Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

Mycoplasma in rats.

Species: Other
Breed: Fancy rat
Age: 1-2 years
Hi, my name is Ann and I have two rats, Pinky and Roc. Unfortunately, one has chronic lung problems and the other tends to get sick often because of it. My vet spoke to a specialist and they believe it is Mycoplasma. I have 2 questions concerning this:
1) my friend is supposed to watch them while I'm away and she has a cat, can this transfer to the cat? If so are there precautions which can prevent this?
2) I am studying neuroscience in school and I am going to be working with lab rats this summer. Can I transfer the illness from home to the lab rats? How can I prevent this? If I had them stay somewhere else in the summer (if it was necessary) how do I make sure I am not carrying the disease so that it doesn't transfer?
Thank you very much,
-Ann


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

You have asked some interesting questions!

Mycoplasma can be frustrating, as you know, and can definitely cause some chronic respiratory problems in rats.

There are some types of mycoplasma that can cause infections in cats. The good news, in your case though, is that most mycoplasma is extremely host specific. What that means is that the rat mycoplasma is extremely unlikely to affect the cat. Rats tend to get mycoplasma pulmonis. This type of mycoplasma is not known to cause illness in cats.

Mycoplasma is usually transmitted via aerosol particles. What that means, is that in order to be contagious from rat to rat, they generally have to be sharing the same airspace. It does not travel well on fomites (i.e. objects, clothing, your hands). Just to be certain, when you are at the lab, I would wash my hands before dealing with the rats there, but it would be very unlikely that you would transmit mycoplasma to the rats in the lab.

Hope that helps!

Dr. Marie.


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?

Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Customer reply:

Ok, thanks a lot,
it was really helpful!
-Ann


Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Cat shaking after flea treatment. I accidentally treated my kitten with a store bought flea treatment meant for dogs... (33059 views)

Dog going blind. Our dog Vinnie started suddenly to become lethargic and then over a period of 4... (10592 views)

One small testicle. I have a 25 week old male pup who had 2 normal testicles at 8 weeks old. At about 10... (31332 views)

Laser pointer safe for cats? My Abby is thrilled with the new toy that I purchased for her, a laser pointer. She... (9576 views)

Dog drinking and panting lots. my dog has been drinking and panting a lot since i changed his dog food last summer.... (16798 views)

How long does a dog stay in heat? How long does she stay in heat? and how often? thanks have a blessed... (11386 views)

Small puppy. Rnt? Hi, I just purchased a purebred BullMastiff puppy. He is very happy and seems to... (35802 views)

Megacolon cat with problems. Addie was diagnosed with megacolon at age 2. The vet prescribed medications - I... (11014 views)

Vomiting undigested food. My cat primarily eats dry food. She frequently vomits undigested food.What can I do... (16067 views)

Cat has flaky skin. My Maine Coon, Nino has had flaky skin for quite awhile. I had him at the vet a few... (16333 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.