# Please help , my rat seems weak



## Gary26Uk

Hi , my rat doesnt seem herself atall today. She seems very slow in her movements , not very alert and seems to be pretty weak. She isnt sneezing , rasping or anything else. She just seems weird , shes usually very twitchy , alert and quite skittish.Shes about a year and a half old.if i cup her in my hands she just sits there looking at me and doesnt try and escape.
Can anyone suggest what could be wrong ?


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## lilspaz68

Confusion, quietness, some aimless movements?

Offer her a small treat like a cheerio, see if she can hold it evenly in both paws. Watch to see if she is wobbly and sticks her arms out stiffly in front of her.

The age is right for PT (pituitary tumour)
I am going through it yet again...I lost her cagemate last week to it
http://www.goosemoose.com/component...orum,rat/topic,4048195.msg4492973/#msg4492973

PT symptoms are a confusion finding things (people often say their rat seems blind), inability to grasp with one or both paws, an odd stiff push back of the front legs with their eyes half-closed.








They often will brux excessively, you might notice them bumping up their head as you stroke over it, a limpness and lightness when you pick them up.
There's more but I cannot think of them right now.


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## Iggy82

I agree with definitely trying to give her a treat to see how she reacts. My old rat, Mylo had similar symptoms then he went blind and couldn't use his front paws to grab anything. He always seemed happy (lots of bruxing) but we had to put him to sleep because it just wasn't natural, he was probably in quite a bit of pain but just not enough to squeel about it.

Keep an eye on her closely, she might just be coming down with something and need a quick trip to the vets for some meds.


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## Gary26Uk

No  Shes displaying all of those symptoms. The quietness , aimless movements and bruxxing alot I gave her a yoghurt drop and she couldnt hold it , she kind of crossed both paws over it on the ground to eat it.She looks tired and lethargic , seems very weak and when I hold her her back left leg hangs off my hand and she seems too weak to lift it up like she normally does.
This has all happened very suddenly , literally in the space of a day.
I dont want her to die , what can I do ?


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## Gary26Uk

I just read your post link and it looks almost identical :'( shes my secret little favourite , what can I do ? Ive never lost a rat before and I dont wan't to lose her , I havent had her long.


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## lilspaz68

Gary26Uk said:


> I just read your post link and it looks almost identical :'( shes my secret little favourite , what can I do ? Ive never lost a rat before and I dont wan't to lose her , I havent had her long.


Sadly PT is ultimately fatal, there is no cure, BUT you can sometimes get a reprieve for a week or 2 and more quality of life for them so you have time for kisses, cuddles, nursing and saying goodbye. You will need to go to your vet and get antibitoics (I suggest baytril) and a steroid (usually oral prednisone) which you will have to give her once a day. This could reduce the inflammation of the tumour on her brain and take away those scary symptoms IF she responds, some do not 

Here is my girl Ariel on ratguide...look at the pics and the videos to see the sometimes miracle of steroids. She stayed with me for 5 whole weeks.

I am soo sorry Gary. 

PM me if you have any more questions or need a shoulder to cry on.

Shelagh


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## Gary26Uk

Great start for the new year :'( rather than pump her up with drugs to prolong it I think ill just nurse her and cuddle her and let her know I love her before she goes. I hate seeing her like this , shes usually a mental little thing , hopping about with wide open eyes and winding my other girl up.
Its strange , the last day or so my healthy female doesnt want anything to do with the other. Shes even moved her bed to a separate part of the cage as if shes scared of getting ill too. I feel so sorry for her , she doesnt seem to know whats going on and she seems to be getting weaker by the hour. Is she in pain ?


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## lilspaz68

Gary26Uk said:


> Great start for the new year :'( rather than pump her up with drugs to prolong it I think ill just nurse her and cuddle her and let her know I love her before she goes. I hate seeing her like this , shes usually a mental little thing , hopping about with wide open eyes and winding my other girl up.
> Its strange , the last day or so my healthy female doesnt want anything to do with the other. Shes even moved her bed to a separate part of the cage as if shes scared of getting ill too. I feel so sorry for her , she doesnt seem to know whats going on and she seems to be getting weaker by the hour. Is she in pain ?


No I and my vet, and others and their knowledgeable vets agree that there is no pain. They are confused, they show all these neurological symptoms, but there is no real pain or discomfort.
If she will, try to get fluids into her, keep her hydrated because that can cause serious discomfort. She will stop eating/drinking when she's going to die and its usually within 12 hours or less from then.

I syringe strawberry Ensure into my sickies, and they usually have no trouble licking it and/or swallowing it since there's no real effort involved, unlike trying to eat out of a dish. If she's too weak to hold her head up properly, brace it on your fingers just to help her out.
You are in for a rough go, and I am sorry your New Years started like that.
My gf has been maintaining her old girl's PT for months and there are stories of that with the steroids. My longest has only been 5 weeks, but that doesn't mean it won't happen one day


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## Gary26Uk

Thank you very much for your replies and your support , its a big relief to know my little ones not in pain.
I havent seen her eat or drink for a while so ill check her now and see if she will take anything.
Is it usual for cagemates to abandon their friends when they get sick ?


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## lilspaz68

Gary26Uk said:


> Thank you very much for your replies and your support , its a big relief to know my little ones not in pain.
> I havent seen her eat or drink for a while so ill check her now and see if she will take anything.
> Is it usual for cagemates to abandon their friends when they get sick ?


Some do. Some are going by the instincts of their wild ancestors to distance themselves from a sick/injured member who might draw attention of predators to the colony. Some know their friend isn't really IN there anymore, and is going to leave, and some just weren't that bonded in the first place.

