I know this is a strange request, but PLEASE help our little baby rat!!
MoveCloseDeleteAdmin

TV ClubHouse: Archive: I know this is a strange request, but PLEASE help our little baby rat!!

Ratlady

Sunday, September 08, 2002 - 02:59 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Like I said, I know this is strange, but I would really like your prayers or best wishes or what ever kinds of things every one does. Our poor little baby girl is sick (she is one of out pet rats). She is sick. We don't know what is wrong with her. Tonight, I found quite a bit of blood on both paws (like she was cleaning herself), but can't for the life of me figure out where it is coming from! I have looked her over and can't find anywhere where she could be bleeding from. The only thing I could think of is that the blood is coming from her nose. This is called Porphryn (sp), which means she is sick. BUT I have never known this much blood to come from a rats nose! Right now she is not eating or drinking. I gave her some medicine I had left over from when one of my other rats was sick but I don't know if this will help. The good news is, is that she is not breathing thru her mouth (that means that she still could make it). Many of you may not understand, but this rat is like part of the family. She is one of the sweetest rats I have EVER met! And, trust me, I have met LOTS!! She is the friendliest, most lovey rat I have ever seen. She belongs to my husband, though I REALLY tried to steal her from him. We are both extremely worried about her. In my heart, I really don't know if she is going to make it, she is not looking good at all. We may take her to the vet tomarrow, but I don't know if we can afford it this week.
Anyway, I was hoping that maybe you all could say a prayer or something for her. Her name is Baby. I have already lost 2 this year, I can't lose her!! She is so dear to me!! Thank you all. I will keep you updated on her health and send a picture of her once I get my camcorder working. THank you again!!

Bonny

Whit4you

Sunday, September 08, 2002 - 03:10 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Does she eat mice? If so check out the "Mouse in the house" thread - we got some mice for her - might cheer her up :)

Kapow

Sunday, September 08, 2002 - 03:58 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Hi Ratlady,
My job all throughout college was taking care of lab rats, so I love them, too. Is there any chance that she may have had a baby rat? Gross, I know, but sometimes they have babies and eat them straight away, leaving blood on their paws. I promise I am not trying to be yuck, just troubleshooting for you.

Otherwise, can you douse the rat in hydrogen peroxide -it might show any troubled areas you can't spot with the naked eye.... Just dont put it on her face/ears.

Also not to be gross, but check her little rat booty. I have known a few rats to get agressive in scratching that area which can draw blood.

Best of luck to you

Halfunit

Sunday, September 08, 2002 - 07:24 am EditMoveDeleteIP
**HUGS** Ratlady **HUGS**


It doesn't matter if it's a rat, a cat, a dog, or a hog. Not a strange request at all, and I hope you figure out what is wrong with Baby and everything gets better!!!

Costacat

Sunday, September 08, 2002 - 09:33 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Oh, Ratlady! I'm sending lots of positive thoughts your way. I have NO IDEA what to do to help you otherwise. But me 'n my kids (and yup, they're cats! <grin>) hope your little punkin makes it OK.

And take her to the vet. Right away! To an emergency room, if possible. Believe me, if you care for her as much as it sounds, it'll be worth it!

Sia

Sunday, September 08, 2002 - 10:06 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Oh, Ratlady, I'm so sorry to hear that Baby isn't well. Can you phone your small-animals clinic/vet for advice? Is there any possibility that Baby could've eaten something not intended for her, like bath-beads or other household products? Are there any toxic plants in the house? Sending prayers for Baby and love and hugs to you, Ratlady.

Moondance

Sunday, September 08, 2002 - 10:11 am EditMoveDeleteIP
{{{RatLady & Babygirl}}}

I love fur babies!!!

Faerygdds

Sunday, September 08, 2002 - 11:00 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Big hugs to you ratlady... as someone above posted... it's not a strange request at all.. we all have different children... some human, some cats, dogs, rats, mice, gerbils...even ferrets. I hope your little one gets well soon!

Juju2bigdog

Sunday, September 08, 2002 - 03:30 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Get well soon, Babygirl.

