URGENT : please help!

[lilspaz68]

I am going to wait for pics and see what's going on before I make any more suggestions.

 

[lilspaz68]

I am going to wait for pics and see what's going on before I make any more suggestions.

ETA...better pics since there was pics on Page 1 that were difficult to see.

I assume her mouth and cheek smell horrific? It looks like a massive infection, and its eating away and needs debridement. I don't think you can get away without vet care.

Does anyone know if NTRR is closer to this member? Maybe they can recommend a vet?

 

[vorbei]

Her mouth doesn't smell terrible, but her cheek/drainage smells awful. It's stinking up her whole enclosure. I tried my best to rinse the wound/everything else, but she started getting really frustrated with me when I was trying to wipe it. I got some yellow gunk off. It's kind of foreign to me for a vet to take in an animal without any money or anything? but I'm going to try and call around to see if one may take her. I think she can be saved with the right care... but I'm used to being charged hundreds upon hundreds of dollars for this type of thing, sometimes even thousands.

She seemed to like the saline solution, but she hated the medicine. She took a little bit though. I gave her some oatmeal with a small amount of sugar and now she's resting. I feel so sick to my stomach. Dealing with these sorts of things is SO hard for me, especially calling and asking people for something I need. I'm going to get over it as long as I can to get her some help, because I'm having a really hard time and I know she's having it worse. Going to call some local small animal places and see what they have to say. I may drop by my vet and just get his opinion. He's very nice and may know what direction to point me in, although I know -he- deals mostly with cats and dogs. Thanks everyone. My boyfriend will be home in the next couple hours, and he will help me with a ride ...

Noodle is the injured girl's name, and basil is her sister.

 

[eagle]

http://www.northtexasratrescue.com/
contact them and see if they can help you

 

[SQ]

As Eagle said, contact http://www.northtexasratrescue.com/
and see if they can help.
Hopefully they will take both Noodle and Basil as the girls need to stay together.
Hopefully they will immediately get Noodle the vet care she desperately needs

 

[vorbei]

I emailed them... hoping to get a response before the boyfriend gets home, because we have quite a tight schedule. I'm so stressed I can't even eat. Thank you everyone for your help and support. She looks so peaceful resting and I'm praying that they can indeed do something for these two. They say on the facebook page they're not accepting any newcomers ... and I feel like it would be a miracle if they can do something, but that's what I'm going for and it's always worth a shot. Hoping the pain medication is at least helping her a little bit

 

[EDK]

Like I said if you have a paypal account i'll help with any payments you may need, but if you can find a place to take her in to get her care sooner, then that'd be great. My fear is that even if i were willing to make the 4hr trip all the way up to Dallas, and 4hrs back, its an 8hr trip for me, and 4hrs of stress for those poor girls that i'd hate to put them anymore strain.

I know its hard to be dealing with this issue, i'm dealing with one at current time with one of my boys whos just now gone under a second surgery, luckily they didn't double charge me, and I'm just worried sick he'll be ok. But to top off the frustration taht I'm not close enough to be able to help you out. I hope it works out for you, and again if you have a paypal account, I can donate some money to you to help out the expenses. If you consider on having me take them and meeting you half way too that is still an option. Just send me a PM if you are still interested and I'll give you my cell number and we can go from there. I hope your able to find something there though, as that would make both our time easier, for us and your girls.

 

[lilspaz68]

vorbei, could you PM me your contact info? I will forward it on to one of the people at NTRR (they requested it but aren't a member of this forum).

 

[vorbei]

Been doing a lot of emailing today, we're looking at getting them a new 3 story cage off craigslist, and looks like we may be able to use some antibiotics very soon (the rat rescue is helping on that front). She's doing a lot better now, than she has been in the past few days. I'm really blown away at how much her mouth cleared up in only a few hours. The smell from her cheek is still bad, although slightly less permeating since swabbing it with (really) diluted alcohol and rinsing with saline. Thanks everyone for all the advice and help, you have no idea how much it means. My hubby was so relieved at all the help we got and is feeling much better that the ibuprofen helped with her face swelling and everything else. He loves these girls a lot and of course I'm hoping they'll both be in top shape again soon. I'm so glad I came here and asked instead of taking her to a shelter or doing something rash. I'll keep you all updated


oh! I also really, really appreciate the offer edk. I don't think we will need to do that, but if worse comes to worse, I'm sure we could arrange something. I have no qualms about meeting you in Waco or maybe a little further down the line. I am immensely grateful for your kind hearted offers, and you being there really calmed my mind. it's been a little bit of a roller coaster, thank you

 

[mamarat]

So glad things are looking up for your sweeties.

 

[SQ]

Glad things are looking more positive but she still needs to see a vet immediately, she needs to have her face surgicly cleaned out by a vet and she needs to be immediately put on very strong antibiotics - like today!

