rat update

[ratcreature]

Because the wound area has been really swollen over the weekend I brought Ignatz in to the vet again this afternoon. I didn't think it was an emergency because he was eating and behaving mostly okay. Turns out it wasn't swelling but the wound had bled internally. So the vet drew a disturbingly huge amount of blood from the wound in a syringe. (It was at least a full human size syringe, and that from a rat!) The vet said however that the bleeding itself must have stopped already, otherwise Ignatz wouldn't still be alive. I hope he's right about the bleeding, and that Ignatz will now heal okay. In any case I suspect Ignatz is now more comfortable without all that blood in the wound pressing on things, though once we got home he just hid in his house. But then I suppose I would feel really crappy with such blood loss too. If you have any good health vibes to spare, Ignatz could certainly use them.

Comments

[iamza.livejournal.com]

Yeah, not fun. I don't think I'd like to have a tumor cut out of me no matter what my age!

It feels strange to think of Ignatz as old -- seems like just yesterday, he was the new rat in town.

[ratcreature]

Yeah, they live so much shorter than humans. Or even some other pets. :(

So it is always kind of hard that you see them grow old so fast with all the problems that come with that. OTOH it's not only a bad thing that you only commit for 2-3 years with rats. I mean, how could I be sure that I could properly care for a cat the next two decades?