Fruitbat

Sunday, September 08, 2002 - 04:48 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
We had rats for years. Great little animals. Superiour little rodent beings. Tender, smart and loving.

The good news is that she will heal herself. The bad news, since rats are basically bred for snake food (in pet stores) no attention is paid to good gene lines.

It is rare that rats live the life span that nature originally gave them. Inbreeding is the curse here. They are particularly suscepetable to cancer.

Just love her, give her tender care and nature will take it's course. Hash news but that is the nature of rats.

I adored every rat we had, and we had many. They never lived long enough. :-(

On the bright side, injury is common and that could be the cause. Cages are harsher than their natural environment and her bleeding could be simple.

Squaredsc

Sunday, September 08, 2002 - 05:14 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
((((Ratlady)))) (((((Baby)))) i hope she get better real soon. a family member is a family member no matter what the species.

Bookworm

Sunday, September 08, 2002 - 05:40 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Thinking of you Ratlady. We had similar things happen to some kittens a few years back and never did figure out what it was. Keep us updated. Hope things look up soon.

Silksmoke

Sunday, September 08, 2002 - 06:18 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Ratlady, I'm so very sorry to hear about your little one. Never having owned a rat, I can't give you any advise, but I do hope things go well for her. I don't think you had a "strange request" at all. Pets become so much a part of the family. Our pets (2 dogs and a cat) have become our children since our two legged ones have grown and flown the nest. Please keep us posted on how your baby girl is doing.

Ratlady

Sunday, September 08, 2002 - 06:40 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Thank you all so much! Well, I have good news and bad news. The good news is, I have been giving her medicine and it seems to be helping. I really think it is a Myco flare up. A couple of my rats have had that before and Baby is showing the same symptoms as they were. Oh, she doesn't eat mice! LOL And she hasn't had any babies, that would be extremely difficult since the only 2 boys I have are nuetered. I wanted to take her to the vet today but they were closed and the hospital doesn't know about rats. GRRRRRRR. Thankfully though, the meds seem to be helping. She is moving around alot more today than she was yesterday.
And now the bad news. My newest baby rat has died. Not the one that I originally posted about. I was calling her Chinny because her fur looked so much like a chinchilla. I have NO idea what happened. She was fine last night then today, she wasn't acting like herself and when I really checked her out, she almost seems a little dehydrated. I know she jumps out of my husbands hands last night and fell to the floor and hit her head on the edge of a hard plastic lid. I'm thinking that maybe she really hurt herself from the fall or maybe broke her neck. She was REALLY tiny (almost the size of an adult mouse). I checked her out completely after the fall, but seems fine, until today. I am just going out of m mind with worry! I think that another rat maybe sick as well!! I am taking at least one of them to the vet tomarrow just to make sure it is Myco and to get enough meds for all the rats if needed!
Thanks again for all of your support! I love you guys!! :)

Costacat

Sunday, September 08, 2002 - 08:16 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Oh Ratlady! That's great news about the sick one, but sad news about Chinny! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you... do let us know what the doc says tomorrow! I don't know what I'd do if either of my four-legged, furry-faced kids who meow had probs.

(Actually, that's not true. Both of 'em have vet insurance, for "just in case." And my little man, Costa, has cardiomyopathy. But he's asymptomatic and is a sassy 6 years old now.)

Sia

Sunday, September 08, 2002 - 08:18 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
(((((Ratlady))))) Sorry for your loss.

Halfunit

Monday, September 09, 2002 - 07:07 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Ratlady - did you get Baby to the vet today? I've been waiting for an update!!!!!

Bookworm

Tuesday, September 10, 2002 - 07:36 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Me too Ratlady. Let us know what you found out. I have been thinking about you.

Grooch

Tuesday, September 10, 2002 - 09:23 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Ratlady,

Go to this website and talk to the lady who runs this place.

http://www.atotalwebdesign.com/tarponz.html

She breeds rats to improve their genetic lines. I told her about your problem and she wants to talk to you, but she hasn't been able to join tvch yet. So she asked me to give you her website, but she won't be around tomorrow but she will get back to you.

