air, which is why quarantining must be done using a separate building.  It can be carried on clothes - pick up an infected rat in a petstore and bring SDA back to your home colony.  Or it can be brought in with a new rat - ignore quarantine and just plop the new kid into the colony.  It all sounds pretty scary, and it can be.  Personally, I don't handle petstore rats at all when I'm looking for supplies, much as I would love to.  I also make sure to wash my hands and even change shirts when going between a quarantine and existing colony set-up.  Sometimes extra precaution isn't a bad thing  

[JulesDoug]

Why isnt it as bad in the UK?

[kmw]

Why isnt it as bad in the UK?

The explanation I've heard is that they are different strains (word?).  The UK one does not appear to be as bad as the US one, both for SDA and another virus called Sendai (just to add to your list of worries!   )  I can't give a reason why, though.  

[JulesDoug]

OK OK I know Im asking for it but whats Sendai?

[kmw]

Are you sure you're going to sleep tonight if I tell you?  

Sendai virus is another lethal virus here in the US, however it differs from SDA in one vital way:  When a colony is hit with SDA, rats shed the virus for a week, then it's gone.  Colonies with Sendai always carry the virus.  It may be possible to eliminate Sendai from a colony, but the jury is still out on that one.  Here's a link to the RMCA article:  http://www.rmca.org/Articles/sendai.htm

[Ali]

Jules, you're beginning to worry like a true rat mother!  LOL !!!!  

[star]

Thank you all so much for your info! I will call my vet and let you know what the verdict is. I do not know how we could have gotten SDA here, so hopefully that is not the case. I am glad that I found this site.

[JulesDoug]

 :-\Lord above now I am totally paranoid lol!!  Strep throat  and numerous other diseases,and I thought all I had to think about was pine bedding and cage sizes!!

[scout]

Jules, you really don't have anything to worry about. You're in the UK, right? These viruses are so mild as to not be a concern there. And if your rats don't visit with other rats, they won't even have an opportunity to contract the germs! They really do have sturdy little immune systems and can fight off all sorts of bugs. Only a couple can cause a problem and only then if they're exposed. Which is very unlikely.

Rest easy, my friend and let the choice of litters be your primary concern.

[Paul]

Jeez, I thought I was bad!!
(Actually, Aileen will probably tell you I AM that bad, but at least I've stopped the sleep-walking where I'd apparently shuffle across the floor so I wouldn't step on my little girls' tails - even though they were downstair in their house!!).

I have never seen ANYBODY from the UK posting that they have SDA or Sendai.

But like Kim, I wouldn't handle any other rats in pet shops or take my girls to shows.
I've got to say though, the illness wasn't very clear from that photo and the little rattie looked just like our girls do normally!!

Go to your beds - I'm sure, like me, you've got work in eight hours!

Paul

[Ali]

In Jules I've finally found somebody who worries as much as me!

Even if my boys are acting extra-happy about something I worry that they're just doing it to cover up some dreadful problem they've got...........!!!