Could it have been a seizure instead?  Strokes do recover quickly but with steroid help, etc.  Seizures do still mean an underlying problem tho.   

This is from Ratguide.com

http://ratguide.com/health/neurological/seizures.php

I had a 28 month girl who was really healthy until she had a stroke, which I treated with Prednisone.  Unfortunately while I was weaning her off of the Pred she started having seizures, and once they became too frequent I took her in to be PTS.  But this doesn't mean that is what is happening to your boy.

Let us know what the vet says.  Sorry about your old guy.   

Please let me know what the vet says and how your old man is doing.  It sounds pretty hopeful from his behaviour. 

Shelagh

Well we took Haw Haw to the vets on Friday afternoon. The vet seemed in agreement that it must have been some kind of seizure or stroke and prescribed an anti inflamatory to reduce any swelling in the brain - he suggested that ratties back legs might not have been working as messages might not be able to make it from his brain to his back legs if there was a swelling.

We brought him home, settled him back into his cage and let him relax. He was acting perfectly normally for the rest of Friday and all day Saturday - eating, drinking and grooming. Lots of sleeping too of course!

Since Saturday night things really seem to have got worse, although I must admit I've never come accross a rattie quite so keen to take medicine, but it just doesn't seem to be doing the trick.

Saturday night was just awful, he kept having seizures/fits and seemed to be getting really distressed. I realise now that the best thing would have been to not pick him up and try and comfort him, this really just made things worse - he got more distressed and so did I. It was 2am before he settled - this was after several fits, I lost count how many. It's true that he recovered very quickly in between them and was eating, drinking and even grooming as usual - as if nothing had happened at all. I really didn't know what was happening, or what to do for the best. It was the worst I have ever seen a rattie.

Sunday morning he was back to the way he had been since the original seizure on Thursday morning, if I hadn't stayed up with him and seen what he'd been through on Saturday night I'd be none the wiser that anything had happened at all.

He was OK again all day Sunday just like Saturday during the day, but Sunday night he started having more seizures and they were much worse than before. I resisted the temptation to pick him up as I had done before and just let him know that I was there - he was much less distressed and coped with everything much better. Just like Saturday night he continued to have several seizures and recover quickly inbetween but they were much worse. As the evening went on I realised he had infact gone blind as a result of the seizures, first one eye then at some point later the other. Throughout all of this he continued to eat, drink and groom as he would have done on a regular evening, as if he was fine, although with limited movement in his back legs it was more of a struggle for him of course, but he was just getting on with it.

After a while when it seemed to have calmed down, I laid him on my lap, he just kind of flopped there and fell asleep. I felt sure it wouldn't be long before he went and I stroked him and told him how much I loved him. He just continued to sleep though and every so often had a quick scratch or wash - just as if nothing was wrong!

After a while we put him back in his cage, he went straight to his food ate for a while, had a drink and then went back to sleep.

This morning again if I hadn't been with him last night I'd be none the wiser that he'd had any more seizures. Apart from the fact that he's now blind and continues to have problems with his back legs.

I really don't know what to do for the best now. If he wasn't eating, drinking and grooming as per usual (although struggling with his balance due to the back legs of course) I'd have no doubts about helping him on his way, but as it is now he doesn't seem to want to give up, so is it fair for me to?

Any advice on this situation would be so gratefully appreciated as I'm at a loss for what to do for the best.

I'm so sorry, Burton.    The blindness definitely signals severe neurological impairment.  Poor Haw Haw.  He'll let you know when it is time to let him go.  Until then, loads of scritches and yummy foods for him.

Oh this good news really made my morning!!!  I'm going thru a bit of rat business myself, and this is what I needed to feel better.  So thank you Burton and Haw Haw!

Scritches to you both.   

Shelagh

Seizures are more frightening than they need to be.  I'm glad he seems to recover quite well after them.  I'd suggest that you remove ALL sugar from his diet and see if that helps with the seizures at all.  It's been known to help in previous cases.

Best of luck!

I cried when I read about Haw Haw going blind!! And then was so thankful when you mentioned he regained his sight. 
I only pray that improvement will continue for Haw Haw!
I have a single level cage for all of my girls. And to assist in making it enjoyable & fun for all of them I've used any type of small cardboard boxes, (cut out holes here & there) and either attaching perhaps other boxes, (making a tunnel-type of thing), or placing  empty round oatmeal containers about. The small boxed are great because once soiled or chewed beyond recognition I simply replace with whatever is available (& safe). I have a good sized piece of fleeced fabric that just hangs along inside of the pen side (hangs from the top and down to the bottom of pen...as though it were a curtain). Also, cut out some holes here & there for peek-a-boos. They can hide behind it and play about in it....they LOVE that more than anything else, I think. Also have low hanging hammocks & some look-out shelves for a little higher view of things. There's also many pieces of fleece in various sizes laid about...covering their house or whatever they decide it would be best used for. (I've noticed how much they love to tunnel under things). Though my pen is a single level, it is still about 2 feet high...(5 feet long). I've never had the need to even consider any type of multiple level cages due to the size of this pen, (I made it last year), and they absolutely LOVE it!!
Good luck with Haw Haw, Burton. And fingers crossed for a healthy recovery!!!
Mary

I'm so glad to hear he's doing better!    to him!

As a person who has mostly had girls, and I am learning all the intricacies of boy management with my 3 old boy rescues, you probably will have to re-intro after a week long separation.  Just go slowly for Haw Haw's sake.  Keep an eye on him so that he isn't getting unnecessarily stressed.  I understand why you separated them, its a tough call, especially when you are feeling like you are fighting for his life.  Good luck, it should go fine since they got along well before.  Give Haw Haw a cuddle for me.  Do you have a pic of your old boy?

Shelagh

Burton,
This is actually what taught me...

http://www.goosemoose.com/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,118/forum,rat/topic,32046.0

Note that you should resize huge pics before putting it in the gallery, and that there is a commentary in there on how to post pics from your gallery.  The one thing they don't mention is that when you've already copied the pics location from properties (I would open a separate goosemoose pet portals for this), go back to your post and where you want the pic clik on the lil picture frame (2nd to the left 2nd row) above, then hit paste or Ctrl-V to paste the image location....voila!!  If some of this doesn't make sense I can go over it with you later.

I'm so happy the boys are all back together...love happy endings!  I am off to the vet with a sick (and injured) old rescue boy of mine...wish me luck. 

They're darling boys.    Haw Haw in particular has a very sweet face.