# I killed Oreo giving him a bath *cries*



## pinkpixies (May 22, 2008)

I don't know what happened...I was just washing him like normal...but I guess he got too scared or something...he protested a little but they always do...he didn't squeak or anything...but as I was drying him off...he went limp....and just...died... *cries* He wasn't that old...only a little over a year...


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## SweetLittleDelilah (May 13, 2008)

8O Omg!
I'm so sorry...  
I doubt giving him a bath killed him, though.
I don't think they're THAT fragile.
Maybe he had a heart attack? Dunno if rats have them or not..
but it's just what first came to mind.
Maybe it was just his time, and it happened to be at a very..
bad time. =/


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## Brizzle (Mar 26, 2008)

Oh no. I'm so sorry! Poor little guy.


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## collisiontheory89 (Apr 16, 2008)

wow....I agree that it probably wasn't the bath, though. Rats can have cardiac arrest. Although, it's weird that he was so young. This is really weird, I haven't heard of this happening before. No seizuring or anything like that? I would wait for someone more experienced to comment. I'm so sorry for your loss


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

If you give him baths often I doubt he could have been scared to death!

Maybe take him to the vet to have a rattie autopsy (necropsy) done?


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## pinkpixies (May 22, 2008)

collisiontheory89 said:


> wow....I agree that it probably wasn't the bath, though. Rats can have cardiac arrest. Although, it's weird that he was so young. This is really weird, I haven't heard of this happening before. No seizuring or anything like that? I would wait for someone more experienced to comment. I'm so sorry for your loss


he went limp and then like started twisting a little and then limp again  is that a seizure?


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## A1APassion (Jul 29, 2007)

oh pink I am so sorry to hear about your loss

Have you noticed any change in diet or any signs of weight loss? Maybe being a bit lazy over the last couple days?

What prompted the bath... just routine care?

Please don't think that you killed Oreo... just accept that it was time.


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## A1APassion (Jul 29, 2007)

pinkpixies said:


> collisiontheory89 said:
> 
> 
> > wow....I agree that it probably wasn't the bath, though. Rats can have cardiac arrest. Although, it's weird that he was so young. This is really weird, I haven't heard of this happening before. No seizuring or anything like that? I would wait for someone more experienced to comment. I'm so sorry for your loss
> ...


that just sounds like death throes

edited to clarify... I don't mean like agony or anything... it is a phrase but often animals at the moment of death extend, kick, become limp & often repeat this process before everything shuts down... I don't believe they are extremely aware during this process but it is more like reflexes as the body ceases to function

oh gosh... hugs to you.. (tears in my eyes because this has to be devastating. I had a girl die in my hands earlier today but I knew she was going, you had no way to prepare for this)


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## pinkpixies (May 22, 2008)

A1APassion said:


> oh pink I am so sorry to hear about your loss
> 
> Have you noticed any change in diet or any signs of weight loss? Maybe being a bit lazy over the last couple days?
> 
> ...


I have been cutting back on their food b/c they're really fat...he lost a little weight, I think...but not much. He was still always begging for food...

I cleaned their cage and they were kinda stinky b/c they tend to pee on each other...I'm having friends over tomorrow and I wanted to show them off...so...I gave them both a bath...Licorice first...he was fine...then Oreo...


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## pinkpixies (May 22, 2008)

A1APassion said:


> pinkpixies said:
> 
> 
> > collisiontheory89 said:
> ...


yeah...thats what I figured it was...I've had rats do that before when they were dying...but this is only the 2nd one I've ever had that was so young and healthy...and it's just so unexpected...it's easier when they're old and you know it's coming, you know?


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## A1APassion (Jul 29, 2007)

I weigh my rats at least every 10 days give or take because weight loss is often the first sign of things to come. 