I hope your babies are doing better now. :)

Costacat

Wednesday, September 11, 2002 - 04:12 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Ratlady!!!!!! Please let us know how your rat babies are doing. I'm hoping all is well!

Bridgetlovesbb

Wednesday, September 11, 2002 - 06:31 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
bumping for hope of an update on Baby!!

Ratlady

Saturday, September 14, 2002 - 12:49 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I am soo sorry I have taken so long to get back to you about the rats. Baby Girl is doing GREAT!! She did have a myco flare up but since I had started giving her meds once I noticed, she is back to her normal sweet self. Thank you all for your support. I also had another rat have a flare up too, but she is doing great now as well. There was a couple others that I was worried about but, now everyone is doing terrific. The reason it took so long for me to et back to you all is because I was having some major problems with one of my dogs. He tried to bite me twice this week when all I did was try to get him outside. He started to growl at me when I would pet him!! I don't understand what happened to him. He has NEVER been hit or even scolded! He was completely spoiled rotten. BUT, my husband and I had to make a very hard decision yesterday. I guess Bailey had also tried to bite my husband the other day as well. We had to put him down. We agonized over the dicision and I called all of the vets in a 50 mile radius and they ALL told me the same thing that I was thinking. I have 2 VERY small children (3 and 1). I can't take the chance of him biting one of them. If I were to take him to the Humane Society, he would be put down anyway. I figured that at least this way, he will be with the only family he has ever known until his last breath. I really hope I made the right decision. I just wish I knew what went wrong! We have both of his parents and they both have perfect temperments. Neither has ever growled or done anything aggressive. Anyway, I have been alittle depressed since this is the 4th pet I have lost in less than 3 weeks. Thanks again for all of your support for the rats! :)
Oh! And thank you Grooch for the website!!

Shoofly

Saturday, September 14, 2002 - 11:07 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Oh gosh, I have been following this story, Ratlady. I feel so sad for your loss.

We had to make that decision for our beloved kitty this year, for reasons of health, but, the pain doesn't distinquish quite that simply.

Sweet memories will return in time; the emptiness and heartache is a given.

There is no accounting for the special bond between pets and their people, unless one has them. Prayers for your family, two and four-legged.

Ratlady

Monday, September 16, 2002 - 02:29 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Tank you so much shoofly. I have put Baileys' chain up on in my car so I will be reminded of him. I still feel so incredibly bad for what I felt we had to do. I still try to think of other ways we could have gone about it, but, I can't think of any that would have made him happy as well. The thing that really bothers me is that I am a HUGE pet advocate (at least with my family in law, I got my mother in law to go for a humane trap rather than one that will kill a rat) but yet, I sentence my dog to death. I am not God or one who says when it is time for another life to go! How could I do that to another soul?? Do you know you how I feel? I know I will feel terrible about this for months, possibly even years. Anyway, thank you so much Shoofly for your symphanthy (hope I spelled it right!)

Halfunit

Monday, September 16, 2002 - 05:42 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Ratlady,

You said it yourself in the above post. You are a pet advocate, and you believe in humane treatment of animals.

What you had to do was humane. It sounds as if something snapped in Baileys' mind (I'm not an expert, but can't this happen if bitten by a tick or something?).

You are a responsible pet owner. With that title, not only do you look out for your pets best interests, but your family and neighbors too. If he had bitten a neighbor's child, the end result would probably have been the same. Sometimes the choices we make don't feel good emotionally, but logically they are the only choices we have. Doing the right thing isn't always the easiest thing to do. My husband had to destroy a dog (at the dog wardens request) that snapped just last Friday because the owners refused to do anything about it, and let me tell you, having Bailey put down is much more humane.

Bailey is in a better place where he is back to his old self again. He understands what you did and why you did it, and he holds no grudges. Think about the good times, and remind yourself you did the responsible thing.

{{{{{ Ratlady }}}}}

Shoofly

Monday, September 16, 2002 - 09:06 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Ratlady, I so know how you feel.

I too, have rescued kitties and dogs. After this last kitty, though, for some reason, I cannot give my heart so completely, YET, to another. So, I give the funds to a group that does.

