# Please Help ASAP It is an emergency!!!



## Zat_Charlie_Stella (Oct 6, 2007)

One of my Rats, Zat, has suddenly become so sick, i believe it will be too late by the time someone replies to this. Yesterday he was doing perfectly, active as always and everything. Today i checked on him and he was ice cold, was barely breathing, and doing nothing but twitching his toes. He either has red-tears or it is blood, i am not so sre but it looks terriuble. He also seems to have bite marks all over his tail and feet. He does not live with any other rat, and he has not escaped for about a month. Under closer inspection of his cage... nothing is any different. There is nothing in there that could have dont this and the other rats seem perfect, active and inquisitive as always. I am now worried because they live in close proximity to eachother and if it might be a virus that caused this then they might get it. Could anyone tell me what this sudden tradgety could be?


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## New2rats (Oct 4, 2007)

Well, I'd say get to a vet, ASAP. In my lil experience working at a clinic for a while, I'd say that it is might be anemia caused my fleas or other parasite, thats why he's cold and may have been bitten his own feet cause they were driving him nuts. The red stuff around his eyes I understand is something they normally secreet when stressed or sickly. It still might be something else all together, like virus or something like you said, so Like I said, vet asap. There is nothing you can do that I know of, but maybe more experience rat owners know something more. Keep him warm and comfy till you can get help.


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## Zat_Charlie_Stella (Oct 6, 2007)

That is my problem i forgot to add, this couldnt have happened at a worse time. My mom had knee surgery and her job is not paying her, im not sure if she lost her job or not, though, so at the moment we have absolutely no money. No vets whatsoever around here will accept payment plans or any other alternative. we cannot take him.


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## New2rats (Oct 4, 2007)

If you look him over do you see any bugs or anything else unhealthy in his fur? How old is he? If you can not go to a vet, I'd say just keep him warm, keep him quarenteened from the other rats, and try to get him to take some water or baby food, from a sryinge if you can, or eye dropper. Good luck and I hope he pulls through.


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## Zat_Charlie_Stella (Oct 6, 2007)

he is about 1 and a half. I do not see anything unhealthy.


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## DFW_Rat_Luvr (Aug 29, 2007)

This may help although its a little underhanded....its something that Ive done before and Im not even ashamed of having done it.

I took my rat to the vet at a time when we could not afford it at all. Im on a heart transplant list through UNOS and my medical bills can top the 5000.oo a month range! 

My rat got very ill and I rushed him to the vet, KNOWING i didnt even have 30 bucks in the bank and that I had tapped out my savings on rattie vet bills the week before. He was seen and given medication and then it came time to pay. I flat out told them Im sorry - I knew I couldnt pay but I couldnt let him die just b/c you wouldnt accept payments at a time when I didnt have the money. I gave them a ten or twenty dollar 'good faith' payment and then whenever I had an extra 5 dollars or more, I would bring it to them.

Again, its not business ethical and I know this....but Nicodemus is alive and so I consider it worth it. Just something to think about.


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## splinter (Jul 22, 2007)

The red stuff (red tears, as you called it) is porphyrin, and that alone isn't really a concern. As said, it's because of stress. Sickness, moving homes, new "relatives" and such can contribute to the red discharge. 

I would feed duck soup, which is for ferrets, but is great for most sick animals:



1 cup dry high quality ferret food (Omit if ferret has insulinoma or IBD)



1 quarter chicken fully cooked and deboned



2 cups water used from boiling the chicken



2 hard boiled eggs (leave shells on and include)



10 Papaya tablets



1 Calcium Tablet 500mg



1 tsp Ferretone or Linatone



1 6 oz can Iams (or other HIGH quality food) Cat or Kitten food



Cook chicken until well done (chicken easily comes off the bones); do NOT add salt. Eggs can be boiled with chicken. Add deboned chicken to blender with broth water, papaya tablets, calcium tablets, and blend on high until mixture is pulverized. Add dry food and continue blending until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients one at a time with the canned cat food being the last item. Add remaining broth water as needed to tap off blender. Blend for approximately 3 minutes Mixture should be thin. Pour or drain into ice cube trays and freeze. Place frozen cubes in sealed plastic bags for long term storage.



Each cube equals 1 serving. For ill ferrets, feed a minimum of 1 cube every 4-6 hours. The more the better, but feed at least 4 times a day.




Modifications

For ferrets on Lasix therapy or severely dehydrated ferrets - add 90 mg Potassium (1 tablet)For Adrenal ferrets - Add 200 IU of dry vitamin E (1 tablet)


For pregnant or nursing jills and also for weaning kits, add 1 scoop puppy milk replacer and 1 Folic Acid tablet to each blender full of soup.