I am confused by your posts tho ... your boyfriend is now your husband?
Glad you will be getting a better cage but if you can not provide necessary medical care now and in the future, the girls need a new home.

I hope that Noodle gets the medical care she needs from a vet knowlegable in treating rats, today or by tomorrow.
Glad the pain meds are helping her, poor girl is suffering horribly, but she needs so much more.
Hope the two girls are back living together as it will be a comfort to both of them/

 

[vorbei]

Okay, well... We have enough money for small things, but we cannot afford a bill of that magnitude. If that is really the case and there's no chance she will make it without the vet care, then perhaps I should make plans to find someone who can. I'll talk to my father and see if I can get him to help us out this time, but he thinks she will get better, and he didn't help with getting any of the supplies we got her, either. It's kind of a tough situation because he and my mother-in-law are pretty much our providers, but neither of them like rats and certainly don't think a rat is worth more than a couple dozen bucks at most. I think they'd go on about it forever if it was a lot, but... I'll see about asking for a loan or something and taking care of it tomorrow. Because you're right. Every thing she'll need though, I'm used to vets charging over a ridiculous amount, like 300 dollars every visit, and that's almost more than we make in a month ...

I'm just glad she isn't -dying- but I realize it is severe and she needs additional help, that's what vets are for. I'm doing everything I can. If it's possible to make the trip tomorrow morning to Waco and meet edk (which idk at all, schedules and all that), I'd do it. Gas would be an issue because we haven't been paid yet but we can make it, but it would probably have to be before noon, or we would have to wait until this weekend or later, and I don't know if we have that time. I'm an awful arranger of anything like this, but if she can get help it'll get done. I don't have a cage for them though. I'd have to put them in a box or maybe we have a carrier.

And, I think my bf Sean, (Ive grown a bit tired of using the term boyfriend over the years) would be kinda heartbroken. Maybe we're just set on everything working out without having to spend everything we have, but I guess it's what you gotta do, and we'll make more money. I'll try to make some plans by tomorrow morning.

 

[SQ]

Will the rat rescue take them and provide the medcal care she needs?

 

[vorbei]

No, unfortunately. The director has been talking to me about getting some antibiotics, but they're not in the situation to take either of them in.

 

[user 2700]

Would the rescue take them if you would foster them at home until they get a new home? I know some places will do it that way. (So they would belong to the rescue, the rescue would vet them and find them a new home and you would foster them until they go to the new home.)

 

[hopefloats]

if they cant take in new rats they may not have the funds to pay for vetting a rat at the moment. Care credit is a credit type card which a lot of vets take in the states. You could apply for one and see if you could qualify for it. It would allow you to get her to a vet.

I hope she feels better. Just keep some ensure in her or softs foods so she dont dehydrate.

 

[lilspaz68]

NTRR is closed to incoming right now but one of their top people is going to see the girl (I believe today) and she will be better to be able to determine what action needs to be taken, since she will be seeing the actual rat not just terribly blurry pics and panicky posts from an owner. I'll wait til I hear back from the NTRR representative before I continue advising anything.

 

[EDK]

Well we've been exchanging PMs lately, and I sent an email to your bf vorbei or sorry fiance. I've also responded to your PM on my situation and what I'm willing to do. It all does depend on our schedules, and of course finances, but I'll do what I can to meet you in Waco. I do need to discuss this with my folks well, let them know what I'm taking on since they are quite worried for what I'm taking on with my current boy rat's situation. But I'm gonna talk to them today and see what they think. If ya'll have an extra, and/or big cage for the girls to stay in on a perment bases, that would be great too! Cause I've also considered, if I can't find them a home, then I'll just keep them myself. But it all depends as well. Are these girls neutered at all? If not let me know on that too, I dont want accidents with my boys. Only one boy (if he survives...*holds back tears*) was in the process of being neutered for behavior reasons. My other 3 boys are not, and one of them is a bit more aggressive to new comers, it'd be risky for me to pair them together, and if they aren't neutered then obviously it wouldn't work on that either and they'd have to be in a seperate cage. Just let me know on that and what ya'll want to do, and I'll PM/email/post here on what my folks have to say.

 

[vorbei]

OK...

I've been talking with her, and we took new photos. (It is a little difficult to take pictures of a squirming rat with an ipod, you know.) But she's doing a lot better and we're getting antibiotics. Been keeping up with everything and her infection has pretty much gone away. The smelly layer of skin and fur peeled off and there is healthy skin underneath. Her lip is healing and she's doing much better. She's gained most of her weight back. We moved them both into a 3 story wire cage and they're having a lot of fun. Sorry for being "panicky" but I'm inexperienced with rats and just needed advice. Thanks for all the help everyone. If it starts getting worse again, we are taking her to the vet.

 

[mamarat]

So glad your little one is doing better. Sending lots and lots of healing vibes.