# Rat with e collar can't eat... help!



## annieo (Mar 12, 2010)

I got me rat, Charles, neutered on Monday. Today I noticed he had opened up the incision. I took him to an emergency vet since it was after my regular vet's closing. They said it would cost $300 to re-close the incision (they charge by the minute) so I opted to have an e collar put on until I could get him to his regular vet tomorrow morning. I just got home and I'm noticing that he can't eat since he can't bring his hands to his face...and he's very clumsy with the collar on. What can I do to make sure he eats something? I was thinking about getting his lab blocks wet so they become soft....but I don't know.


----------



## TamSmith (Mar 1, 2010)

When my girl was having trouble eating after a tumor was removed under her arm, I hand fed her. Try softening some lab blocks and try letting him eat it out of your hand. My girl like it when I made peas and I would pop them out of the skin and break them in half so it was easier for her to eat without hands.

I hate e collars. I wrap up my rats myself so I don't have to put them in one  I hope your boy will eat from your hand, or someone has more ideas.


----------



## ration1802 (Sep 25, 2007)

He will learn to eat. If it is blocks, he should learn to smoosh the block against the floor with his nose and take bites that way. Or, just leave a dish of babyfood out for him overnight. It'll make a right mess, but it's easier to eat


----------



## ZoeHale (Jan 9, 2010)

A rat with an e collar?! PICS PLEASE!


----------



## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

I would soak the lab blocks in soy milk to make it easier to eat. Possibly offer him baby food or something simular.

Also chop all his veggies into really small sizes so he can just eat them a peice at a time without using his hands. (the size of grated cheese)

Poor guy, was the e collar fitted properly that he cant eat? And $300 to reclose it is ridiculous!


----------



## clarry (May 19, 2008)

Moscow and Milo had to have an e collar after their neuters because they kept picking at eachothers stitches : ...of course the vet didnt have such things for a small animal so she made Moscows out of the material of a dog collar :-\ and Milo's out of the top of a plastic bottle...well obviously Moscow's was too heavy for his little neck, he couldnt pick his little neck up  he was so upset! and Milos cut into his neck because she didnt think to put any comforter on the bit of the plastic that was in contact with him  so we ended up making our own from the top of bottles with plasters to comfort them. They were much happier.
Sorry I just thought Id give my story lol. But yeh, whilst they had them on we gave them soft foods they could lick up, we did the lab blocks in sya milk, and gave them cereal in soya milk


----------



## annieo (Mar 12, 2010)

I wet some lab blocks last night and he ate some of it...the rest he just smeared all over. He has some blood on his nose and his paws so I'm afraid he might have done more picking at his incision last night.  He has an appointment with his vet this afternoon. I feel so bad for him. Thanks to everyone that gave me advice. I will probably go to the store and pick up some baby food.

I tried to post a pic but for some reason it isn't working.


----------



## annieo (Mar 12, 2010)

Here is a pic of him.


----------



## clarry (May 19, 2008)

Its not nice to see them like that is it? I understand what you're going through, Its a lot worse on them when they pick..you just wish you could sit down and explain it to them :


----------



## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

I don't like e-collars at all, I prefer bandaging/wrapping if totally necessary.

Was your boy given pain meds to take home after his neuter? Most times rats pick due to pain/discomfort. You take that away and they will leave the incision site alone for the most part.


----------



## clarry (May 19, 2008)

Yeh, with Moscow and Milo we were given meds to give every day...obviously the downside of this is that the painkiller wears off or maybe the vet didnt give me a high enough dose to give them...but when I had Alphie done he had a pain killer injection which lasted a weeek, and he didnt take 2 glances at the insicion. If you were given pain meds to give yourself, what is it and at what dose?


----------



## Capistrono (Apr 12, 2010)

It seems uncomfortable for a rat to have to wear that, but it is too adorable for some reason.


----------



## annieo (Mar 12, 2010)

Charles was given the pain killer injection as well as the antibiotic injection...so no oral meds for him. I found that if I wedge lab blocks between the bars of his "recovery cage," he's able to eat them without a problem. It looks goofy, but it's a good way to avoid wet food and/or hand-feeding. His vet re-glued his incision at no cost to me.


----------



## VictorianVanity (Mar 18, 2010)

I'm glad you didn't have to pay for the to reclose it, and that you figured out an easy way for him to eat. 

I have to agree, while I feel terrible for the poor guy having to wear that, it is pretty adorable.


----------



## ration1802 (Sep 25, 2007)

I once had a rat who fought with his cagemate and ended up getting his mansack ripped open by a badly placed claw. The vet glued it and do you think he left it alone? Nope. It took two attempts before we decided that an e-collar was necessary and then I realised a severe downside to boy rats having big goolies...

He could just about bend over (with the e-collar on!) and hook his nuts over the end of it to chew the glue! 

It was a nightmare few days, I tell you. He realised eventually that it wasn't going to kill him leaving it on, but gosh ... what a pain in the neck!


----------



## annieo (Mar 12, 2010)

That does sound like a pain in the butt. Luckily, Charles isn't even trying to get at his glue. He just spends every waking moment trying to that thing off of him.


----------

