RatCreature (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
ratcreature) wrote2006-04-19 09:05 pm
ratcreature) wrote2006-04-19 09:05 pm
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another rat post...
Having a sick rat is really kind of stressful. And okay, obviously it's worse for poor Dustin, but I'm just not good with sickness and nursing and stuff.
Dustin got really bad last Friday, and by the time I brought him to the vet on Saturday morning he was apathetic, his breathing was very labored, and seeing him the vet looked kind of grim, so I half expected Dustin wouldn't make it. The vet told me that he wasn't eating because it took all he had just to keep breathing. Anyway, he said that even though the first antibiotic didn't work (which was why Dustin got this other med to drain water from the lungs), he'd give him a last chance with another antibiotic, in case it was an infection after all, and gave him an injection with the antibiotic and something to help his metabolism (which was the only moment Dustin reacted at all as he squeaked and struggled in some desperate attempt to get away), and told me to come again during the emergency hour they were open Sunday morning despite the holiday. He told me that if it works he should improve by afternoon, however his tone wasn't all that hopeful, it seemed awfully like the one that vets use to when there's a good likelihood that your pet will die sooner rather than later, or that it would be best to put it down.
Yet early Saturday afternoon Dustin ate a little cucumber (a good thing since it's watery and he hadn't even bothered to drink anymore), and later also ate some rat treats I offered. Finally the early evening he even came outside and got out of the cage, moving around a little, if slowly, and he showed interest again in getting food, that is he came when I called (with the whistling I use when I offer them especially tasty stuff, it's not like they listen to their names without incentive or anything), and ate two smallish pieces of cooked potato (another favorite they usually don't get that often). So even though his breathing was still labored, and he ate slower and much less enthusiastically than normal, and he was not active and playful like usual, he was at least eating and drinking a little again, reacted to things, and his breathing became easier, that is at least the noises were again different and less awful. BTW, thanks for wishing him well, he definitely needed some good luck, especially then.
So then overall he seemed more like a stubborn rat, still clinging to life, rather than just sitting holed up in his hide out, waiting for death apathetically, which is what he was like Saturday morning. And that had me rather hopeful that the antibiotic might just solve his problems. The next days I brought my rat to the vet every morning for the antibiotic injection, since it has to be given at least six days. Unfortunately so far the improvements didn't go beyond a certain point. While his breathing isn't awful anymore, the initial sounds haven't gone away, and he still has this hiccup-thing too.
And while he is reasonably lively again, his appetite for some reason remains weak. He is eating, but not nearly as much or as enthusiastically as usual, so I'm constantly trying to coax him into eating, offer him mashed potato and baby food, try giving him his favorite treats, and such. The vet today was a bit at a loss why he wouldn't eat, even though he is well enough to run around, scuffle with his brother, climb the furniture, and is also once again interested in destroying my stuff, like, he wouldn't take treats but had no problems to chew off some buttons from my remote control which I had unwisely left and within his reach. I mean, sometimes he'll just sit somewhere, which isn't like his usual hyper self, but overall he doesn't seem all that weak. Which is good, I guess, now if he just ate like he should it'd be even better.
Also today I was advised to try inhalations with chamomile twice a day, if he tolerates them, to see whether that might help with his breathing. He's not that thrilled to sit in his transport box with a towel over that and the bowl with the steaming chamomile water, but sat inside calmly enough, so I guess I'll keep doing that too.
But seriously, this nursing thing sucks: Daily trips to the vet for the antibiotic injection (they asked whether I thought I could inject him myself, but it's not like I'm experienced with that stuff, nor would I have someone to hold him still while trying to do this), now expanded to the full ten day instead of the minimum six (meaning also another set of extra weekend fees), coaxing a reluctant rat to eat with special foods, for which btw I'm now considering getting some special nutrition paste from the vet, even though when the vet tried to get Dustin to eat it today, Dustin wasn't impressed and only examined the feeding syringe without taking any paste, so I didn't buy any today, but I might give it a try to see whether he likes it when he's not stressed on an exam table (and btw I never had to do that coaxing to eat thing before, even when my last rats died of cancer they had a healthy appetite until the tumors were so bad that I had to have them put down), and now chamomile inhalations twice a day on top of that. And the week before that I already had to give him those other meds thrice a day.
A really huge part of my day right now seems to be taken up by either rat care or worry about him, and it sucks. And I know it's not nice of me and kind of irrational, but I'm starting to get pissed off with Dustin that he won't at least eat properly again, despite being well enough to climb on my furniture and chew on that and my remote control. It's not that I wish he was sicker, I just don't get it, you know? And now it's another five days of bringing him to the vet. And unfortunately the vet isn't nearby. I go there because the practice has a really good reputation for rats, which is why you see plenty of other people with rats too, and because I had some not so good experiences with vets who didn't treat rats often, so I think it's worth the extra effort to be sure to get good care. But since I don't have a car, right now this only works reasonable well because my sister is kind enough to let me impose her and drive me there before she goes to work. And I really, really need to get some kind of thank you gift for her.
I mean, obviously it'll be totally worth it, if he gets well again, or at least if his problems (which the vets now think is an abscess in his lung caused by a mycoplasmal infection) can be beaten back for a while. And even if in the end it doesn't turn out well, obviously I still have to try to get him help anyway. And I wouldn't have gotten pets if I wasn't prepared to care for them when they're sick, and bring them to the vet as often as necessary. (I believe people who don't consider at least the more likely worst case scenarios that might befall their pets beforehand and are not willing or able to stick with their pets through those shouldn't get one in the first place.)
And yet, it still just really sucks. I'm not just good with sickness, and it's not like I got rats to play nurse. Sigh.
