Leia isn't doing well... now at the rainbow bridge Dec 1

[mamarat]

:hugs:

 

[SQ]

Try baytril and a steriod - like predisone asap.
If it is PT or a inner ear infection, the treatment is the same but needs to be immediate and aggressive.
She needs to see a vet today.

 

[lindsayfawn]

I'm hoping for the best that this could be cleared up with Baytril but even before this head tilt thing started she wasn't looking good. Friday is the earliest that we can get her there and I got the earliest Appointment that I could. We're keeping her comfortable in her own cage and hand feeding her helps she's able to walk to the food dish and eat baby food it's the blocks she won't eat now.
She was rolling around pretty bad today when I was holding her. She wants to walk around and roam but she just can't because she is starting to roll to much. Elizabeth is keeping her company right now. We change the girls so they don't get to bored because Leia just lays in the milk cartoon and doesn't do anything.
Hopefully Dr. Dunnette can give us something to make her better...but I dunno if we're just prolonging her suffering *sighs*

 

[jorats]

The rolling really sounds like an ear infection. I'd ask for a strong dose of Baytril.

 

[lindsayfawn]

I hope that's all it is...I'm really not ready to have her put down...and I don't think she is either. She still wants to move around 'n stuff just has a hard time. I wish I could have got something earlier then Friday, Dr. Dunnett is pretty popular

I thought I'd post some pics of Leia that we took yesterday.

Leia cuddling with Ang

Leia cuddling with me

She really likes to lay like this with us.

This is Leia's favourite place to be. In my hood! This was a few days ago before the head tilt started.

 

[dubchick]

we took her to the vet today.. dr dunnet thinks she has a bad ear infection because she checked her ear and said there was major build up. she tried to clean it out with a swab to see if she could see her ear drum.. but it was still major build up..
anyway.. we are trying her on baytril, medicam, and ear drop medicine to flush her ear... so hopefully that works ...

 

[lj]

Paws are crossed over here for you guys.

 

[jorats]

Keeping my fingers crossed!!

 

[mamarat]

Hope it works for your sweetie.

 

[Christie]

Hows she doing today?

 

[dubchick]

so reguarding the meds and ear drops. .. i dunno.. there doesnt seem to be any improvement yet... shes super cuddly and literally layed on me for hours yesterday... keeping her sore ear against my chest.
i felt right bad.. the first time we did the drops... it was a disaster... we are supposed to soak a cotton ball and somehow squeeze the liquid into the ear... ya well im sure most of the liquid got on her head.. and even some in her eye.. poor leia.. we rushed around to get a clean cloth so we could flush her eye out safely with water and clean off her head. tho, i must say .. we are improving at getting most of the liquid in the ear . :roll:
i think she had a small absest on her belly and it must have popped cause we noticed a small hole friday night ...we cleaned it really good and stuff. adn it looks like its healing very quickly... just keeping an eye on it just incase
poor leia.. shes been thru so much.. and im sure shes sick of us fussing over her. but i know she knows its cause we love her and want the best for her. i hope she just gets better soon. shes such a good lil girl.
well im gonna go grab her and cuddle on the couch and watch some tv with her..
laters guys

 

[jorats]

Aww... poor sweetie... I'm sure she knows you are doing this because you love her. Is she still doing a lot of rolling?

 

[dubchick]

um ya.. she seems to still roll a lot. i think its too soon to see if the meds are completely doing its job.. im hopeing another day or two we will notice a difference. crossing my fingers. its hard to arange her cage to make it perfect to her liking cuz she needs room to get to stuff since shes having dificulties walking .. im sure if she had her way.. she would stay cuddled up with me 24/7 except to poop and pee. since weve been spoon feeding her mostly anyway .. but its hard to hold her while doing my daily stuff lol. but we sure do love that lil girl. shes just like raina was ... shes one of those rats that is everyones buddy.. never ever fights with anyone even if they are new.... :cuddle: its great

 

[jorats]

You're right, it's too soon to tell if the meds will work. You could perhaps pad her cage a lot, just put lots of fleece and see if that helps.

 

[mamarat]

Aww your poor sweetie. I find it helps a lot if she can be in a smallish box or house where the "ceiling" is not too high. Then she will stay more on her legs. Does that make sense? Hope I explained it right. I know my tilty boy prefers those small cereal boxes as opposed to huge ones.

 

[Godmother]

Hope she starts getting better soon. She really has been through a lot. I sure wish I'd known mamarat's trick with the low ceiling when Clara had an inner ear infection. It's hard to see them so unsteady.

Kisses to Leia. :heart:

 

[lindsayfawn]

We tapped two milk cartoons together and stuffed it full of fleece. She really likes that and we put a fleece blanket around the milk carton and drape it a little over the opening. It makes it nice and cozy and warm for her. She also likes the hammock though because I think it kinda makes her feel better 'cause it hugs her. She's able to get her self on the top of the milk cartoon to get to the hammock.
I'm really worried about her though. She just lays with us all day and she isn't drinking any water at all and will not take any by syringe. The special food we got from the vet is supposed to have stuff in it to keep her hydrated but I'm still worried that she's not getting enough liquid.
Is there anything we can give her to keep her hydrated? She won't take pedialight as is or mixed with water. SHe loves ensure but will that keep her hydrated?
I don't know how we missed an abscess by her groin. It was in the same area that she had one of the tumors removed. We put her in warm water but it looked like it had popped on its on. It's starting to heal over now which is good. Poor girl. I wish there was more we could do for her. It's hard seeing her so down and not feeling good.

 

[mamarat]

Ensure will keep her hydrated if she drinks enough of it.

 

[lindsayfawn]

that's good to know! she loves ensure and will drink 5 syringes full usually before she gets full. We'll have to keep giving her that each day. We're also giving her some baby food now and then and she loves that. She has stopped eating block all together and will only eat soft foods because she doesn't have to hold it. If she has to hold it she won't eat it because she has stopped using her paws to eat I really hope she gets better...

 

[lindsayfawn]

Leia was struggling to breath last night...I took her in to see Dr.Dunnett today and had to put her down :cry3: Dr. Dunnett said she had developed really bad phenomia. It really sucks because she said the ear infection was coming along healing well. She gave me options to try but I just felt like why should we put this poor girl through anymore suffering when she's gone through so much already

I'm going to miss her. She was such a cuddly rat always wanting to be with you and just loved everyone and loved life. At least she'll be with Gloria and Raina now :cry3: