Rodent First Aid Kit - Emergency Kit

What to pack in your rat first aid kits! These items can help in non-emergent situations to avoid a vet bill, or help stabilize your pet rodent until you are able to seek further care.

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• 1ml Syringes, Amazon

• Saline wash, Amazon

• Gauze, Amazon

• Bleed stop, Amazon; or corn starch

• Ace wrap Amazon; for restricting chewing stitches

• Unflavored Pedialyte, Amazon; for dehydrated pets

• Antibiotics, Jedds Bird Supply; Amoxicillin, Baytril, Doxycycline**

• Children’s Motrin, Amazon; for minor pain

• Cat/Kitten Revolution, Canadavet; for treating/preventing mites, fleas, & ticks

• Scale for rat weights, Amazon; for medicine dosage

• Scale for medications, Amazon

• High protein/fat mash*

• Joint & mobility supplement*

• Immune system supplement*

  
  

*available on our Etsy Shop!

**Do not self-treat with antibiotics without first consulting a veterinarian as they can do more harm than good (killing gut bacteria, being the wrong type, building antibiotics resistance, etc). In regions where vet care is not accessible/vets are booked out weeks in advance, your animal need immediate care, and you've been consulted by a professional, then it's useful to have antibiotics on hand.

Ensure you have an Emergency vet fund

Locate nearest exotic veterinarian that has experience with rats and ask what a checkup and week of medication estimate would be. That should be the minimum you have set aside for emergencies. In Eastern USA, that total is about $150 USD.

For Help Dosing Rats:

Dosage Chart for Common Rat Medicines

Disclaimer: None of these items are a substitute for veterinary care. Emergency kits are designed for situations when a vet is not immediately available and/or immediate first-aid is needed. When in doubt, always ask an exotic vet or reach out to your breeder/rescue you adopted from.