# RTR Malcolm - Mar 17, 2009 to Jan 17, 2012



## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Malcolm was yet another boy from the RTR Rescue of January 2, 2010. Another big manly black hoodie that went quickly into foster,
He was returned to me when he became suddenly paralyzed. He was brought to me and I carefully examined him for injury, and asked about any falls, etc. But the poor lad winced when I pressed around his bladder, and I realized I had a really bad UTI case on my hands. I put him on metacam for pain and antibiotics for his infection and quite quickly the dragging man became the running man again J His foster then informed me that he had been in a rat fight and had gotten a bite above his urethra. I could feel the knot of scarring and worried it would affect his urination, so I took him to my vet who said it wasn’t good but he was able to urinate properly right now… whew

I was told Malcolm wasn’t the nicest boy, but I disagreed, he was sweet, manly, didn’t allow patting for too long because he “had things to do”. He lived with a group, and stayed with his group of tilty Finley and hormonal Gideon.
Poor draggy boy









Cuddled up with sweet tilty Finley









Cuddled in my hands as I examined him









He was a lovely big solid boy when I got him at about 14 months of age.


















Then the HED returned…along with a few other issues









He started having skin scurf issues that got so bad, that I literally had to pluck the fur out of the follicles (it was loose, like a dog shedding) to remove the greasy nasty fur before he got a skin infection. It was incredibly itchy for him, and I tried to get it under control, which took time but it worked. 

Malcolm and Finley joined Boris, Huron and the ladies in the Oldies group. By now he stayed in the bottom of the FN in a low slung double decker. His urinary incontinence started about then, probably from that initial bite/scarring. He had to have baths regularly for his skin and especially for his down under bits. He hated the bath, but loooved the patting afterwards. Here he is getting loved on by my friend Jenny  He became a boggling, bruxxing pancake of a rat under her fingers LOL

















I thought when he developed sores from urine that he only had a short while to go, and he joined me on the bed, on fabric where I could keep him cleaner, while I tried to sort something out. I came up with a great solution...petroleum jelly. After his bath, after his fur was almost dry…provided a moisture barrier that let his sores heal, and after that it was just baths, cuddles, and feeding. For a short while he went back in with his friends and was happily reunited. 










but then he wasn’t able to drag himself to the waterbottle or the bowl anymore so he came back out with me and became a bed rat which he really loved. Dragging himself over to my side so he could sleep…cuddled up in blankets until I got home, then the head would pop up when he heard me. 
I took him with me this weekend to my Mom’s, and he got a lot of attention, and love and extra handfeeding, and loved it. My mom said “you’re right, he looks skinny and tired, but obviously very happy”.










This morning I woke at 4 am to him quietly gone beside my pillow. His chapter over, he just went to sleep and that was all. He is at peace now.


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## AlexP (Oct 26, 2011)

Oh Shelagh, I'm so sorry. *hugs* I know how much you love all your rats, but it seemed like Malcolm had an extra special place in your heart (and how could he not? What a manrat!). I'd never heard his full story before but it was very sweet and touching, especially with the photos. The last one is my favorite.

RIP Malcolm.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

AlexP said:


> Oh Shelagh, I'm so sorry. *hugs* I know how much you love all your rats, but it seemed like Malcolm had an extra special place in your heart (and how could he not? What a manrat!). I'd never heard his full story before but it was very sweet and touching, especially with the photos. The last one is my favorite.
> 
> RIP Malcolm.


Alex he is from the RTR rescue where I ended up taking in 28 horribly neglected male rats that were used as breeding stock. The "healthy" ones were adopted out, and most died early and badly. These rats had so many issues, that I think there was only 2 things they didn't suffer collectively, and that was CHF (although I had my suspicions with one boy, he died before I could get him to the vet), and Zymbal's Gland Tumor.  They were also very aggressive rats for the most part but they were all special. I have 3 RTR residents left, and I hear there's 2 girls of the 18 that were taken in by another rescue.


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## AlexP (Oct 26, 2011)

Yeah, I remember reading the thread on another forum about it and I knew it sounded bad but hearing you say that about them collectively having almost every problem under the sun really made it sink in. Wow. Even though by now you think I'd be used to stupid people and what they do, I'm still floored.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

AlexP said:


> Yeah, I remember reading the thread on another forum about it and I knew it sounded bad but hearing you say that about them collectively having almost every problem under the sun really made it sink in. Wow. Even though by now you think I'd be used to stupid people and what they do, I'm still floored.


They are/were my anti-BYB rats...


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## 1a1a (May 6, 2011)

That's a very touching eulogy. RIP Malcolm.


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## AlexP (Oct 26, 2011)

lilspaz68 said:


> They are/were my anti-BYB rats...


I'm sad that they had to deal with all their problems, but at least they were able to help show how bad BYBs are.


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## krys (Dec 4, 2011)

Thank you for sharing this. What a looker! He was really lucky to find you. 

RIP, Malcolm.


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