please help....

[Rhonda]

jamie is getting very weak i find now.. she just lies around the cage and sleeps. she's starting to get stiff legs, she'll be 2 next month. maybe every four days she starts to go crazy. she jumps around in the cage and nudges at the door to tell me she wants out. so i do. usually she would hang out on the bars, but now when she's in these spazzy moods she runs right up my arm. she's never done this before. she just scratches my arm like no tomorrow... so i put her on my bed and she hops around and runs as fast as she can. she also never did this. so anyway... tonight. she was doing the same things, nudging at the door, i let her out, put her on the bed. then i notice a bald spot on her head... i moved it and i found a weird mark that wasn't there before... its like a beauty mark but i've honestly never seen it. so me... i instantly thought it was something that is messing with her brain causing her to jump around like this.. can ANYONE please help me.. what is this?

here's what it looks like. a bald spot.

and then i moved the fur to see what was going on... and i see this. sorry for not really getting a clear shot.

it's like a black soft bump.

 

[victoria]

Is it her front or back legs that are stiff? Does she seem confused? Is there one eye bulging out more than the other?

 

[Rhonda]

her back legs are stiff. and i'm not sure... jumping around and etc isn't her usual self.
and no. there are no eye problems.

 

[victoria]

Could she have fallen? Does she have any lumps?

 

[jorats]

It sounds like she's having panic attacks. How do her lungs sound? If she's in respiratory distress she will do exactly what you describe.

 

[Rhonda]

yeah.. she has respiratory problems. same with her sister but she doesn't freak out like jamie.

 

[Dahlas]

by the look of the third picture she is really pulling in her sides.....I also think she is having panic attacks when she can't get enough air in....

 

[Dazzle87]

Do you have her on any antibiotics?

 

[Rhonda]

no. none of the vets in town know what they're doing. complete idiots.

 

[lilspaz68]

where are you in Ontario? I am in Toronto...

 

[smilez_n_hugs]

I also know of a few vets in different areas of Ontario. If you aren't comfortable posting your location here then maybe you can PM lilspaz or myself and we can help you find someone asap as it's Friday afternoon.

 

[Rhonda]

I'm in Timmins. Also my mother or anyone else wouldn't drive me anyhow. As much as I'd like Jamie to be herself.. I can't get to the destination. ):

 

[SQ]

Rats get ill and die quickly without medical care.
If she is having difficulty breathing and does not get the antibiotics she needs, she will die horribly, gasping for air.

All pets need medical care, at some point.
Maybe there is someone on here or a rescue that could take her asap and give her the care she needs.

 

[smilez_n_hugs]

So take a taxi and go prepared to the vet with information on what you think it might be and what meds you need (we can help with this) or if you have no other options then take her to the vet to have her humanely put to sleep. You made a commitment to this animal when you took her into your home, she doesn't deserve to suffer. Owning animals is a HUGE responsibility, I really hope you will consider that before you take in anymore animals.

Edit: In response to SQ I'm not aware of anyone in her area :sad3:

 

[Joanne]

When I read your description I too thought that it was panic attacks, usually from not being able to breathe. A vet will be able to listen to her lungs to know for sure, but if it is that, then she will suffocate to death eventually. This is a horrible way to die. If you can't afford to get her treated, then you really need to put her to sleep so she doesn't suffer. It sounds terrible, but if you love your ratties it's the best thing to do.

 

[SQ]

http://www.jorats.com/forum/viewtopic.p ... how+to+pts

 

[user 1946]

One of my rats had a small black bump. It was eventually decided to be melanoma by several different vets, though no biopsy was done.

Here is some info on Melanoma, http://ratguide.com/health/neoplasia/melanoma.php

Melanoma is a cancer that grows anywhere there is skin, including on organs. Though it may not be related, the breathing issues/ neuro issues could be related, and like all the others said, a trip to the veterinarian is necessary at this juncture.

If I were you, I'd just google, Vets near you and starting with the closest start calling asking about their experience with rats till you find one that does.