I think it might be time- re Clair

[Petunia]

Clair's tumors are really getting big- I'd take a photo but they are on her underside and holding her on her back would be too uncomfortable for her

I watched her as she was pooping last night and she had her eyes in a sort of squint, like it hurt

the area near her anus is pretty sore looking. Her tail is getting little abscesses, since it's been dragging for a long time now



The hardest thing is, she doesn't look like she's given up, and I don't think she ever will.
she's that kind of rat.


Is there anything else I can do for her, regarding the irritation from dragging those tumors around?
I change her cage liners and now even her hammocks every day


oh, another thing, she is chewing fabric like crazy- she was never much of a chewer.
does this mean anything?

thanks in advance, and if you really think it might be time, just say so, ok? I gotta do what's best for her

whomever said you just go into shock and do what you have to do, sorry I don't recall who said that now, but you're right
It's shocking to think about what you may have to do
damn.

 

[lilspaz68]

Do you have metacam at home? If you do put her on a low dose for any discomfort and see if that helps.

 

[Petunia]

no, I don't have any


anything else I could use?

 

[lilspaz68]

no, I don't have any


anything else I could use?

Infant ibuprofen or tylenol liquid?

 

[Petunia]

ok can you help me with the dose?

she's around 600 grams- I can get the exact weight if you need it

anything I can or should put on her underside to soothe it?

I've been using triple antibiotic ointment on the tail, and washing it really well

and washing her bottom with a warm cloth- but no soap, was afraid she'd lick it off and get sick

scale is weighing in oz instead of grams, i get 1 lb 5 1/2 oz, gotta find a converter

ok she's under 600 grams forgot to deduct the bowl she was in, she's roughly 590 grams
she was squirming a bit

I think she may be in pain, she's bruxxing now but it doesn't seem like the happy kin

or not. she just boggled, they don't boggle if its pain bruxing do they?
shje shel;iong helping me type

she's a strong willed girl

 

[RatKat]

Sorry to hear about your rattie. I recently went through an ordeal with my boyfriend's rat Horis...it's hard and heartbreaking. Horis a 3-4 year old rat was a fighter-but his mammary tumour abscessed. He gave us signs when it was time though. He wouldn't take his medication, was unusually nippy when I went to remove sunflower seeds from his tumor (can't blame him-but it was uncaracteristic of him), and in general gave me the "please end the suffering" look.

I think you'll know when it's time. If you feel there is something you can still do for them, and the rat isn't in so much pain that their quality of life is suffering tremendously...I think that a pro/con list is in order.

Whether to put your baby to sleep or not is up to you. But at this point you can't feel bad about your decision one way or another-you love her, you've done a lot for her, and you aren't doing it for malicious reasons.

My thoughts are with you...

 

[lilspaz68]

ok can you help me with the dose?

she's around 600 grams- I can get the exact weight if you need it

anything I can or should put on her underside to soothe it?

I've been using triple antibiotic ointment on the tail, and washing it really well

and washing her bottom with a warm cloth- but no soap, was afraid she'd lick it off and get sick

scale is weighing in oz instead of grams, i get 1 lb 5 1/2 oz, gotta find a converter

ok she's under 600 grams forgot to deduct the bowl she was in, she's roughly 590 grams
she was squirming a bit

I think she may be in pain, she's bruxxing now but it doesn't seem like the happy kin

or not. she just boggled, they don't boggle if its pain bruxing do they?
shje shel;iong helping me type

she's a strong willed girl

Do you have ibu or tylenol? Can you get me the concentration?

 

[Petunia]

I'm looking for the ibu, I know i have some but i am having trouble finding it

i may have to run out and get more if i cant find it

do they boggle if they 're in pain?

i'll be back later, i just remembered, the ibu i had expired, i gotta get more so i gotta slide down the icy hill and get some!

i'll let you know when i get back

thanks so much guys!
i'm so not ready for this
i pray she's got even a few more days to a few more weeks anyway

each day is so precious
she's my :heart: and my connection to her Mumma and sister Phaedra

 

[jorats]

When they start chewing the fabrics when they never did before... that is a sign of pain.

 

[PitLuvs]

I was the one who said about going into shock when its time, its like you shut down and intsinctively know what to do. Im sorry your going through this hun. We're all here for you and Claire ((hugs))

 

[mamarat]

:hugs:

 

[Exodog]

My thought's go out to you and Claire.
I just recently lost my girls, Eloise and Grurder. It was the first time I'd had to experience the loss, and I know exactly what you mean about each day being so precious. Cherish her while she's still with you. We will all be here for you when her time comes, and you will always have beautiful memories of your time together.

 

[Petunia]

well, this is good news/bad news I guess- Gave her a small dose of infant ibuprofen and she looks better- her fur is all nice and smooth and her eyes look a bit brighter

so I guess she does have some pain.

I'll continue with the very low dose of ibuprofen for now and see if I can get both her and Tilly in to the vet-
Clair isn't sneezing today and I haven't heard Tilly sneeze so far either, but Tilly has a soft clicking noise now.
??

I don't know about stressing them out though, taking them out- and my vet doesn't have a ton of experience with rats. I don't know if she'd give me metacam if I requested it....

 

Good luck :hugs:

 

[jorats]

I have found that some vets really don't like giving metacam.

 

[Petunia]

Guess where I found Clair when I got home today? on the top level IN a hammock, a regular hammock, not one of the ones I've been putting down low for her to climb into (she has to use just her arms, her legs are pretty useless now)


I can't even imagine how she got up there, unless Tilly was behind her giving her a boost!

The other day when I took photos of her in a corner hammock, she didn't get into that hammock by herself, I had boosted her up, and then I put some hammocks folded up in a pile so that she'd have something to help her get out (those aren't in the photos, I moved them to take the pictures)
wait, I'll show you-

Hmm well I guess you really can't tell from the photo, but this hammock is pretty close to the ground and she couldn't get into it by herself just a couple of days ago-
Now she is in a hammock that is up higher than the top of an igloo.
:shock:


The ibuprofen is really helping! woo hoo!
you guys are the best!


I gotta watch and make sure she can get back out on her own ok. :giggle:

 

[Dazzle87]

Aww I'm so glad she improved with some pain meds :joy:

 

[Petunia]

well both old ladies are looking better! I've been giving Tilly SMZ TMP (bactrim) for her sneezes and for that clicking noise I heard the other day, and she sounds a lot better. Still a few sneezes here and there but she's not spraying stuff out of her nose any more.

Clair gets the low dose of ibu about every six hours and she's up out of bed a bit more often then before, looking for lovin, and sniffin around more interested in things then she was before
:dance:

Here they are a few minutes ago, after I changed their liners and hammocks:

 

[Joanne]

That's nice to hear that she's feeling better!

 

[mamarat]

What a sweet picture of the girls. So glad they're doing better.