:(

[ratcreature]

I'm going to have to let Leo euthanized tomorrow. It looked briefly like he might be okay for a bit after all last week as his weight and eating stabilized, but he hasn't been eating right since last Friday, and the last two days he practically hasn't eaten anything, not matter whether I plied him with egg, pudding, Nutri-Cal, cooked food, anything...

And worse, his breathing has gotten really bad. Tuesday the vet tried some last ditch effort whether maybe some sort of passive anti-body injection on top of the other stuff he's been getting might help the symptoms, but he has not gotten better since, only worse. And he's been actually clingy today. I mean, he's always affectionate, but right now whenever come to the cage, he actually tries to climb onto me, and wants me to hold him, which he's never done before. Meanwhile his breath has become gasping today. I mean, his ears, mucous membranes and other skin I can see are still pinkish, so he's not quite cyanotic, but it's clear he can't breathe right anymore, and I assume that this running to me is a variant of breathing panic.

Right now I've actually turned on music, though I don't like background sounds normally, just so I don't have to listen so prominently to the horrible breathing noises he makes, because I can't bear it. Earlier I held him in my arms for a while, trying to soothe him, but obviously that wasn't all that helpful either. I mean, he runs to me, but it is not as if I can fix anything, so I hold him for a while, then he gets agitated again, but doesn't really know where to go either, doesn't want to be in his cage, doesn't want to be on me either... I assume he'd just like to be able to draw a breath.

So yeah. There are no other options.

Comments

[petra]

I'm sorry to hear that. I hope his last hours have some pleasant moments for both of you.

[ratcreature]

Thank you.

[busaikko]

Oh, the poor little guy, so terrible for him to be suffering. You must be devastated, especially so soon after losing Noah. (( hugs and love to both of you ))

[ratcreature]

Thank you. It doesn't come unexpected, but it is still hard.

[merrily]

Hey - here via network, and just wanted to send my sympathies.

Also, don't know if it's a helpful suggestion, but maybe putting his cage somewhere steamy (the bathroom, with the shower running) will help ease his breathing? Just so you can both get through the night okay?

So sorry.

[ratcreature]

Thank you. I didn't sleep well, because I kept hearing him. (And unfortunately the only way for steam inhalation would have been to use a box, as my cage is too large to move, almost 2m high with the base, 90cm wide and 55cm deep.)

[rosaw]

I am so sorry. {{{{hugs}}}} to you and your little guy.

[ratcreature]

Thanks.

[lanning]

I'm so sorry, hon. *hugs*

[ratcreature]

Thanks.

[bluemeridian]

It's never easy. I'll be thinking of you. *hugs*

[ratcreature]

Thank you. Aging and dying definitely sucks across species. :(

[cereta]

I'm so sorry.

[ratcreature]

Thanks.

[lilacsigil]

I'm so sorry you're losing two in such quick succession.

[ratcreature]

Thanks. It's not unexpected with siblings, but it's still hard. Especially because he was my last rat for the moment, so I'm feeling quite lonely now.

[saraht]

I'm sorry. It's so hard not to be able to help someone who depends on you.

[ratcreature]

Yeah. I can only hope the cuddles were at least a comfort, even if they didn't help anything.

[thefourthvine]

I'm so sorry. That sounds terrible, and so hard for both of you. *hugs and hugs*

[ratcreature]

Thank you. Pneumonia is truly awful, because obviously not being able to breathe is as distressing for rats as it is for anyone.

[rheanna]

I'm sorry. {{hugs}}

[ratcreature]

Thanks.

[mirabile-dictu.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry. How difficult this is. My sympathies.

[ratcreature]

Thank you.

[jacquez.livejournal.com]

Aww. I'm so sorry. Give the poor guy lots of cuddles; sounds like he wants them and you could use them.

[ratcreature]

Thanks. I cuddled some with him last night and then this morning before I had him euthanized. I hope it was at least some comfort. It's so hard to say goodbye, but all options were exhausted and he was clearly suffering, and not just brief periods like the gasping fits he had a earlier every now and then, but all the time so that he couldn't even eat or sleep properly anymore. Nobody would want to drag out that kind of state.

[imadra-blue.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry. Internet hugs may come cheaply, but you have them from me, sincerely.

[ratcreature]

Thank you.