# [URGENT] Tip of Rat's tail has turned BLACK!



## Azzie (Aug 21, 2016)

I just got home and checked on my (currently single due to recent passing of companion) rat and discovered that the tip of his tail has turned BLACK!What do I do?! He doesn't seem particiularly bothered, he's drinking and took treats from me before I saw his tail, though I know rats often hide their pain.This is completely new. I know it wasn't like this last night, I don't remember if I checked on him this morning.Here's a picture.http://m.imgur.com/5VftR55


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## Jokerfest (Sep 25, 2012)

This can happen when blood circulation is bad. I'm guessing he's a older boy? Can you check his feet and see if they're cold? How about his ears? I know this sounds mean but can you pinch the tip of his tail and see if he has feeling in it? Have you tried cleaning the black off just to make sure he didn't dip his tail in anything? Because I'd expect it to look shriveled but I guess because it just happened it's not.


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## Azzie (Aug 21, 2016)

Jokerfest said:


> This can happen when blood circulation is bad. I'm guessing he's a older boy? Can you check his feet and see if they're cold? How about his ears? I know this sounds mean but can you pinch the tip of his tail and see if he has feeling in it? Have you tried cleaning the black off just to make sure he didn't dip his tail in anything? Because I'd expect it to look shriveled but I guess because it just happened it's not.


His ears don't feel cold and his paws are slightly cold. I pinched the tip of his tail and he didn't react. Tried cleaning it but nothing came off.And yep, he's an older boy, he's 2 yrs 2 months now.


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## Grotesque (Mar 19, 2014)

I've seen congestive heart failure turn the tips of tails blue but this is odd. He needs to go the vet. There might be a problem with his heart and that isn't poor circulation - that is NO circulation.


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## Azzie (Aug 21, 2016)

Grotesque said:


> I've seen congestive heart failure turn the tips of tails blue but this is odd. He needs to go the vet. There might be a problem with his heart and that isn't poor circulation - that is NO circulation.


My mom called the vet earlier today and left a message as we didn't know how urgent it was. I'm currently at school & I just emailed her the link to this thread.
I'll let you know when I get a response.


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## Azzie (Aug 21, 2016)

She said the vet said it wasn't an emergency and that she would have to wait until they had someone available. It's a small hospital. I know there's another one in the area but I don't remember when it's open. Should we wait on that vet or try to contact a different one?
I don't know how to tell when it's gotten to the point where he has to go in immediately. I'm not there but I would want him to go as soon as possible regardless. I've never dealt with something so serious before where the animal didn't seem to care that it was hurt/whatever. He's not grooming his tail or anything, I don't think he feels it.


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## Azzie (Aug 21, 2016)

Another update, the rat vet is booked today unless it's an emergency so we've set up an appointment for tomorrow morning.
His tail is the same as it was last night and his status hasn't changed, he's still eating and drinking and being otherwise normal.
Problem is the vet hasn't been notified of the exact problem yet but when she gets the message if she thinks it's urgent she'll call us to take him in right away.


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## Azzie (Aug 21, 2016)

Final little update for anyone curious, he got to the vet this morning and the vet confirmed that his tail tip wasn't dead, and suspected it was just a change in pigmentation or a bruise. (I certainly thought it was dead because he didn't care when I pinched it, so now I feel kinda bad because I didn't think I was hurting him XD) The vet was also concerned about his breathing and prescribed him some antibiotics. Glad to know he's okay.
So for future reference, if your rat's tail tip suddenly turns black and ISN'T disfigured, hard, rotting, or otherwise abnormal looking aside from the color he's probably okay.


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## Grotesque (Mar 19, 2014)

Well that is really interesting and good to know. How odd, eh?


