Please help make this decision

[Sam]

Hi everyone,

My rat Lucy has been sick with myco since I got her from the SPCA in the summer. She's been on several weeks of baytril, then six weeks of baytril and doxy, then four weeks zithro and baytril, then a few weeks of zithro, doxy and baytril, then two weeks of Chlorplam (all of these twice a day at MAXIMUM dosages and right after one another. Treatment lengths varied from three weeks to six weeks). With all of these, she got a little better (like maybe 5-10% better each time within the first three days) but never any more no matter how long the treatment. Nothing seemed to help. I thought we'd take a break from all the medications for a bit.

She's been off medication for a month now, and I was surprised to see that she never got worse (although she still wheezed like crazy and was breathing really heavily). She seemed happy, just... similar to that cliche guy with asthma in gym class.

Anyways, last night, she took a turn for the worse and I have no idea what to do. My vet doesn't know what to do either, but is open to suggestions. My vet and I do not know of anymore medications for myco.

I don't know what to do, I've tried all these meds and nothing's working. What else can my vet and I try? When is it time to let her go?

 

[jorats]

When my rats reach a point where meds don't work, I don't do meds. I keep them comfortable until they start to panic. I do use my inhaler to help with breathing... it usually helps for a few weeks and then it's time to bring them in to be pts.
It's hard to make that decision... ((hugs))

 

[Sam]

When my rats reach a point where meds don't work, I don't do meds. I keep them comfortable until they start to panic. I do use my inhaler to help with breathing... it usually helps for a few weeks and then it's time to bring them in to be pts.
It's hard to make that decision... ((hugs))

Okay, so you believe that it's time to give up? I guess I already kinda came to this conclusion, I just needed someone to agree. I don't feel right making a decision like this without someone else's input. Fudge this sucks.



On an even more morbid note, if she passes sometime during the holidays and the vet or "animal disposal" such places aren't open... what do I do with the body (the ground is frozen so I can't bury her)?

 

[PitLuvs]

Another morbid comment, but you could wrap her up in a nice warm blanket or her favorite hammock and seal her up in a box or sorts and put her in the freezer? It will stop the body from decomp. We do that with our boys, Cas is currently waiting to be transfered to my Moms deep freeze where he will join Shai in the spring under our childhood apple tree with my other rats and ferrets. Or he may be put withmy childhood dog, my first puppy and our guinea pig. Whom ever my Mom feels needs the company. This was actually one of the reasons I got a deep freeze for my birthday.

I am in the same boat as you with my Stewart Sending hugs!

 

[jorats]

I put mine in the freezer as well until spring.
There are a lot of us in the same boat. I'm watching one of mine too... I think it will be this week.