If possible, keep Zat in a gallon aquarium with a low heating pad underneath. Keep multiple water sources, and make sure to change or clean the bedding once every few hours. Sanitize the cage ever day, including all food dishes, toys, and huts.

The best bedding to use right now is probably rages replaced every couple hours (unless he is shown to have mites or fleas) or CareFresh, plain.

Keep the cage in a seperate room entirely. Wear gloves when handling, or sanitize your hands immediatly after. After he seems better, still keep him in the hospital cage for a few weeks after, just to make sure it won't pop back up.

Something worth trying is making a homemade parasite dip. If he is stable enough, try giving a bath.

1 cup warm water (lukewarm, judge temperature on your wrist...if you have a food thermometer, preferably 115 degree farenhiet)
3 tbs. Dawn dishwashing liquid
2 tsp. garlic
1 tsp. aloe gel


Mix everything really good, except the dawn.
Give Zat a normal bath with the Dawn, working from the tail up. Then pour the garlic water on Zat and massage. Let him sit for about 3 minutes, then rinse well. Washing from tail to head pushes the fleas or parasites towad the head, and the water mixture kills a repels. The garlic kills and repels, and the aloe soothes the skin.

I would also try giving the vet a call, even if you can't afford it. They might be able to give some advice. Good luck!

Haleigh Tweezer and Splinter


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## Zat_Charlie_Stella (Oct 6, 2007)

i asked my mom if we could try doing ANYTHING for him, like get him to a vet then say we couldn't afford it, and she said to just stick him in the freezer and get it over with! that is terrible. I would NEVER put my babies in the freezer!


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## splinter (Jul 22, 2007)

Zat_Charlie_Stella said:


> i asked my mom if we could try doing ANYTHING for him, like get him to a vet then say we couldn't afford it, and she said to just stick him in the freezer and get it over with! that is terrible. I would NEVER put my babies in the freezer!


Oh, that's horrible! I couldn't put up with that if my mom ever did-or said- something like that.

Can you call? Even if you can't bring them in, it's still worth a shot.


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## New2rats (Oct 4, 2007)

Wow Splinter, great advice,


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## splinter (Jul 22, 2007)

New2rats said:


> Wow Splinter, great advice,


Thanks!


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## DFW_Rat_Luvr (Aug 29, 2007)

Im sorry, Zat, that your mother was that insensitive. 

How's your baby doing now? Any change?


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## crapola (Feb 12, 2007)

Zat_Charlie_Stella said:


> i asked my mom if we could try doing ANYTHING for him, like get him to a vet then say we couldn't afford it, and she said to just stick him in the freezer and get it over with! that is terrible. I would NEVER put my babies in the freezer!


i'm sorry your mother is having health problems... but cruelty to animals is not on!!! unfortunately, as a kid (dont know how old you are...) you are at your mothers mercy as to whether or not vet treatment will happen for your ratties. i suggest you do as either dfw_rat_lover or splinter suggests... good luck!!


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

Could you call an animal shelter or a rat shelter nearby that might be able to help you. At the very least, possibly someone can give you a free euthanisation so the baby doesn't have to suffer ):

That is just so irresponsible of your mother. It's so sad that someone can care for a child but when it comes time to care for an animal in which they have taken responsibility for they shun it ): I'm sorry you have to deal with that.


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## DFW_Rat_Luvr (Aug 29, 2007)

The more I think of this the more upset Im getting.

Im a parent of teenagers and I too am dealing with an illness. (im on the heart transplantation list). But ****, I STILL can find it within me to care for my pets as well as the pets of my children.

Anyway.

How is the baby doing now? How are YOU doing?


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## Zat_Charlie_Stella (Oct 6, 2007)

RIP Zat my baby. At least he isn't suffering. I know it is better for him now that he isnt in pain but i couldnt stop crying, i went to my friends house so i could finally calm down, it was the least my mom could do for me at that point was to drive me there.


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## DFW_Rat_Luvr (Aug 29, 2007)

Im so, so , so very sorry 
I wish I had words to take away your sadness, but I dont. I had one of my babies pass away a few weeks ago (my sweet blue nimbus), and I know how much it hurts.


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## New2rats (Oct 4, 2007)

I'm sorry to hear that he has passed, but at least he isn't suffering like others said. I am also sorry about your mother, she doesn't sound very understanding or kind. I kinda ignored that part of your post earlier because I accepted long ago that some people are just not nice and that I can't change them, so I don't spend time fretting over them or I would go crazy. I hope your friend can give you comfort in your time of need.


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