sigh

[ratcreature]

I called the vet this morning to ask whether there would be any sense in bringing Emil in, but they don't have any results yet on the cultures from the nasal swap, and they would not be able to do anything to help. Meanwhile Emil has been awful. If I wasn't clinging to the small chance that an antibiotic might help yet (though the vet thinks with his rapid decline and his apathy there might be an internal tumor as well), I would have taken him to be put down today.

Instead I'm trying my best to provide sick care, i.e. as he hasn't been eating or drinking, I gave him a little water in his mouth with a syringe this morning, so that at least he won't dehydrate. Thankfully he hasn't yet, at least he peed on me when I petted him -- I think the first time I was relieved to see one of my rats did that. And I carefully wiped down some of the dried snot and crap that had built up around his eyes and nose as he doesn't groom anymore, same for his penis and anus regions. And changed the soiled bedding in his house because he can't use the toilet areas anymore either. I suppose in the end that these all are somewhat useless gestures, but I hope he'll be a little more comfortable if he's slightly cleaner (his fur still looks really awful compared to when he groomed himself of course), and making him drink something can't hurt. And I think he liked being petted and having me groom him. He doesn't react much anymore but still tried to lick me a little in return.

Comments

[kass]

I'm so sorry that all of this is happening, for you and for him.

[ratcreature]

Thanks. I know he's old for a rat, but it's still sad, and he has gotten very bad so quickly. Just two weeks ago he was still playing outside the cage and jumping twice his height, so he wasn't feeble at all, and I really thought he might beat the odds for a while longer. :(

[cereta]

I'm so sorry, hon.

[ratcreature]

Thanks.

[lynx212.livejournal.com]

*hugs on you*

I am so sorry.

[ratcreature]

Thanks. I know from the start with rats that they just don't get very old, but it is still awful every time. *hugs back*

[sholio]

I'm very sorry. *hugs*

[ratcreature]

Thanks.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_bettina_/]

I'm sorry. *hugs*

[ratcreature]

Thanks. *hugs back*

[patk.livejournal.com]

Tut mir so leid, das zu hören, zumal es gerade mal zwei Monate her ist, dass Ignatz gestorben ist. Kein gutes Jahr für dich und deine Lieben. :-( Mein ehrliches Mitgefühl.

[ratcreature]

Danke.

Das ist ja leider oft so wenn man Geschwister als Gruppe hat, sie werden halt gleichzeitig alt. Allerdings hat mich das schon überrascht wie schnell Emil abgebaut hat, weil er bis vor kurzen nie was hatte, und auch noch immer im Auslauf sehr aktiv war. Ich bin es mehr gewohnt dass es langsamer bergab geht. Aber traurig ist es natürlich in jedem Fall. :(

[girlwithoutfear.livejournal.com]

So sorry to hear this. (((hugs)))

[ratcreature]

Thanks.

Unfortunately, I had the vet put him down this afternoon to end his suffering.

[hugglewolf.livejournal.com]

Oh, babes. I'm sorry about your poor wee rat. I hope he gets better.

[ratcreature]

Unfortunately he didn't. I had the vet put him down this afternoon to end his suffering.