Noodle has cancer...??

[sketchi]

he's only just over a year old!! the vet (Dr Nour) felt him up and said it's probably a tumor or cancer in his intestines. he poops and pees OK though, but is getting skinnier even though he seems to be eating more. I don't know what to do, is this for real? she said even though he's young his chances of a successful operation are slim, and he's more likely to die under anesthetic since he seems to have trouble breathing and the cancer may have spread to his lungs.

is this possible? is this real? ): ): I know he has bad genes (all his siblings died under a year old, and all his relatives are long dead), and maybe I deserve it for buying him from a bad bad breeder, but he doesn't deserve it at all. it's heartbreaking to watch him, the youngest and liveliest, turn into a weak old man overnight.

is there a better vet in toronto??? I went to The Links Road Animal and Bird Clinic since it was recommended on this site. I didn't go to my usual vet since I've moved.... but toronto should be a bigger city with even better vets. >__< I want a better diagnosis.... he's a male, he shouldn't be getting cancers this young. ): there must be some way to cure this, instead of wait around and make him comfy?? I thought I'd get another year with him at least, maybe even two or three more!!!! he's the youngest...!




and I only just noticed today, how well stocked the vet is with tissue paper... in every room. a lot of people must cry at the vet's. x_<

advice please? ): recommendations? she's sent me home with pain killers... suggest I keep him comfy, and come back in a month or so to have him put down. ......... :sad3:

 

[sketchi]

also, he seems unwilling or unable to eat hard food, so I can't give him lab blocks. for now I've been giving him bread and some banana, but that can't be enough for his nutritional requirements. what kind of healthy soft food can I give him to eat? would soaking lab blocks in water help?

 

[xxchelle]

If you want vets in Toronto, you want to go to Dr. Munn at Greenwood Park Animal Hospital. He's the best rat vet in the city.

Hopefully he can give you a second opinion. I'm sorry to hear about your bad news

 

[victoria]

What Chelle said. Dr. Munn is better than Links Road or Highpark on every front.

Poor Noodle :hugs:

 

[MomRat]

Soaking labblock is good, as is Ensure, Rice Cereal for Babies, and Baby Food.

Get a second opinion, and good luck to your baby!

 

[victoria]

I missed the food question...

When one of my girls had a PT and needed help eating, I used the lab block dust from the bottom of the Harlan bag (I put it in the freezer when I emptied the bag into containers) and I mixed it with veggie baby foods (squash and peas were the faves). If you don't have block dust you can grind them or soak them before you mix them. All of the ideas MomRat suggested are good too.

 

[Roo]

:sad3:

 

[Godmother]

I'm so sorry. Let's hope that a second opinion will give you some other options. Your ratty has done very well to have lived well for over a year, given his family history. Poor little guy doesn't have the greatest genes.

All fingers and paws crossed for him to have some more quality time with you.

 

[lilspaz68]

Is he pooping and peeing same as before? Did the vet check his teeth at all? Did you know that rats with severe respiratory will lose weight just because all their energy is going into trying to breathe, they may have issues with hard food because they cannot chew and breathe at the same time. Can you try soft foods and good fat foods to see if it halts the weight loss?

Can you feel anything inside his belly, just use the flats of your fingers and press gently to see if you can feel anything weird in there. If you aren't sure, pick up another rat, feel them the same way to get the comparison.

 

[Joanne]

When the diagnosis is dire, I would always seek a second opinion. Vets are human too, and sometimes make a mis-diagnosis. If both vets come to the same conclusion independantly, then there's not much else you can do except take their recommendations.

 

[SQ]

Dr Munn is highly recommended by people in Ontario.
Very sorry about the bad news.
You might consider making an appointment with Dr Munn as soon as possible.

As for food, I soak lab blocks in cool filtered water overnight to make them into mush.
Ill and elderly rats like it. You can add a drop or two of olive oil to it when you put it in his dish.

Baby cereal mixed up with soy infant formula or ensure is also very good.
You can also suppliment with baby food.

 

[Phyllis]

I am sorry your rattie is having problems, ensure is great as much as he wants, avocado with out the skin, bananas, mashed potatoes, baked chicken breast, baby food, vitamin water & lots of hands on love! uppyluv:

 

[sketchi]

he's gotten worse.... yesterday he was eating soft food. ): I bought him some baby food, mixed it with rice, a bit of water, and water-soaked mushy lab blocks. he ate most of it, though much slower than he usually eats. today he won't even eat wet bread, which is his favorite snack. he's lying in my lap right now, completely listless. usually he loves to adventure. ): ): it's so sad....

I've made an appointment with Dr Munn at Greenwood Park Animal Hospital, but the earliest opening is 3:45 PM. ): I don't want to force pain meds down noodle's throat but I don't like that he seems to be suffering (he's breathing erratically, shaking with each breath).


his lumps are HUGE today. they are very fast growing, whatever they are. they weren't even there two days ago (or if they were, could be thought of as fat and not lumps). but now they make him look overweight, but he's very bony on his spine. I hope it's something they can operate out. ):

 

[mamarat]

Good luck at the vet, poor sweetie.

 

[lilspaz68]

fingers crossed for Noodle :sad3:

 

[sketchi]

he's gone. :cry3:
Dr. Munn said there's nothing to be done, and the kindest thing was to put him down. since he isn't eating, it means he's suffering a lot. normally he'd try an operation, but because noodle also had breathing problems (likely complications of the tumour), he wouldn't survive the anesthetic.

they wouldn't let me go in with him (for legal issues?). )': noodle was desperately trying to scrabble out of the arms of the nurse taking him away. I felt like I've betrayed him, letting him go like that. I wanted to take him to the previous doctor at The Links Road since they said I can be there with him all the way (gas and injection), but the nurse at Greenwood promised Dr. Munn would make it as painless as possible and they'd hold him and keep him warm. :'''(

he was only a year old. it isn't fair.

here is the last picture I took of him, before going to the vet's:

I am going to make it a keychain. one for me, one for my boyfriend. noodle was his favorite. we drove down together to pick him up when he was just a wee babe.
I didn't think this would happen so soon....... I wasn't prepared for this..... poor noodle. :cry3:

 

[hopefloats]

I am so sorry for your loss.

 

[victoria]

I am so sorry sketchi. I went to Dr. Munn before moving to Montreal and I am certain Noodle was treated with all the care, compassion, and dignity he deserved.

I am so sorry for you loss :hugs:

 

[lilspaz68]

Dr Munn is very gentle and caring during his euth's. I drop off rats in the morning before work and they are put to sleep soon after he arrives. They all get cuddles and sometimes a kiss before they pass on. The whole thing is aimed at the most comfortable and less stressful experience for the rat. Even I am not allowed to go back anymore, its a legal thing, not that they don't want you there. I think they are liable if the gas leaks from the cuddlesack they are in. I was there with Farraday and it was peaceful. Your boy was just struggling with life, not with the techs. I am so sorry nothing could be done for poor Noodle. ((hugs))

 

[Godmother]

I'm so sorry for your loss. It was all so sudden.