My PT rats usualy pass in my arms/hands/sleeping on my chest. 
You can also offer her baby cereal or soft foods on your finger, they will often eat for their owner.


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## Gary26Uk

I just thought i'd post some pics of Modge I took a few months back , you can see what a spritely little thing she usually is:










This is her and her cagemate snoogles:










And this is her about half an hour ago:










She seems quite happy to just doze in my jumper , I made her some apple and blueberry porridge that she seemed to like licking off my fingers , I think the extruded food is too tough for her to eat right now so i'll be feeding her myself over the coming days/weeks.


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## lilspaz68

She's lovely.

AS hard as it seems, try to enjoy this final bonding time, it can be very very special.


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## Zarathustra

How is Modge going, Gary?


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## Gary26Uk

Shes not great , she seems to be getting gradually worse. Shes forgetting where things are in the cage and just seems to amble about aimlessly. She doesnt respond to sound like she used to and is having trouble eating her regular food so im feeding her myself with soft foods like cereals and milk ,oatmeal and yoghurt.


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## ration1802

Get yourself some Complan and syringe that to her (mixed with water or soya milk, not regular cows milk). My PT girl took to that very well indeed. Other soft foods like baby cereal and babyfood go down well.

If you can get some Stage 1 babyfood (HIPP do some good ones) you can mix it 50/50 with water and it does a good job of rehydrating and getting some food in too 

Give her skritchies from me, this is a hard time for everyone involved


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## Zarathustra

Love to you both, then, Gary. I hope she gets better. I can't imagine anything happening to my girls, Peyton's still not herself at the moment, but here's hoping both Modge and Peyty make a comeback!


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## Iggy82

Any news mate? I know it seems harsh but my personal opinion is to let her go, take her to the vets. They'll put her in a little box of gas, let her slowly drift off to sleep and she'll go peacefully that way. Poor lil thing! Best Wishes


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## lilspaz68

Hi Gary, how are you and your little lady doing? :'(


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## Zarathustra

Our thoughts are with you, Gary.


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## Gary26Uk

Just a quick update. For the last few days she hadnt seemed to be getting any better or worse. Today however she seems much weaker than usual and is lying on her side most of the time just staring.The rest of the time she just seems to bimble about the lower cage level aimlessly and has stopped eating either dry food or the soft food I make her. She is noticeably thinner and is generally just not "with it" atall. I dont think she has long now so I'm spending as much time as I can with her resting on my chest , giving her plenty of cuddles. Ill let keep this thread updated to let you know what happens.


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## lilspaz68

Gary26Uk said:


> Just a quick update. For the last few days she hadnt seemed to be getting any better or worse. Today however she seems much weaker than usual and is lying on her side most of the time just staring.The rest of the time she just seems to bimble about the lower cage level aimlessly and has stopped eating either dry food or the soft food I make her. She is noticeably thinner and is generally just not "with it" atall. I dont think she has long now so I'm spending as much time as I can with her resting on my chest , giving her plenty of cuddles. Ill let keep this thread updated to let you know what happens.


You will have to syringe food replacement or water into her now. When she refuses that she will most likely pass soon. 

I am sorry Gary. :'(


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## Gary26Uk

Well it looks like were into the final hours. Shes very unresponsive and refuses to take even water. She keeps trying to get up but just goes floppy and falls over like shes drunk with her front paws sticking out.
I'm finding it hard to know if should let her go in my arms or back in the cage with her other friend. I just want her to be comfortable in her final hours and not stressed in any way.

I thought i'd post some of the last pics i'll be able to take of her


































I just want to thank everyone for your kind messages and advice. It would have been alot harder without you guys.


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## rats4mom

Hi, Modge is a beautiful girl, and I feel your pain, as I have been agonizing over my own sick girl. I think we all get attached to them so quick, and for me as a first time rat owner, I was just taken in by how sweet, curious and loveable they are.

Hang in there.


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## lilspaz68

If you put her back with her friends, do they come and cuddle with her and she seems to take comfort? If so, then she should be there. Most times a very natural instinct in a rat makes them go far away from the colony or the colony will avoid them. A sick/dying rat could draw attention from predators to the colony.

Most of my PT rats were most comfortable passing on me. A favorite place was over my collarbone/neck...or right on my chest as I lay on the couch watching TV, I would stroke them and talk to them, tell them they could leave and that I would always love them.

Kiss your little girl for me. :'(


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## Gary26Uk

At first snoogles shunned her for being sick but now they cuddle up and sleep together and modge looks quiet and contented. She also seems quite happy to rest on me so I guess ill spend as much time with her as possible and see what happens.I cant be with her all the time because of work so I guess she could pass with either of us. Shes still fighting away and doesn't quite seem ready to yet , which is a surprise from earlier as I didnt think she would last the day.


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## Gary26Uk

Sadly my little Modge passed away today after a 17 day battle with PT. I woke up around 8.30 and checked on my girlies but Modge was stiff as a board :'(
In a way im relieved shes not struggling anymore but I already miss her funny little ways.
I buried her in the garden under the apple tree and engraved a small rock with her name to lay her to rest properly.
Just want to say thanks again to you guys for your advice and support through her illness. Youve been great , Gary.


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## kwise211

I'm so sorry to hear about your little Modge passing. I just wanted to say that I am glad I read this topic because my little girl just died of the same thing a week ago, and, previously, I had no idea why she died. :'( 

I took her to the vet and everything, and the vet where I live isn't experienced with rats, so he had no idea that she had a pitituary tumor. But reading the symptoms you described, thats exactly what it is. So frustrating to not have a vet that knows rats. At least the people in the forum know what they are talking about!


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