In the meantime, I continue to dedicate my back yard to wildlife. It is the joy of my day to see them all waiting for me to get the seeds and such out for them. They bring their babies to our deck and they feel safe enough to allow us to be near, watching. It is that simple 'joy' that you would understand.

You have had a significant loss and everything in your daily life will continue to remind you of Bailey.

Over time, the memories that flood in, will only be sweet ones.

There are wonderful websites, that gather folks up, in one place of sharing the loss of a beloved pet. They allow for a place to put down thoughts and some, have a way to leave a memorial to your Bailey.

I am sorry that I do not have them at the tip of my fingers, but, sometimes the searching on your own, leads you to the site that best fits your needs.

I know there will be tears, as you find folks sharing their stories, and you may find yourself wanting to return more than once.

I found it a place of solace, when I thought no on else, could possibly understand how painful this is to a family. A place where I could put my head down and cry from the bottom of my heart.

Big {{{hugs to you all}}}}}, and to your {{{{other dogs}}}, who will not know the 'whys', at all.

Squaredsc

Monday, September 16, 2002 - 09:41 am EditMoveDeleteIP
(((((Ratlady)))) im so sorry to hear about what you went through with bailey, but in the end you did the right thing for all of you. and bailey is now in a better place.

Ratlady

Thursday, September 19, 2002 - 05:53 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I can not thank you all enough for the kind words. I still miss Bailey terribly but I feel worse knowing that it was my daughters dog and she had no say in what happened. But I just have to keep reminding myself that she is only 3 and wouldn't really completely understand. The house does seem much more peaceful. I feel terrible saying that, but it is true. Bruno (our other male Rottie) has really calmed down alot. He isn't getting into trouble as much and just seemed more at peace. Bailey used to growl at him from across the room every time Bruno just looked in his direction. So, I'm sure you can imagine how often they fought. It was strange. It was like Bruno knew what happened with Bailey and after my husband came home from the vet, he walked up to him and licked his hand. All night that night, he wouldn't leave our sides and he kept licking our hands and faces almost as to say thank you! Bruno used to always lay on the floor inbetween our feet but since Bailey had gotten just as big as Bruno, Bailey wouldn't let him. Anyway, thank you again for the kind words. I have made it a point to remember to sit down once a day and try to remember the good times we had with Bailey rather than the bad. :)

Kstme

Thursday, September 19, 2002 - 11:37 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Ratlady...Never blame yourself for what happened to Bailey! In the "Dog Thread" last spring a few of us had experienced what you went through. We'd had an Old English about 10 years ago that went ballistic at 11 months old and had to have him put to sleep. With him, he'd had some health problems when he was 3 months old and had run a temp that "fried" his brain. When he started to turn on "me" we knew something was VERY wrong. I was his world!

Someone (gosh, I WISH I could remember his name) had some interesting articles about dogs who become aggressive for no "apparent" reason. It's actually not that uncommon! Be very thankful you recognized his syptoms so early and no one was hurt.

BIG ((((H U G S)))) to you for ALL your losses this last month!

Ratlady

Friday, September 20, 2002 - 10:44 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Thank you Kstme :) I'm sorry about your dog 10 years ago. I just wish I knew what happened, you know? It all basicly started when our female (his mom) went into heat. I know we should have nuetered him when he was younger but for one reason or another, we never did. I am starting to feel much better about what we had to do. Everytime I look at my 2 beautiful little girls, I stop regretting it. I just keep reminding myself that he could have seriously hurt (or worse) one of my daughters. Thank you again! :)

I GOT ANOTHER RAT!! :) hee hee hee LOL She is GORGEOUS!! She is a blazed banded rex. That means that she has a thin white stripe going from her nose up to about her forehead (the stripe doesn't cover the entire nose), a thick brownish- black stripe down her back and the rest of her is white, and rex means that she has a curly coat. I have this REALLY bad habit of getting rats from pet stores because I don't want to see them go as snake food. Which I think is kinda funny since I own 2 snakes myself! LOL Anyway, as soon as I get my camcorder working again, I will post some pictures of my rats so I can show them off :) LOL
Thank you all again for your wonderful support. You have no idea how much it means to me :)