Why Can’t Rats Gag?
WouterThe first thing you need to know about why can’t rats gag is the rat’s throat. Rats’ throats are not designed for choking. If they try to gag, it is likely because food has stuck in their throat. They will open their mouth wide and pull their ears back, but they will not actually be choking.
The second thing you need to know about why can’t rats gag is that rats lack a mechanism that triggers vomiting in other animals. This reflex occurs in other mammals and carnivores. Rats do not have this reflex, but they can regurgitate instead. They might also have trouble swallowing the food, but they will still breathe.
Rodents have a lower diaphragm than humans, and their stomach isn’t structured to push contents up the throat. This makes it more difficult for rats to gag, even though they display the telltale signs of choking. In addition to a gagging motion, they flatten their ears, produce drool, and wipe their mouths on surfaces.
In some cases, the rat’s mouth may be swollen with blood. In such cases, you can try putting ice in the mouth to stop the bleeding. In other cases, the rat may have an injury to its throat and tongue, which makes it difficult for the owner to tell if the rat is in pain.
