# Help!? Did I break her tail?



## RadiantRatties (Jul 28, 2014)

I accidently shut my rat's tail in the cage door and it started screaming and so I realized what happened and opened the door and it ran and hid. I tried to pick it up but it ran and panicked and it took a couple minutes but I got her out and there is a red ring on her tail like a bruise where the cage close on her and it's starting to swell a tiny bit. It isn't bent at an odd angle, just red. Is it broken or just bruised? I feel worse than terrible about this because I hurt my poor little baby. The guilt is for reals. 



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## webspinnr (Jul 27, 2014)

Aw I've been there with gerbils in the past! It'll be ok. You weren't being mean, accidents happen. I know you feel pretty awful right now but I'm sure she'll forgive you and she'll be just fine, broken or not. Unfortunately I don't know enough to tell you if it's broken or not, but I figured you might need to hear you're not a bad mommy.


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## ksaxton (Apr 20, 2014)

We've all accidentally done terrible things to our rats, one time I repeatedly rolled over one of mine's foot with a computer chair. I'm lucky I break her foot. She was screaming the whole time like she was dying I felt awful. Did you shut the door all the way with her tail in it and close it ? or did you just close it, the tail stopped it from closing all the way, and you opened it back up?


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## ksaxton (Apr 20, 2014)

I meant I'm lucky I DIDNT break her foot! Geez this stupid phone -_-


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## RadiantRatties (Jul 28, 2014)

It shut all the way. 


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## PawsandClaws (Jul 22, 2014)

You need to carefully examine her tail and feel down the length of it for any breaks and notice how the rat reacts. If it isn't too serious, the rat should recover on its own but needs metacam or infants ibuprofen for pain relief.


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## RadiantRatties (Jul 28, 2014)

She doesn't seem to react much at all, and from what I can tell, I don't feel any breaks, just a very slightly swollen spot on her tail. 


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## PawsandClaws (Jul 22, 2014)

Do you have any metacam lying around? It would help with any pain and the swelling.


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## RadiantRatties (Jul 28, 2014)

No. I don't.  I'll check on her again when I get home from school. 


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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

the main thing to check is that the tip (beyond the break) still has feeling in it (pinch the tip and see if she moves it away or twitches), then see if she seems in pain from the sore bit. If shes in pain then you can give her some childs ibuprofene suspension to help her with it. If she has no feeling in the tail beyond the break then its more serious and she needs to see a vet as it might need amputation.


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

We've all done something like that at one stage or other! Check on it later. The door banged open on my boys tail the other day, he squeaked like mad and actually bit me hard cos he got such a fright, but he's absolutely fine. It's a scar I'll treasure though my hubby stood on one of our boys when he was little, we rushed him to the vet. He was very still for a couple of days but nothing was wrong he lived till a ripe old age and nothing broken. Accidents happen, don't beat yourself up about it. Just give lots of love and assurance.... And obviously take him to the vet if things don't seem right.


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