I'm taking my rat LittleGirl into surgery tomorrow and was wondering if anyone can give me some advice.
The surgery is to remove a very large mammary tumor from her right side. The vet I'm taking her to said it will be the largest they have operated on.
They said not to give her food but I've read on many other sites that this is a bad thing to do.
So far this is the only thing that really worries me.
I asked my vet how I should give the pain medication, I was informed that it would be measured, mixed with water and put into a syringe for me. I can put this in her food or have her drink it directly. Whether she has eaten or not should not be a problem.
I was wondering if people have had better experience with medicine before or after feeding?
Also are there any tricks to help keep a rat from chewing on stitches? The vet said they can give me a little cone to put on her but that it will probably not last long. I also know bandages will need to be changed frequently and can be chewed. The vet said she can put the stitches inside and seal the cut with a medical glue to help but I do not know much about this.
Should I keep her near the cage her friends or in? Is it to dangerous to put her in with them a couple days after surgery? Can I put her in when I bring her home directly after surgery?
Should I maybe put a heating pad in there to help keep her warm? Keep her covered?
How should I have her cage set up? Shredded shirts, bedding or maybe some other material?
These are all things I have asked the vet but it would help to know what other people have done and what the outcome was.
I want to make my baby as comfy as possible if she makes it through this and have been putting much research into this for awhile.
This is my baby and one of my youngest.
She had 90% of the mass removed and her heart just gave out.
I hate saying this but seeing how big the incision was I'm actually happy, it went from her elbow all the way down.
I brought her home and she is buried near her cagemate, wrapped in two hand towels and a box with a fake flower on top that the vet gave me.
The surgery is to remove a very large mammary tumor from her right side. The vet I'm taking her to said it will be the largest they have operated on.
They said not to give her food but I've read on many other sites that this is a bad thing to do.
So far this is the only thing that really worries me.
I asked my vet how I should give the pain medication, I was informed that it would be measured, mixed with water and put into a syringe for me. I can put this in her food or have her drink it directly. Whether she has eaten or not should not be a problem.
I was wondering if people have had better experience with medicine before or after feeding?
Also are there any tricks to help keep a rat from chewing on stitches? The vet said they can give me a little cone to put on her but that it will probably not last long. I also know bandages will need to be changed frequently and can be chewed. The vet said she can put the stitches inside and seal the cut with a medical glue to help but I do not know much about this.
Should I keep her near the cage her friends or in? Is it to dangerous to put her in with them a couple days after surgery? Can I put her in when I bring her home directly after surgery?
Should I maybe put a heating pad in there to help keep her warm? Keep her covered?
How should I have her cage set up? Shredded shirts, bedding or maybe some other material?
These are all things I have asked the vet but it would help to know what other people have done and what the outcome was.
I want to make my baby as comfy as possible if she makes it through this and have been putting much research into this for awhile.
This is my baby and one of my youngest.
She had 90% of the mass removed and her heart just gave out.
I hate saying this but seeing how big the incision was I'm actually happy, it went from her elbow all the way down.
I brought her home and she is buried near her cagemate, wrapped in two hand towels and a box with a fake flower on top that the vet gave me.
