victoria
Well-Known Member
One of my former fosters passed away a few weeks back and her family does not want another rat (even temporarily) so I am taking the surviving female back so she can have friends again.
We estimated she was about 18 months old when she came to the shelter almost 6 months ago, so she would be about two... maybe. I'm not the greatest at estimating age and I have no history. She came into the shelter with her brother (they had lived alone, in neighbouring cages all their lives) and he passed away in his sleep in the winter, so I don't think she is less than 2. My worry is that any anesthesia could feed a PT that is growing but as yet undetected.
When she was living with me she had no respiratory or other health issues and according to her family she still doesn't but I won't know for sure until I see her again.
My dilemma is, I have 8 rats - 7 are altered but one of my males' implant has worn off. In order to introduce them, I have to sterilize one of them. He's 21 months old and has a chronic URI so I would rather not put him under anesthesia, even for a few seconds to implant him (a neuter for him is out of the question even though it would be much cheaper) but he was so much happier (or perhaps just more affectionate) when he was sterilized, so there's also that to consider.
The other curve ball is that my vet is out of implants at the moment and he thinks his order is stuck at customs. I can go to another vet to have them done but I'm not sure if I want to go the implant route either.
Do I implant one of them? Or do I spay her (the wait time until introductions would be shorter) if the vet thinks she's healthy enough. I'm really worried she'll develop a PT weeks after her surgery (or not make it through because of her age) and I don't think I would be able to forgive myself.
I'm interested to hear other people's experiences, particularly when it comes to spaying females that are 2 or over. (This would be after all a completely elective surgery and not a case where she's already going into surgery to remove a tumour.)
I should also add that I have complete faith in my vet and his abilities... he's done several rat spays, neuters and tumour removals for me, removed a bladder stone from my bunny a few months back and has always done a great job. (He may also recommend against a spay, depending on what he finds in her exam.)
We estimated she was about 18 months old when she came to the shelter almost 6 months ago, so she would be about two... maybe. I'm not the greatest at estimating age and I have no history. She came into the shelter with her brother (they had lived alone, in neighbouring cages all their lives) and he passed away in his sleep in the winter, so I don't think she is less than 2. My worry is that any anesthesia could feed a PT that is growing but as yet undetected.
When she was living with me she had no respiratory or other health issues and according to her family she still doesn't but I won't know for sure until I see her again.
My dilemma is, I have 8 rats - 7 are altered but one of my males' implant has worn off. In order to introduce them, I have to sterilize one of them. He's 21 months old and has a chronic URI so I would rather not put him under anesthesia, even for a few seconds to implant him (a neuter for him is out of the question even though it would be much cheaper) but he was so much happier (or perhaps just more affectionate) when he was sterilized, so there's also that to consider.
The other curve ball is that my vet is out of implants at the moment and he thinks his order is stuck at customs. I can go to another vet to have them done but I'm not sure if I want to go the implant route either.
Do I implant one of them? Or do I spay her (the wait time until introductions would be shorter) if the vet thinks she's healthy enough. I'm really worried she'll develop a PT weeks after her surgery (or not make it through because of her age) and I don't think I would be able to forgive myself.
I'm interested to hear other people's experiences, particularly when it comes to spaying females that are 2 or over. (This would be after all a completely elective surgery and not a case where she's already going into surgery to remove a tumour.)
I should also add that I have complete faith in my vet and his abilities... he's done several rat spays, neuters and tumour removals for me, removed a bladder stone from my bunny a few months back and has always done a great job. (He may also recommend against a spay, depending on what he finds in her exam.)