Dustin got really bad last Friday, and by the time I brought him to the vet on Saturday morning he was apathetic, his breathing was very labored, and seeing him the vet looked kind of grim, so I half expected Dustin wouldn't make it. The vet told me that he wasn't eating because it took all he had just to keep breathing. Anyway, he said that even though the first antibiotic didn't work (which was why Dustin got this other med to drain water from the lungs), he'd give him a last chance with another antibiotic, in case it was an infection after all, and gave him an injection with the antibiotic and something to help his metabolism (which was the only moment Dustin reacted at all as he squeaked and struggled in some desperate attempt to get away), and told me to come again during the emergency hour they were open Sunday morning despite the holiday. He told me that if it works he should improve by afternoon, however his tone wasn't all that hopeful, it seemed awfully like the one that vets use to when there's a good likelihood that your pet will die sooner rather than later, or that it would be best to put it down.
Yet early Saturday afternoon Dustin ate a little cucumber (a good thing since it's watery and he hadn't even bothered to drink anymore), and later also ate some rat treats I offered. Finally the early evening he even came outside and got out of the cage, moving around a little, if slowly, and he showed interest again in getting food, that is he came when I called (with the whistling I use when I offer them especially tasty stuff, it's not like they listen to their names without incentive or anything), and ate two smallish pieces of cooked potato (another favorite they usually don't get that often). So even though his breathing was still labored, and he ate slower and much less enthusiastically than normal, and he was not active and playful like usual, he was at least eating and drinking a little again, reacted to things, and his breathing became easier, that is at least the noises were again different and less awful. BTW, thanks for wishing him well, he definitely needed some good luck, especially then.
So then overall he seemed more like a stubborn rat, still clinging to life, rather than just sitting holed up in his hide out, waiting for death apathetically, which is what he was like Saturday morning. And that had me rather hopeful that the antibiotic might just solve his problems. The next days I brought my rat to the vet every morning for the antibiotic injection, since it has to be given at least six days. Unfortunately so far the improvements didn't go beyond a certain point. While his breathing isn't awful anymore, the initial sounds haven't gone away, and he still has this hiccup-thing too.
And while he is reasonably lively again, his appetite for some reason remains weak. He is eating, but not nearly as much or as enthusiastically as usual, so I'm constantly trying to coax him into eating, offer him mashed potato and baby food, try giving him his favorite treats, and such. The vet today was a bit at a loss why he wouldn't eat, even though he is well enough to run around, scuffle with his brother, climb the furniture, and is also once again interested in destroying my stuff, like, he wouldn't take treats but had no problems to chew off some buttons from my remote control which I had unwisely left and within his reach. I mean, sometimes he'll just sit somewhere, which isn't like his usual hyper self, but overall he doesn't seem all that weak. Which is good, I guess, now if he just ate like he should it'd be even better.
Also today I was advised to try inhalations with chamomile twice a day, if he tolerates them, to see whether that might help with his breathing. He's not that thrilled to sit in his transport box with a towel over that and the bowl with the steaming chamomile water, but sat inside calmly enough, so I guess I'll keep doing that too.
But seriously, this nursing thing sucks: Daily trips to the vet for the antibiotic injection (they asked whether I thought I could inject him myself, but it's not like I'm experienced with that stuff, nor would I have someone to hold him still while trying to do this), now expanded to the full ten day instead of the minimum six (meaning also another set of extra weekend fees), coaxing a reluctant rat to eat with special foods, for which btw I'm now considering getting some special nutrition paste from the vet, even though when the vet tried to get Dustin to eat it today, Dustin wasn't impressed and only examined the feeding syringe without taking any paste, so I didn't buy any today, but I might give it a try to see whether he likes it when he's not stressed on an exam table (and btw I never had to do that coaxing to eat thing before, even when my last rats died of cancer they had a healthy appetite until the tumors were so bad that I had to have them put down), and now chamomile inhalations twice a day on top of that. And the week before that I already had to give him those other meds thrice a day.
A really huge part of my day right now seems to be taken up by either rat care or worry about him, and it sucks. And I know it's not nice of me and kind of irrational, but I'm starting to get pissed off with Dustin that he won't at least eat properly again, despite being well enough to climb on my furniture and chew on that and my remote control. It's not that I wish he was sicker, I just don't get it, you know? And now it's another five days of bringing him to the vet. And unfortunately the vet isn't nearby. I go there because the practice has a really good reputation for rats, which is why you see plenty of other people with rats too, and because I had some not so good experiences with vets who didn't treat rats often, so I think it's worth the extra effort to be sure to get good care. But since I don't have a car, right now this only works reasonable well because my sister is kind enough to let me impose her and drive me there before she goes to work. And I really, really need to get some kind of thank you gift for her.
I mean, obviously it'll be totally worth it, if he gets well again, or at least if his problems (which the vets now think is an abscess in his lung caused by a mycoplasmal infection) can be beaten back for a while. And even if in the end it doesn't turn out well, obviously I still have to try to get him help anyway. And I wouldn't have gotten pets if I wasn't prepared to care for them when they're sick, and bring them to the vet as often as necessary. (I believe people who don't consider at least the more likely worst case scenarios that might befall their pets beforehand and are not willing or able to stick with their pets through those shouldn't get one in the first place.)
And yet, it still just really sucks. I'm not just good with sickness, and it's not like I got rats to play nurse. Sigh.
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*MORE HUGS*
no subject
The first guess was myco, but then it didn't react to the first antibiotic which according to them usually shows good results with myco, and then everything got more complicated with possibilities when that x-ray they took also showed that his heart wasn't quite placed right, or something, besides showing this affected area of his lung.