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## Azzie (Aug 21, 2016)

New update with some bad news.The black part of takis tail went from 1 cm to 8 cm, almost overnight. It stayed like that fine for a few days. Today we have discovered that the black part of his tail is indeed rotting off.He went to the vet again and this time she said it was possibly Ringtail. I looked up ringtail and it's a form of tail necrosis, but typically the tail contracts at various points, forming rings with the tissue dying off due to not getting enough moisture or something. So, basically not what is happening to Taki, although it is some sort of tail nercosis. The vet remarked not seeing this very often.He is still his usual self, although his hind legs are getting worse. He's on medication for his breathing (c something) for the next two weeks and we've been advised to put a certain cream on his tail (L something, i'll put the name when I have it) to help slow the progress of the nercosis.The tail might just fall off on its own without any complications, but the vet will not ampuate due to him likely not suriving the surgery.I'll post pics soon. Very strange, poor baby


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## Jokerfest (Sep 25, 2012)

This really sounds like heart failure to me. His breathing getting worse and his tail rotting off are telltale signs. I'd bring that up to your vet or get a second opinion. He likely needs heart meds. His tail doesn't look like ringtail it looks like it lost circulation due to heart issues.


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## Azzie (Aug 21, 2016)

Jokerfest said:


> This really sounds like heart failure to me. His breathing getting worse and his tail rotting off are telltale signs. I'd bring that up to your vet or get a second opinion. He likely needs heart meds. His tail doesn't look like ringtail it looks like it lost circulation due to heart issues.


Thanks for the reply. I'm worried about the experience level of our vet. This seems like something she would be able to put together?His tail is worse today. The rot is the same but there's some faint blue lines running down his tail near the base.I'll have my mom call again tomorrow. He's been acting normal otherwise. He's still on the antibiotics.


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## Asiposea (Dec 16, 2016)

Wow, too bad, hope this mystery gets solved. Thanks for keeping this post updated. Could you also show a more recent pic?


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## Azzie (Aug 21, 2016)

Asiposea said:


> Wow, too bad, hope this mystery gets solved. Thanks for keeping this post updated. Could you also show a more recent pic?


Here he is tonight, not much has changed from when I posted about the rot growing but now you can slightly see the blue lines at the base of his tail. They're a little easier to see in person, and go down farther but not quite all the way.http://m.imgur.com/my2U9QP


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## Azzie (Aug 21, 2016)

Another update,
Last night I was holding him and he wanted to go back in his cage. I put him back in and he started having a gasping fit, then flipped over and had a seizure, his eyes getting really big. He calmed back down and was okay after that, his breathing returning to "somewhat" normal.
He's about the same today. Gave him his antibiotics this morning and he wasn't as enthusiastic as normal, but better than last night. I'm not sure if he had something on his face or ate it weird but he did start rubbing his face on the floor of the cage after he took his first bite, but ate normally after that. I've only seen him do that once, when he ate a Yogi too fast and started choking on it (He was okay!).
We've contacted the vet again (prior to the seizure) and she said there really wasn't anything else they could do and to keep him on the antibiotics.
His feet & tail feel cold. I really think it's a circulatory issue and I'm especially worried because the vet seems to still think he just has ring tail and a URI. There's another small animal vet in the area and I've asked my mom to contact them for a second opinion. The first vet didn't even want to see him again because the visit was apparently too stressful for him (I wasn't there when he went so I don't know what exactly happened)
I don't want to stress him out further and if we take him again I will insist on going with. I'm just so worried that there's something he needs that he isn't getting. The seizure was really scary & I don't know what prompted it.


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## Jokerfest (Sep 25, 2012)

The seizure was likely lack of oxygen, get him to that second vet.  The face rubbing I've seen mine do that when they eat something gross like meds.. 

Keeping your baby in my thoughts I hope the other vet can help.


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## Azzie (Aug 21, 2016)

Final update...He refused his medication he's been on for almost two weeks because the blueberry I snuck it into half-exploded and I was too tired to make another, vowed to deal with it in the morning, so I left it in the floor of the cage, called him Mr. Picky-Pants, patted him on the head and told him I loved him. That was our last interaction. He passed away last night.. I know I did everything I could, contacted two different vets and was eventually met with the fact that it really was only a matter of time. I cherished him so much, saved him from being a feeder and hope that he knew how much I cared.Rest in Peace Takumi, 10/31/2014-2/5/2017. You will be missed.


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## Asiposea (Dec 16, 2016)

Sorry to hear this, thanks for updating.


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## Rattielover965 (Apr 26, 2016)

I'm sorry for your loss


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