# Palliative care



## ladylady (Apr 5, 2007)

What kind of care and medications are availiable for a dying rat? Does the vet ever give home 02?, Subcutanious pain relief?, Seditives? If you know your rat is dying do you take it to the vet? Get the vet out to put it down?


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Is she dying or just really ill? 
Is she in pain?


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

I think she's just asking for future reference lil.


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## ladylady (Apr 5, 2007)

yeah, sorry didnt mean to allarm you guys. My girls are in good shape-I was reading another post and it made me wonder whats availiable to comfort dying rats


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## OnlyOno (Apr 4, 2007)

i would take it to the vet. they can give pain meds, IV injection or pills, i know that you *can* get home 02, but it's ridiculously costly, and i doubt that they would recommend it for a rat. it's really just a way to give you enough time to say goodbye, for the most part, animlas shouldn't really be put on 02 to stay alive. what kind of a life is that, where they can't move and just be an animal? sedatives they can give, but it will probably just hurt you more to see your baby drugged out, definitely not the same rat you fell in love with. in my opinion, if you know your rat is dying and you can no longer make them comfortable at home, i would take it in to be put down. 

what a downer thread.


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## ladylady (Apr 5, 2007)

Sorry 
I find putting them down quite hard to get my head round-my patients who are dying get meds n whatnot while they stay home if thets were they want to be-ive never been part of a team that has given meds for the purpose of killing someone but I have been part of a team who have given meds to make someone comfortable in their last days or hours which might also shorten their life-I feel like thats what should be done unless someone can consent to death. So where does that leave me with my pets?


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## Lise (Feb 26, 2007)

Many of us feel that with our pets one of the kindest things we can do is make the decision to put them to sleep, so that they don't have to suffer in pain anymore. When an animal is no longer itself, and no longer interested in its favorite things you can tell when it is time to help them along. It is never an easy decision to make, by any means, but it really is kinder than letting them suffer through their last few days.

Unlike with humans you cannot get effective pain meds. A vet will not give you opioid analgesics (morphine etc) for your rat....


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

Yeah, when I rat is bad enough you really don't want to see them suffer any longer. Putting them down is the best option. You can take them in to be nebulised every once in a while but it's costly. My vet charges $25/ nebulisation and you have to go there to get it. I imagine you could purchase an aquarium style oxygen tank and oxygen as I've seen people refer to useing it on other sites but I donno, it seems more cruel than helpful to me.


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## ladylady (Apr 5, 2007)

Yeah, would only use 02 to relive streefull symptoms not extend life i think. I think I wouldent what them to know they were dying-sedate them so they passed peacfully or so they didnt realise they wetre being put down


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## Stephanie (Mar 25, 2007)

I would definitely put them down if all other options were out. No point in letting them suffer it's not like they can tell us what they need.


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## Lise (Feb 26, 2007)

ladylady said:


> I think I wouldent what them to know they were dying-sedate them so they passed peacfully or so they didnt realise they wetre being put down


This is the most humane way. You gas the rat down with isoflurane, so they are completely asleep first. Only then administer the lethal injection, so the rat isn't in pain as it is being put down.


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## 2manyrats (Apr 10, 2007)

Home O2 isn't that expensive, provided you get it from the correct source. You need to rent a small tank from a local welding supply, not a medical supply. A small O2 tank from the welding supply will be ~$6/mo rental, plus less than $10 for the fill. The only difference between medical oxygen and oxygen from the welding supply is the fittings - there's no difference in the oxygen. 

Then, you'll need a regulator (like $70 for a two-stage, cheaper for one-stage), and whatever contraption you'd have for the animal to inhale the oxygen.


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

wow! that's awesome info 2many thanks!


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## Piper (Jan 16, 2021)

ladylady said:


> Sorry
> I find putting them down quite hard to get my head round-my patients who are dying get meds n whatnot while they stay home if thets were they want to be-ive never been part of a team that has given meds for the purpose of killing someone but I have been part of a team who have given meds to make someone comfortable in their last days or hours which might also shorten their life-I feel like thats what should be done unless someone can consent to death. So where does that leave me with my pets?


Hello I've had rats over 10 years and none of them have been put to sleep. They have been made comfortable some made recovery,s from severe strokes. I have cared around the clock as I would a family member because they are. Sometimes they die falling asleep in my arms whilst I sing gently but one boy in particular wanted to be with his girlfriend and children ,he had the energy to crawl to Thier little home.Rats live a short while and grab live with both paws._Its important they get the last sound of your loving voice .._


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