I'm so sad:o(

[Trapper7]

I brought my rats out to play and I noticed that one of my older ones was dragging his hind feet.He looks paralized from the waste down.It's 12am here and I dunno what to do,I really don't want him to suffer.I tried giving him some yummy treats but he didn't take them(I didn't think he would)and when I touch his back he squeeks

I dunno what to do,I'm just so sad

*Niki*

 

[TunaSurprise]

Ouch, that hurts bad. I remember my Vietnamese Calote (lizard), I named him Psycho. His head could turn blue whenever he was unhappy, so i could help him. Well, one day i found him lying at the bottom of the cage (which was unusual as he was arboreal), with, a blue head.

 

[Trapper7]

So was he dead or just unhappy?*Niki*

 

[Flip_Side_the_Pint]

hmm thats no good, I remember I had a rat, names Alice, she got really old (4 years, thats old for a ratty) and she did something similar. I think I remember something about spinal degredation with age. That was years ago, after she passed I never got another rat

 

[RamPuppy]

Sorry Trapper, I wish I knew of a humane way to end the suffering for your pet (or rather cure it!) with fish, you put them in a bowl of water, they simply fall asleep and never wake up. I doubt that would work with a rat though.

 

[Starman]

well you might still be able to save him, take him to the vet
If the vet then says that he cant be cured then perhaps the best thing to do is put him to sleep

 

[Dyflam]

Sorry to hear about your sick rat. I have a cat with cancer and she is dwindling away. My criteria for taking pets to have them euthanized is when you know they are critically ill and they stop eating and drinking. Getting your vets assurance is also a good idea.

 

[Copper]

Sorry to hear about your rat.  My daughter's rat died about a year ago after a good long life (for rats), but he had developed a horrible tumor that was the cause of his death.  I did take him to the vet, but was told that there was nothing that could be done (and that the tumors are common for older rats).  The vet said that he was not suffering and might as well stay home until the end, which came a few days later.  I felt sorry for my daughter because the rat did look as if it was suffering and she was very upset. The tumor was huge and completely covered half of his mouth.

 

[Trapper7]

Thanks for all the support guys.Sadly Sushi passed away in my arms at 3am RamPuppy,I had no idea that's what you have to do with fish.Flip_Side_the_Pint:Two of my rats also reached the ripe old age of four It is defiently a good long life for a rattieHow come you never got another rat? Poor Sushi was just 2 and a half tho.I was going to take him to the vet first thing this morning but he had passed away before I could.Copper,I'm sorry to hear about your daughter's rattie.It sounds like he was dearly loved and I'm sure had a wonderful life with you guys Did you get another rat?Thanks again you guys.I am left with Sushi's brother Puma and the two naked ratties I just adopted a week ago *Niki*

 

[unknownclown]

Im very sorry to hear that

unfortunately I dont think much can be done, of course Im no vet either. You may want to take him to the vet and find out what they suggest.

 

[Travis]

Sorry to hear about that. Hope things turn out for the best. It is never easy losing a pet of any kind.

 

[Flip_Side_the_Pint]

Sorry to hear this, this is so not good. I hope everything is in order.

I never got another rattiie because I didn't feel liike having a "replacement" for alice. Oh well maybe some other day I'll get one....

 

[jimscott]

I'm so sorry, Niki. And I know getting another one doesn't quite come close to replacing the one you love. When ou first cat died, we got another, one that looked a lot ole' Zeke, but he just had a different personality.

 

[wickedthistle]

Aw, when I saw this post it just broke my heart. I've had 4 ratties at different times (lived 4, 2.5, 3, and 3 years). My third rat Sammy had 3 strokes near the end of his life and would become paralyzed for awhile. All summer long, I gave him tylenol with strawberry milk and did rattie physical therapy. I figure that all medication was probably tested on rats before it ever got to humans anyway, and aspirin does come from birch bark, a natural substance. By the end of the summer, he was able to walk a little bit, but he died after the last stroke, which he suffered while I was holding him. My parents got me a cute baby rat a few months after. I never considered Smokey to be a replacement rat of any sort. He was a different rat with a different personality. You never forget an old companion, and even if you have a new one, that doesn't change the relationships or fond memories that you obtained in the past.

 

[PlantAKiss]

I'm sorry Niki.

