How do rats die? - briefly
Rats usually die from disease, predation, or lack of food, with infections—particularly respiratory and gastrointestinal—being frequent lethal factors. Toxic exposure, injuries and natural aging also contribute to their mortality.
How do rats die? - in detail
Rats succumb to a range of physiological and environmental factors that terminate life.
Natural mortality
- Senescence: cellular aging leads to organ degeneration, reduced immune function, and eventual organ failure.
- Disease: bacterial infections (e.g., Salmonella, Leptospira), viral pathogens (e.g., rat coronavirus), and parasitic infestations cause systemic collapse.
- Cancer: malignant tumors, especially in the liver, lungs, and mammary glands, disrupt normal tissue architecture and impair vital functions.
External threats
- Predation: birds of prey, snakes, and carnivorous mammals capture and kill rats through physical trauma and blood loss.
- Traps: snap devices inflict rapid skeletal fractures; live‑catch traps cause stress‑induced shock, leading to cardiovascular failure if release is delayed.
- Poisoning: anticoagulant rodenticides inhibit vitamin K recycling, resulting in uncontrolled hemorrhage; acute neurotoxins cause respiratory paralysis.
Laboratory and pest‑control euthanasia
- Carbon dioxide exposure: high concentrations depress respiration, producing a swift loss of consciousness followed by death.
- Inhalant anesthetics (isoflurane, sevoflurane): induce deep anesthesia, then respiratory arrest when administration stops.
- Overdose of injectable barbiturates or pentobarbital: depress central nervous system activity, leading to cardiac arrest.
Physiological collapse
- Severe dehydration or electrolyte imbalance precipitates renal failure and cardiac arrhythmia.
- Extreme temperature exposure (hyperthermia or hypothermia) disrupts metabolic homeostasis, causing organ shutdown.
Collectively, these mechanisms illustrate the diverse pathways through which rat life ends, encompassing intrinsic aging processes, infectious disease, predation, mechanical injury, chemical toxicity, and controlled euthanasia methods.