# Back with lots of sad news and the possibility of more sad news



## Korra (Dec 11, 2011)

So...I have not logged in for ages...the past few months have been the worst I have ever had in my life. At the very beginning of the summer, my Jack Chi Dempsey, who was a daughter to me and went everywhere I did, was killed when she went to a birthday party with me. The two story back deck collapsed while as we were singing Happy Birthday. She was the light of my life and the rats loved her as well. She has left a huge hole in my life and I still think about her every single day. She died the day after her second birthday  

My rat fortunes haven't been the best either. Korra is the only of my original rats that is still alive somehow...Katniss, the double rex, developed tumors on her face and was put down a few weeks ago. Silver Lily was older than the people told me and she became worse until she died at the vet. Yue died shortly after Dempsey for reasons I do not know...I woke up in the morning and she was curled up and cold. At least she went in her sleep. I guess these are what you call the horrors of pet shop rats. Even poor Korra has developed small abscesses on her legs.


Add stress from school, work, a family illness, a bad car wreck, and a bad breakup and you have a mix for depression. I hope I never have a summer like this again...Dempsey was definitely the worst part.

But there have been sparks of happiness. A few months ago, I adopted a young blue hooded rex from a rescue near me and she is great. And 3 weeks ago, right after Katniss passed, a friend came to me with a beautiful black husky dumbo. I will show you all pictures of them as soon as I fix my laptop that had crashed.








































But here is why I am posting in this section. There is the one pet store that I am always talking about that the people know me and all of my animals by name. They were heartbroken about Dempsey as she came in there all the time. But anyway, they all know me as the rat lady and ask me about their rats all the time. And though they are feeders, they listen to me about putting them in better conditions. I am also allowed to take some home for free every once in a while if the owner is in the right mood. Over the weekend, I looked in one of the bins and saw a huge bloated dumbo. I looked her over and the LARGEST plug I have ever seen fell out of her poor ravaged looking vagina. I checked the gender of all of the other rats in the cage with her. 6 full grown males...the poor girl. 
And her drama does not end there. I think she has megacolon. I thought it was babies at first glance, but because of the plug I'm guessing she was only in heat the night before. Plus, after feeling her abdomen, the masses are way too large to be individual pups. So she may possibly be pregnant and have mega colon. I am giving her fiber as well as practicing abdominal massage. I am trying to get into the vet but the one I go to does not spay or neuter. Plus my finances are tight at the current moment because I just paid 2000 for the next semester, 1000 for car repairs, and 500 for a new computer. The timing is awful for poor Kandi. What can I do for her? And what are her chances of being ok? Am I going to be left with a litter to somehow raise myself?


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## 1a1a (May 6, 2011)

Sounds like you've been thrown a fair few curve balls lately :-(

About your little Kandi, my thoughts are, if all you can offer is nice home and euthanisation if and when that time comes, that is still better than living out her life in the pet shop and going naturally (if indeed she has megacolon), so, even if you can't do a Lot for her, you can still make the rest of her life comfortable


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## RatzRUs (Feb 5, 2012)

She looks just like my Lina . I would give her the best life with love,cuddles and kisses. If you decide to pts you can give her a few days letting her know what love and caring is. She looks like a doll.


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## RatzRUs (Feb 5, 2012)

I'm also so sorry a but your other rattys it breaks my heart


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

I do not have advice for you, but I do have condolences and invisible hugs for you. I am so, so sorry for everything that's happened to you lately. It _will_ get better.


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## Korra (Dec 11, 2011)

Thanks for all of the kind words guys. It has been some of the hardest times of my life and I hate that I have to be without my Dempsey, but hopefully soon things will turns around. 
About Miss Kandi, she seems happy and healthy other than the obvious bloating. She is bright eyed, active and eats well. She is also really friendly. I look in her litter box often and she seems to have regular bowel movements and they all appear normal looking. I am thinking that I will keep her until she shows signs of distress and then I will let her rest. Hopefully I can document her story and use her to let people know the importance of going to a good breeder. She deserves the best she can get. After her QT is it safe to let other rats around her? Myco is genetic correct?


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## Korra (Dec 11, 2011)

Ok so today marks 21 days and she is not pregnant. She is a very slow and happy rats. She may just be old and have digestive issues. I do not know. She sleeps mostly and even sleeps in my lap. She still is bloated and has hard lumps but they are not as large.


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## 1a1a (May 6, 2011)

Good news


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## coxbrea151 (Jun 1, 2012)

Sorry about all of the Curve Balls life has pitched at you. At least she is not pregnant, one less rat litter with the myco genitic desiese. Thank you for saving Miss Kandi from a miserable life, she is probably greatful to you too.


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## Korra (Dec 11, 2011)

Ok, gotta call the vet tomorrow morning...got back from a day and a half at the lake house and Miss Kandi is bleeding from her vagina. No other visible signs of stress...any idea what is going on


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## Korra (Dec 11, 2011)

I had little Miss Kandi euthanized today. The bleeding from her vagina had gone crazy and would not stop. It turns out she did not have mega but the vet thinks it was uterine tumors that had gotten out of control. He said either that or babies that could not be passed and got stuck. He asked if I wanted to have her body cut open to see what it was and I said no thank you and that I would bury her instead. She had an entire month of living happy and peacefully. I wanted to let her go before she suffered needlessly and I think I accomplished that. This should be a lesson to all pet stores to treat their rats better as this kind of thing happens all the time and it is swept under the rug. 

RIP little Kandi. May you find happiness, (and a slim girlish figure!!) again in heaven


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## RatzRUs (Feb 5, 2012)

Awh poor baby :*(


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## ILoveMyMonsters (May 25, 2012)

Poor girl. She was a beauty. May she find the peace and everlasting happiness in her next life that eluded her in this one until she found you. It sounds like she was well cared for in her last weeks.


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