Dolci is gone :(

[Fidget]

It sounds like she's been comfortable thru most of what she's been going thru anyway. Maybe when she's sleeping she's dreaming of running around like a youngun and that's giving her strength to keep going.

Will she eat scrambled eggs? Tofu? Rice? Apple & banana? You can break her cereal to make it easier and add some grains from the bulk bins like oat & wheat flakes, pumpkin seeds.. Canned mixed vegetables (I buy Royal City and it has carrots, potatoes, peas, corn, green beens, celery, lima beans all in one can). Baby food? Hard to suggest when you don't know what they will take.

I hope she can continue to just get better & better, it sounds like she still has a good quality of life in her spirit!
You're a right precious girl, Mattie!

 

[mamarat2]

Yah tofu is a good easy thing for them to eat and it has lots of good protein in it......also its soft and may be easier for her to chew and hold for a min or two.

What about yogurt. Again sort of like the baby cereal but more protein consistency?

 

[Godmother]

SQ taught me about soaking lab blocks in boiling water, which makes them mushy. By the time they cool down you can mash them into a soft food that Mattie could eat alone or mixed with baby cereal.

I used this when Corrie started having trouble eating solids. Of course all the others went crazy for it!

 

[lilspaz68]

finger feeding baby cereal mixed with ensure and water is working pretty well.
Tomorrow I will try more things but she did well tonight

I almost wish I had less rats so I could spend more time with her :roll:

 

[jennifervb]

Good idea! Sorry I really should be thinking of these things myself but I am getting overwhelmed at work and I go home at night expecting Mattie to be gone again.

Keep the ideas coming!!

I just found this thread. LORD!!! You poor darlings!!! What a roller coaster ride for both the lovely, little, rat lady and her lovely mom :heart:

Try pureeing (is that a word? LOL!!!! :laugh4 her fruits and vegetables. Another thing I've noticed is that when fruit and veggie pieces are cut into tiny pieces they do not need their paws to hold them. Line them up on either a paper towel, in her cage, or line them up on your hand so that she can grab one at a time. Jerry did this when he was sick and did not use his paws to assist him with eating so I am thinking that Mattie would be able to do the same.

You hang in there sweetie. Remember that your little lady is at an exalted age. With that in mind... she is absolutely INCREDIBLE!!!! What a couple of mega troupers you are!!! :love6: :rose: :heart:

 

[lilspaz68]

Sadly part of it is ability to grasp, the other is attention span/brain power. I think she has a lot of brain damage, and will grab rice crispies so fast, but something of a slightly bigger shape she cannot or will not. right now I am working on trial and error to see what she is capable of eating/trying. I lubs my wee girl. :heart:

 

[lilspaz68]

Well she's doing pretty good tonight, very adept with the waterbottle and rarely falls down.

The food goes in

Tasty tag (a very agile Stop and Chew! )

Mattie motors around...i have an awful time keeping her on the couch, she wants to slide off and walk around on the floor :roll:

The pics aren't great because I can't take my eye off of her even for a camera to focus properly...hehehehe.

 

[jorats]

Go Mattie Go!!!

:cheer:

 

[jennifervb]

Sadly part of it is ability to grasp, the other is attention span/brain power. I think she has a lot of brain damage, and will grab rice crispies so fast, but something of a slightly bigger shape she cannot or will not. right now I am working on trial and error to see what she is capable of eating/trying. I lubs my wee girl. :heart:

I'm not sure I agree with you on the brain damage part. The ability to grab rice crispies "so fast" does not, in my book, indicate brain damage.

She is a very senior little lady. Some things will become harder to accomplish. Nevertheless, she is aging very gracefully and has managed to survive what appears to have been a serious stroke.

She may have suffered some motoric damage but she still knows where the food is and how to eat it. In that respect... her brain is still very much in tact!!!

:rose: :bananas: :rose: :bananas: :rose: :bananas: :rose: :bananas:
:rose: :bananas: :rose: :bananas: :rose: :bananas: :rose: :bananas:
:rose: :bananas: :rose: :bananas: :rose: :bananas: :rose: :bananas:
:rose: :bananas: :rose: :bananas: :rose: :bananas: :rose: :bananas:
:rose: :bananas: :rose: :bananas: :rose: :bananas: :rose: :bananas:
:rose: :bananas: :rose: :bananas: :rose: :bananas: :rose: :bananas:
:rose: :bananas: :rose: :bananas: :rose: :bananas: :rose: :bananas:

 

[lilspaz68]

All that I meant is that there is a lot of neurological involvement its not just physical limitations. Its like she's forgotten how to do certain things.

On that note she is doing very well this morning. Another cagemate is now in serious crisis but Mattie is bright, thin and happy

Time for her brekkie

"I will hold still for one second"

"Errr...maybe not!"

"Yay!! I am free to run again!"

 

[jorats]

Another cagemate is now in serious crisis

What's happening?

 

[lilspaz68]

Another cagemate is now in serious crisis

What's happening?

check your sympatico email.

 

[Notamuised]

Another cagemate is now in serious crisis

:?:

 

[lilspaz68]

Dolci (whom is aging fast) lived with the Punks as of the day before. I did a quick intro with my sweet undemanding Oldies cage and they just took her under their collective wing. The Punks knocked her down and were terrible to her. She started losing hind end mobility, plus she had an icy tail and hind limbs...she has an appointment with Dr. Munn tomorrow for possible CHF, spinal nerve degen etc...she's getting an x-ray.

2 days ago this was Dolci

But this morning I found my wobbly old gal like this...

and here she had just finished test-biting my finger

I'll explain more but right now I am late for work. :roll:

 

[Melissa]

Poor little thing

 

[starfoot]

that's heart breaking... I hate it when they get porphrynny eyes, go wonky and fluff up... I juts want to give the a huge hug and let them know just how much I bloody love them!! Thoughts are with you Shelagh x

 

[LA]

Oh Shelagh, my heart goes out to you and all your ratties.

 

[lilspaz68]

its sad but part of having lots of rescue rats. Because I have more of a "pool" of rats I will see more things pop up that a normal ratowner wouldn't. Those rats help me learn so I can help you guys if you ever run into something similar.

I gave Dolci some dex and baytril this morning for any possible neurological involvement. We'll see how she is tonight.

Dolci has been a strange rat in my life...almost impossible to hold, as she would have these insane panic attacks, either being restrained or sensing something that no one else could. I mostly left her alone and didn't push it since it stressed her so much. She let me know when she was okay with patting, picking up, etc. She is now very cuddly and enjoys being held now that she is ill. I thought she was much younger than 2, but I think I was very wrong.

 

[raindrop]

Shelagh,
I know you have your hands full but the ratties love you for your warmness and kindness. They are very luck to have a wonderful mommy like you. They all appreciate what you do for them. Give them all hugs and belly kisses for me and keep us posted. Take Care.

Ann

 

[lilspaz68]

Shelagh,
I know you have your hands full but the ratties love you for your warmness and kindness. They are very luck to have a wonderful mommy like you. They all appreciate what you do for them. Give them all hugs and belly kisses for me and keep us posted. Take Care.

Ann

Thank you Ann! :mrgreen: Belly kisses for all of them for you!