Objective To investigate the biochemical indicators and pathological changes of early microvascular complications in spontaneous type 2 diabetes (T2DM) ZDF rats. Methods Six male ZDF rats aged around 7-8weeks were allowed to acclimate for 3days after feeding Purina#5008, eight male ZL rats at the same age were assigned to control group, fed with regular diets. At 12,14,16week, blood glucose (GLU), serum cholesterol (CHOL), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were detected. All rats were sacrificed at 16 week and pathological examinations were applied to eye, kidney, heart, brain tissues. Results GLU, CHOL, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C, hsCRP levels in ZDF rats were increased gradually (P<0.01). At 16 week, RBP, mALB, TRF contents in ZDF rats were significantly higher than ZL rats (P<0.01). Glomeruli, retina, myocardium, brain tissue showed varying degrees of microvascular disease, vascular basement membrane of the glomerular part appeared thicken, retinal endothelial cells were increased, vascular wall was thicken, and the heart showed a small amount of myocardial fibrosis, hippocampal neurons appeared abnormal. Conclusions ZDF rats showed early microvascular complications of T2DM at16 week, among which T2DM early nephropathy, retinopathy, cardiomyopathy become more prominent, cerebral neuron appeared slight lesion.