Swollen purple tongue... Emma's not so good

[Moon]

Emma... my face tumour girl... has obviously been going downhill. Her antibiotics helped her poor breathing until she plateaued, and now, the underside of her face seems to have another lump, which is very soft... if not a lump then a swelling of her lower jaw/mouth. Her tongue is swollen and nearly purple, although functioning (but she has to REALLY open her mouth to drink her ensure)

She is so skinny, and the pory around the on the side of her face where the tumour is... is insane. Today her eye is glued shut.

To make things worse, I had them out on the kitchen counter with me last night while I did dishes, and someone found Emma's bottle of Metacam, and destroyed it! So I wasn't even able to give her that last night.

Emma has always been really stressed in the car, and I can't imagine what the 45 minute car ride to Dr Munn's would do to her, especially in this state. Even if I were to, I wouldn't be able to take her until Saturday.

Emma is still puttering around all three levels of her cage, stealing food (although I don't think she's really eating the hard stuff now with her tongue the way it is), and her eye that isn't covered in pory is bright and curious. I can't imagine how any creature LOOKING like she does can still seem so happy. Failing that, she's putting on a wonderful show.

Her tongue was not swollen last night, and I had not noticed her other lump/swelling.. but it seems to have very deep roots so maybe I just wasn't prodding hard enough. :gaah:

Do I go to the local, inferior vets and hope for help? I am planning on emailing Dr Munn... maybe she can tell me what particular meds to ask for. GAAAAAAAAAAH

Just so stressed out... advice? :cry4:

 

[Dahlas]

I'm very sorry...I don't have any advice. But I'm sure that some of our more experienced rat owners will have some for you soon.....I hope everything works out.....

 

[Moon]

Now having just written this, Emma is doing little Kangaroo hops all over the cage.... she'll settle and then have a big hop forward.. she's so stressed out... I don't know what to do

 

[lilspaz68]

If it was pain I would say she would usually stay still and puff up the fur. Her breathing is really bad right now? They often do these little panicked hops or runs when they cannot get enough into their lungs.

Are her gums and nail beds purple too?

 

[SQ]

I have had the vet on call pts rats in distress even tho the vet knew nothing about rats.
She did what I told her to do.
I was present and held and comforted my rat throughout.
First my rat was given gas mixed with oxygen - I held it close to his face while he was lying in my lap and he could move away from it.
Once my rat was deeply unconcious, the vet injected sodium pentobarbital with a 27 - 29 gauge needle or insulin syringe as an intraperitoneal injectionin the lower right side of the abdomen, being careful not to get any organs as that would cause pain. You can read about this at www.ratfanclub.org

You and Emma are in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[jorats]

Swollen purple tongue sounds like a bad reaction to something. Could she have gotten into something?
My mom had a rat die from a severe allergic reaction to a med and it was extremely swollen purple tongue.

 

[Moon]

I have to wonder if her tongue is stopping her from getting air.

Her gums and nail beds look normal. She is not being puffy, and her breathing is not as bad as it was 4 weeks ago. She still does the costal breathing but it has not changed in severity since her run of meds ended.

I was not sure who it was who got into the metacam last night, it may have been her... could she be reacting to an overdose? Beyond that there's nothing for her to get into.

Her tongue still looks swollen but it's not purple. Also, she's been out a lot and is being her relatively spunky, normal self.

I do have a vet on hand who can PTS properly... but I really, REALLY don't think she's there quite yet. She's close, but it's not yet. She happily popped her head out of the hammie when I woke her up just now, and she is sitting on my shoulder now. Mike is especially concerned due to her weight and he just now (very much to my surprise) suggested that it may be time for her. I still really, really don't think so.

Mike is worried that her cagemates (or, one of them) is picking on her. I have not seen it myself, but he said that she was really being powergroomed when he went to bring her out during his lunchtime. I have to wonder if seperating her would stress her out more... she is the one who is more likely to do her own thing in the cage, and not hang out with the other girls. Mostly she is happy to hang out in her corner pocket hammy. I have noticed that she seems extra scratched up across her back, but I think her skin may be more sensitive than it used to be. I don't WANT to seperate her but it is something I have been considering for the past few days. Her cagemates do tend to pay a LOT of attention to her tumour, and I wonder how much they are bugging her with it over night. Opinions?

 

[jorats]

If it were a reaction, she would be so lethargic and would pass soon enough. Luka's tongue was over 300% larger.

Severe respiratory distress can also cause some slight swelling and give it a blue tinge but they can come back from that, it can be just an "episode".

 

[LA]

I'm so sorry. Give her cuddle for me.

 

[SQ]

Good to hear that she is doing a bit better.

 

[Willow Bean]

:hugs:

 

[Moon]

Emma's having a really bad night. I don't know if I can let her keep going. I think tonight may be her last night unless she really suprises me tomorrow morning.

Send her your wishes and maybe some for me too. *cry*

 

[jorats]

Oh no!! Sending you lots of good wishes for you and your sweetie!!
<<hugs>>

 

[mamarat]

I'm so sorry, hugs to you both.

 

[lilspaz68]

Good luck to you and Emma!!!

If it is tonight, I wish her a peaceful passing. :heart:

I am sorry Ash :sad-p:

 

[Shelley]

I'm so sorry, keeping both of you in my thoughts. Sending lots of hugs :hugs:

 

[lilspaz68]

How's Emma and how are YOU? :sad-p:

 

[Moon]

Emma is alive, and relatively perky and she just ate a tiny bit of ensure.

She can hardly hold her head up, she tilts to one side but it is due to the size of the tumour, she really can't carry herself straight.

The place where her abscess always was has opened up, but it is really bad this time, not at all clean. That happened very late last night.... my attempts at cleaning and flushing were futile.

She did not want to get up and greet me this morning, not even poke her head out of her nest. She did not want to eat her ensure and baby cereal meal that she usually dives her face into. This was very telling. She is more with it now, but she's still really, really unwell.

If I take her out of the cage she stumbles around, dragging around her face. Her back legs flail out behind her, again because her head is being pulled so drastically towards the ground.

Her appointment has been made for 8:30 this evening. I really feel there is no bringing her back from this. She's too sick to gain weight, & too thin to treat. I have been really flip flopping about this for a little while now, but I am fairly confident in my decision now. Even though she still has some life in there, we are definately at a point where that life can NOT be happy.

I'm still just so amazed at how much the tumour has grown in just the past couple of days.

So, please send her off in your own ways with good wishes. I came to terms with his quite a bit last night, but I know it will hit me all again in a bit.

Tungsten and I have puppy kindergarten class tonight, but I'm really debating going. I don't feel up to going, and I kind of feel like I should be spending as much time as possible with Emma, but at the same time taking her out of the cage seems to really unsteady her. Sigh.

 

[lilspaz68]

I am so sorry. It definitely sounds like you will be doing her a favour taking her in and ending this downward spiral she cannot escape.

Do not feel guilt at any relief you feel. You are not only relieved for yourself but also for the end to her suffering.

(((hugs)))
I will have a moment of silence for her at about 9:00 pm tonight. :cry3:

 

[mamarat2]

(((((Moon))))) Hugs to you and Miss Emma as she is off to cross the bridge. :cry3: