Tough decision on my side too - Mac is gone (now pictures)

[Unepuce]

Thank you ... :hugs:

Yes, Mac was special in his own way. I rescued him last June at my vet's request - they took him in when a customer brought him asking if they knew of a snake :rant: - because she couldn't afford the lice treatment he needed (she was a student). The clinic treated him, even neutered him for free as I couldn't possibly take him intact with my girls. He had a noisy breathing to him and during the week they kept him after I said I was taking him in, he got close to being PTS twice - another vet I used to see that I never felt was much into rodents said that noise was bad news and I shouldn't go through this to have him PTS right away. My vet stepped in just in time and removed him from the PTS list, as she thought he deserved a chance. I'm so glad she did! I will never know what those breathing noises were all about - Booster cleared them right away and Mac never had a respiratory issue thereafter. In your face, Dr Hebert! :stickpoke:

Besides Container, I considered Mac as my first real rescue, that's why he was so dear to my heart, I believe. He never was much into rats, but he sure loved his human attention... that girl maybe was a bit weird, but she really did a great job socializing him.

 

[ChrisK]

Thank you ... :hugs:

Yes, Mac was special in his own way. I rescued him last June at my vet's request - they took him in when a customer brought him asking if they knew of a snake :rant: - because she couldn't afford the lice treatment he needed (she was a student). The clinic treated him, even neutered him for free as I couldn't possibly take him intact with my girls. He had a noisy breathing to him and during the week they kept him after I said I was taking him in, he got close to being PTS twice - another vet I used to see that I never felt was much into rodents said that noise was bad news and I shouldn't go through this to have him PTS right away. My vet stepped in just in time and removed him from the PTS list, as she thought he deserved a chance. I'm so glad she did! I will never know what those breathing noises were all about - Booster cleared them right away and Mac never had a respiratory issue thereafter. In your face, Dr Hebert! :stickpoke:

Besides Container, I considered Mac as my first real rescue, that's why he was so dear to my heart, I believe. He never was much into rats, but he sure loved his human attention... that girl maybe was a bit weird, but she really did a great job socializing him.

What a lovely story about your journey with Mac. He was oh so lucky you found him and gave him a chance in life. I am oh so sorry for your loss at this time. He was a special guy for sure.

-ck

P.S. please write more if you need to work it thru. and also there's a pet loss on-line group I found hugely helpful and would suggest if you ever feel you want to try something like that. It's http://aplb.org/index.html

hugs :hugs:

 

[PitLuvs]

:sad3: :sad3: I'm so sorry Nancy

Rest Peacefully Baby, stay by Momma's side and keep her heart from hurting too much :heart:

 

:hugs: he had a great Momma :heart:

 

[victoria]

I'm so sorry Nancy, Mac was such a sweet boy. I'm glad I got to say goodbye.

I also have some strong feelings towards Dr. Hebert (Julie, not Sophie), as you know. Among other things, she suggested I put Monty on a high dose of Metacam until he had no more quality of life because there was no point in treating him because there was no hope. That was 15 months ago. I've heard she's not bad with GPs and she's supposed to be great with birds (I would hope so since that's her specialty) but I really feel she should just not see rats. She clearly doesn't think they're worth the effort. The new Dr. Hebert is very nice and compassionate though (they are not related, I asked LOL).

 

[fenshae]

:hug: I know he totally loves everything you've done for him and is so, so happy at the bridge now because of it.

Sounds a lot like when I had to put my girl Echo down. It was the same kind of thing -- she had a tumor that was fine and then ulcerated and became horribly infected almost overnight. I felt soooo awful, felt like I'd waited too long, felt like the people at the vet's would judge me...I was a mess. But the night before I took her to the vet I gave her some chocolate and she let me know it was OK, somehow.

I'm with Shelagh -- pour all that extra love to your other ratties. They'll help you through this better than anybody else could

 

[Godmother]

I'm so sorry for the rough time you've had. You gave Mac a wonderful life and a kind passage to the Bridge, and now you will have a big gap to fill.

Mac must have felt so loved. :hugs:

 

[M0onkist]

::big hugs::

Sometimes it is so hard to let them go, especially when they've got your heart so involved like that. But you did the right thing, and I know that you can feel that.

I'm sure Chance is giving Mac and Mr. Honeycomb a tour of the Rainbow Bridge right now.

 

[Unepuce]

I had posted first on Mac's abcess here: viewtopic.php?f=21&t=24378&hilit=bleeding+abcess

But I wanted to show the "before" (first time I posted about it) and after (yesterday, before PTS). Don't knock on me too hard, please remember how hard it is to let go when they simply won't give up...

Before
[spoiler:yh5f1ra0] [/spoiler:yh5f1ra0]
After
[spoiler:yh5f1ra0] [/spoiler:yh5f1ra0]
See how he doesn't look sick, nor old? Hadn't been for that :rant: :redhot: :rant: :gaah: tumour, he could have easily made it to 3 years old. :cry4:

 

[fenshae]

Yep *hugs* that is EXACTLY how Echo's looked when I let her go. It's amazing how fast that happens.

 

[victoria]

I know from what happened with Sophie, the abscess likely came from the tumour necrotizing from the inside out, and there's nothing you can do to prevent it, just try to fight it as much as possible and keep him comfortable. He really did seem happy when I saw him yesterday, you did everything you could for him. :hugs:

 

[crumbilina]

Oh My! That looks awful

:hugs: I'm sure you did as much as you could for him. Sometimes no matter what we do, things just don't work.

I'm so sorry to hear of his passing, Rest well Mac