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Brian Cohen — Reviewed writer, former magazine editor

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How to Raise Happy Kids with a Paralyzed Pet

Bringing a paralyzed pet into a home with children—or managing a pet's sudden loss of mobility—can be a challenging emotional journey. However, raising happy kids with a paralyzed pet is a powerful opportunity to teach empathy, patience, and the value of unconditional love. By involving children in the care process and framing the situation as a special bond rather than a tragedy, you can ensure both your children and your pet thrive together.

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Part 1

Giving Care Right After Paralysis Occurs

Do a daily assessment of your rat's health.

Everyone that has a pet rat should make sure their rat is functioning normally every day. When you go to feed your rat or clean its cage, make sure that it is moving normally. Look closely to see if it is using its back legs.

Everyone that has a pet rat should make sure their rat is functioning normally every day.
When you go to feed your rat or clean its cage, make sure that it is moving normally.
Look closely to see if it is using its back legs.
Everyone that has a pet rat should make sure their rat is functioning normally every day.
When you go to feed your rat or clean its cage, make sure that it is moving normally.

Take your rat to a vet right away if you suspect paralysis.

Call your veterinary office and tell them that you are bringing in your pet due to an emergency. This will help them prepare for your arrival. Once you are there, the vet can assess the rat to try to diagnose the problem.

Call your veterinary office and tell them that you are bringing in your pet due to an emergency.
This will help them prepare for your arrival.
Once you are there, the vet can assess the rat to try to diagnose the problem.
Call your veterinary office and tell them that you are bringing in your pet due to an emergency.
This will help them prepare for your arrival.

Restrict the rat's movement so it doesn't hurt itself.

Put the rat in a small enclosure, such as their carrier instead of their regular cage. It may be hard to put your pet in a small space but it's for the animal's own good. This will ensure that if the rat panics or tries to do too much physically, it's less likely to injure itself.

Put the rat in a small enclosure, such as their carrier instead of their regular cage.
It may be hard to put your pet in a small space but it's for the animal's own good.
This will ensure that if the rat panics or tries to do too much physically, it's less likely to injure itself.
Put the rat in a small enclosure, such as their carrier instead of their regular cage.
It may be hard to put your pet in a small space but it's for the animal's own good.

Follow your veterinarian's suggestions for treatment and care.

Once your vet assesses your rat's healthy, they will tell you what their diagnosis is and what they suggest for treatment. The suggestions for treatment will vary depending on your rat's specific condition, but could include giving your rat medication, massaging the affected limbs, or rehabilitation.

Once your vet assesses your rat's healthy, they will tell you what their diagnosis is and what they suggest for treatment.
The suggestions for treatment will vary depending on your rat's specific condition, but could include giving your rat medication, massaging the affected limbs, or rehabilitation.
Once your vet assesses your rat's healthy, they will tell you what their diagnosis is and what they suggest for treatment.
The suggestions for treatment will vary depending on your rat's specific condition, but could include giving your rat medication, massaging the affected limbs, or rehabilitation.
Once your vet assesses your rat's healthy, they will tell you what their diagnosis is and what they suggest for treatment.

Part 2

Setting Up Appropriate Housing For a Paralyzed Rat

Get a cage that doesn't have wire flooring.

This is actually important for all rats because the floor can easily injure a rat. However, a paralyzed rat is at even greater risk of getting injuries to its hind legs or tail if either get stuck in between the wires. In addition, wire flooring irritates the skin of a paralyzed rat's lower belly as it drags itself around. Cages with solid bottoms are available at pet supply stores and from online retailers.

This is actually important for all rats because the floor can easily injure a rat.
However, a paralyzed rat is at even greater risk of getting injuries to its hind legs or tail if either get stuck in between the wires.
In addition, wire flooring irritates the skin of a paralyzed rat's lower belly as it drags itself around.
Cages with solid bottoms are available at pet supply stores and from online retailers.
This is actually important for all rats because the floor can easily injure a rat.

House your rat in a one-level cage.

Even if your paralyzed rat does recover quite a bit, it will have a loss of agility in its legs. However, a paralyzed rat may try to continue to climb but they are at greater risk of falling due to that loss of agility. Because of this, it's best to get a one-level cage in order to take away the risk to your rat's health.

Even if your paralyzed rat does recover quite a bit, it will have a loss of agility in its legs.
However, a paralyzed rat may try to continue to climb but they are at greater risk of falling due to that loss of agility.
Because of this, it's best to get a one-level cage in order to take away the risk to your rat's health.
Even if your paralyzed rat does recover quite a bit, it will have a loss of agility in its legs.
However, a paralyzed rat may try to continue to climb but they are at greater risk of falling due to that loss of agility.

Use newspaper or cloth instead of the usual wood chips.

You need to make the ground less rough for your rat once it becomes paralyzed. The bedding needs to be soft because the rat will be dragging its belly and hind legs on it as it moves around. Cover the entire bottom surface of the cage with several layers of flat sheets of newspaper. This will allow the rat to move around without hurting itself while still absorbing the rat's waste, food, and water that might be spilled in the cage.