That hits close to home for me. Saturday will be the first year death date for my dog Jonah. I still grieve. Saturday will be a hard day. Thursday would have been his 13th birthday.

I now have the demon Ollie who will never replace Jonah but is a dog with his own personality.

The death of a pet is always a hard thing. I really feel for you and your loss.

If you're so inclined, there is a nice real-time ceremony for departed pets held every Monday nite. Its called a
Candle Ceremony and is kinda close to a "funeral". You can list your pet's name on the Bridge list and participate in the ceremony. I did that for Jonah. Its http://www.petloss.com if you want to check it out.

And also to the Rainbow Bridge where our pets wait for us...
http://www.petloss.com/poems/maingrp/rainbowb.htm

Jonah is on the Bridge List..."Jonah Wire-Haired Fox Terrier 04/07/92-04/09/04 Suzanne"

I miss my boy...

 

[Finch]

im so sorry i wish there was something i could do, but no pet lasts forever

unfortunatly us keepers of smaller animals like rodents and birds must with shorter lifespans must go trough this pain many times. I hope everything works out for the best for you and your rat.

PAK: I sympatize with you. my own childhood companion dog is nearing the age of 15 and is slowing down considerably... it pains me greatly to see it when he attempts to engage a family member in play and is imidatly pushed aside by the younger dogs, so i play with him alone. Hes showing mor einterest in play recently and is still, fin fact, faster than our other 3 year old dog, whom is overwight. Your pents qont be with you forever so love them today and savor theh time you have been given togeather.

Amoung my finches, i have been extremly fortyunate to have a surprisingly low mortality rate, and have had only two deaths thus far. I cant tell if its the quality of care or their surprising longevity. no bird appears to show symptoms of old age, and one has a confirmed age of 18 years, whom is my tamest and my first and is still my favorite. My worst experince and ceartenly the most tramatic was a wing injury of my first female.she was renderd unable to fly and it formed a scap wich later burst, and she bled to death before my eyes, there was nothing i could do.

 

[Trapper7]

Thank you guys so much for your support.I just lost my 13 year old Husky/Wolf cross 2 days before Christmas,so it wasn't a very pleasant one Wow Finch,I can't believe your finch is 18 years old!PlantaKiss thank you very much for the links.I will definetly check them out WhickedThistle I'm sorry about your ratties I just adopted two rats a week ago,and I think I'm gonna get one more but I'm gonna foster it,probably not keep it.It would make me feel better if I helped out a rattie you know.Thanks again guys,you are all SOOO nice to me!*Niki*

 

[Finch]

Quote[/b] ]Wow Finch,I can't believe your finch is 18 years old

i found it hard to beleive, but he was banded by a local breeder whom kept records. i aquirred him 6 years ago, and he hads a missing middle toe, probably from getting it caught somewhere. his band color, number ad date(its a #on the band) and injury is consistant with a bird he bread. most breeders keep a individualized type of band, so we know it is the same bird. Most of my other birds are unbanded or have bands wich i have been unable to trace the sorce. i was shocked because i tought it was pretty old but the breeder said it wasn' t all too uncommon for these birds to live to that age with proper diet and housing, altough he shouldnt be exppected to live many more years. If any pet is expected to live to its maximum life epxpectancy, it should be given a healthy, balanced diet and plenty of exersize. After that and health care, youv done all you can exept to love it.


Trapper7 im so glad u adeopted a rat. there are many out there in need of good homes. i was in charge of the rats at the animal shelter and most were sweet-natured creatures in desperate need of a home. I wish more people would adopt rats, these animals need homes.

 

[PlantAKiss]

Thanks Finch. I feel for you in your position. It is very hard when we see our pets approaching the end. I remember last year at this time I knew I was putting him down on the 9th. I remember thinking "I wish I could project myself a year into the future so this would be all done and over." But here it is a year later and its really no easier. Its not on the surface of my mind as much but certainly come up often...especially right now.

And that is a really old bird! Just like ME!

 

[Travis]

Quote[/b] (PlantAKiss @ April 06 2005,11:52)]And that is a really old bird!   Just like ME!  

Know wonder I feel so young...Thanks PAK!!

tee hee..I am kidding..

I remember balling my eyes out when my sisters cat died. It was really mean to other people and hated men. She got the cat in Saudi so it was part wild.  

That was back in the 1900's.