If there was significant loss in weight then there may have been something going on that was fatal & most likely beyond your control

& since it was so fast it could have be heart failure, aneurysm, stroke... who knows.. I'm running all these scenarios throw my mind because my girls were bright & healthy... then rapid decline


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## AlienMando (Jan 19, 2008)

I am so sorry for your loss. 
At the very least take comfort that he died with you and that he wasn't alone.
Again I'm so very sorry.


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## phaidraft (Apr 9, 2008)

I'm so sorry!


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## AceYourFace (Jan 4, 2008)

all I can think of is maybe Oreo had some sort of unknown disease or illness. You did not kill him. Take comfort in the fact that the life you gave him was a good one and that he died knowing he was loved.


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## ratastic (Jul 1, 2007)

I'm sorry for your loss. Did he act odd when you removed him from the bath?


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## hipoluvsmud (May 22, 2008)

Oh Pink, I am so sorry for you. Please don't blame yourself, it was Oreo's time to go. We are thinking of in this ratty household.


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## Raksha (Jun 15, 2008)

It's a horrible case. But you aren't the guilty, you only was trying to do the best for him. I'm so sorry.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Fat rats, just like people, are more at risk of heart issues, strokes or heart attack.

Those death throes are just the nerve impulses at the very end...the rat has already left...they aren't painful just sometimes scary to look at.


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## Skitza (May 18, 2008)

OMG'sh! i'm so sorry! that is so sad! but again i don't think thats wat killed him. aww! i'm so sorry!!


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## pinkpixies (May 22, 2008)

AceYourFace said:


> all I can think of is maybe Oreo had some sort of unknown disease or illness. You did not kill him. Take comfort in the fact that the life you gave him was a good one and that he died knowing he was loved.


I did notice he had porphyrin in his eyes after he died...he never had that before...he didn't even sneeze...cept you know, once in a while...maybe once every two weeks or something...


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## pinkpixies (May 22, 2008)

Ratastic said:


> I'm sorry for your loss. Did he act odd when you removed him from the bath?


kinda...like really really scared...more so than when he was in the bath >.< he scratched my pinky finger pretty bad and I was so upset after I didn't bother cleaning it well and all and now I think it's infected. UGH...


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## A1APassion (Jul 29, 2007)

just so you know I have often seen a release of porphyrin from nose & eyes immediately after demise 

sorry, this is so morbid but it can serve to help explain things to others who have not been through the process & it may help you to find forgiveness in yourself as well

but the body releases many retained fluids postmortem, porphyrin is something else you may notice after that you did not see before


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## rrats (Oct 14, 2007)

im so so so sorry i truley am


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## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

first i would like to say that i'm sorry for what happened, but like the others have said before me, bathing them was not what killed him. 

but do they get licorice often? there has been recent debate and concern on its affects on rats. i'm not too up on it, i only know there is some concern when feeding to rats. i don't know what problems there are with it. it may just be because its high in sugar and can cause cavities for all i know. but you may want to look into it.


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## beanieboo-rattles (Jan 3, 2008)

i dont think she fed it licorice..i think one of her rats is called licorice.. 



I am so sorry you lost him so suddnely its always hard (hugs)


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## pinkpixies (May 22, 2008)

yeah sorry for the confusion...my rats were named Oreo and Licorice...only Licorice is left. I've never actually fed them licorice...


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## pinkpixies (May 22, 2008)

I'm holding Licorice now and petting him and he seems fine....he's doing that eye thing and chattering...I forget what you guys call those.


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## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

boggling for the eye thing and bruxxing for the teeth thing. he sounds happy


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## Susinko (Apr 29, 2008)

I'm so very sorry for your loss. He sounds like he was a wonderful rat.


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## pinkpixies (May 22, 2008)

I'm gonna have to give him extra attention now that he's alone. I'm thinking about getting him two new friends...but I'm not sure yet. I would get one but he would have to be in quarintine for a while and I wouldn't want him to get lonely...so I would have to get two. hehe


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## Marysmuse (Apr 28, 2008)

Sorry to hear about your loss, Pixie.

take care

Rejoicing in the day,
-Mary


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