You need to make the ground less rough for your rat once it becomes paralyzed.
The bedding needs to be soft because the rat will be dragging its belly and hind legs on it as it moves around.
Cover the entire bottom surface of the cage with several layers of flat sheets of newspaper.
This will allow the rat to move around without hurting itself while still absorbing the rat's waste, food, and water that might be spilled in the cage.
You need to make the ground less rough for your rat once it becomes paralyzed.

Get food and water dishes that are accessible.

Your paralyzed rat may not be able to use dishes that require it to get up on its hind legs. You may need a bowl with lower sides for the food than you would typically use for feeding a rat. Put a low dish of food close to the area where your rat spends most of its time. Also position your rat's water bottle as low as possible so that it can easily get its mouth onto the stem.

Your paralyzed rat may not be able to use dishes that require it to get up on its hind legs.
You may need a bowl with lower sides for the food than you would typically use for feeding a rat.
Put a low dish of food close to the area where your rat spends most of its time.
Also position your rat's water bottle as low as possible so that it can easily get its mouth onto the stem.
Your paralyzed rat may not be able to use dishes that require it to get up on its hind legs.

Provide toys and activities that your paralyzed rat can easily use.

Your rat will need new ways to entertain itself once it becomes paralyzed. Pick toys and puzzles that your rat can access from the ground and put them in areas the rat can easily get to.

Your rat will need new ways to entertain itself once it becomes paralyzed.
Pick toys and puzzles that your rat can access from the ground and put them in areas the rat can easily get to.
Your rat will need new ways to entertain itself once it becomes paralyzed.
Pick toys and puzzles that your rat can access from the ground and put them in areas the rat can easily get to.
Your rat will need new ways to entertain itself once it becomes paralyzed.

House your rat alone if it gets in conflicts with your other rats.

If housing your paralyzed rat with other rats, watch how they get along over the course of several weeks. If the other rats bully or trample over your paralyzed rat, it will not be able to defend itself easily. The paralyzed rat should be housed separately if this occurs.

If housing your paralyzed rat with other rats, watch how they get along over the course of several weeks.
If the other rats bully or trample over your paralyzed rat, it will not be able to defend itself easily.
The paralyzed rat should be housed separately if this occurs.
If housing your paralyzed rat with other rats, watch how they get along over the course of several weeks.
If the other rats bully or trample over your paralyzed rat, it will not be able to defend itself easily.

Part 3

Giving Daily Care to Your Paralyzed Rat

Keep the cage clean.

Change the bedding as often as it gets dirty, even if this means having to do it multiple times a day. Wipe down all of the surfaces with a rat-safe cleanser to keep them clean. Also wash your rat's food dishes and toys on a weekly basis.

Change the bedding as often as it gets dirty, even if this means having to do it multiple times a day.
Wipe down all of the surfaces with a rat-safe cleanser to keep them clean.
Also wash your rat's food dishes and toys on a weekly basis.
Change the bedding as often as it gets dirty, even if this means having to do it multiple times a day.
Wipe down all of the surfaces with a rat-safe cleanser to keep them clean.

Clean

your rat's body on a daily basis. Your paralyzed rat won't be able to clean its body as thoroughly as it used to before paralysis. Because of this, you will need to wash its body with pet-safe soap, water, and a soft rag. Be sure to focus your cleaning on parts of its body that come into contact with the ground, including its belly and its rear legs. However, you also need to wipe off the rat's anus to keep that area clean.

your rat's body on a daily basis.
Your paralyzed rat won't be able to clean its body as thoroughly as it used to before paralysis.
Because of this, you will need to wash its body with pet-safe soap, water, and a soft rag.
Be sure to focus your cleaning on parts of its body that come into contact with the ground, including its belly and its rear legs.
However, you also need to wipe off the rat's anus to keep that area clean.

Monitor your rat's health closely.

At the first sign of any illness bring it to a vet. A paralyzed rat is more prone to bladder infections and pneumonia than most rats. Early treatment is very important, so it's better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your rat's health.

At the first sign of any illness bring it to a vet.
A paralyzed rat is more prone to bladder infections and pneumonia than most rats.
Early treatment is very important, so it's better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your rat's health.
At the first sign of any illness bring it to a vet.
A paralyzed rat is more prone to bladder infections and pneumonia than most rats.

Watch for injuries or infection on the rat's lower body or legs.

Your rat may not feel any injuries, or may even start self-injuring due to lack of sensation. Sores are especially likely if the rat spends most of the time lying still in one position.

Your rat may not feel any injuries, or may even start self-injuring due to lack of sensation.
Sores are especially likely if the rat spends most of the time lying still in one position.
Your rat may not feel any injuries, or may even start self-injuring due to lack of sensation.
Sores are especially likely if the rat spends most of the time lying still in one position.
Your rat may not feel any injuries, or may even start self-injuring due to lack of sensation.

Pro Tips

Keep a journal with your children to track the pet's small victories, like a little more movement or a happy mood.
Use this experience to discuss the concept of accessibility and how humans help others with disabilities in the real world.

Warnings

Never leave young children alone with a paralyzed pet during medical treatments or hygiene cleaning.
Be mindful of the child's emotional state; some children may feel grief or anxiety seeing a pet struggle.

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References

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