# Amelia's Smooshy Face...She's Gone :(



## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

A little history.

Amelia and her cagemate lived with a family who didn't know enough about rats. Amelia got a scratched eye and was taken to a vet who gave the family ointment. they used it for 3 days and she nipped one of the children. They decided it was scaring her too much and stopped. Sadly this was also the last of the Out of the Cage time since they were now scared of her. At the same time the vet saw scabs on her and her cagemate, said they were fighting and they were separated.

I went with a friend to pick them up as they were finally being rehomed, and had them at my home for a few days. Then they went on to their new owner. Sadly the one-eyed girl has developed symptoms of PT or at least neurological signs. I ended up taking both girls back to treat her. So they are now mine.

But I noticed right away that the blue sick girl has lost a ton of weight and also her nose and mouth are crooked. I will show you comparison pics from a month ago to 2 days ago so you can see the progression.

Nose then








Nose now 









Jaw
















and a dangly now showing her limpness and crookedness









She was exhibiting signs of pain and I was really worried so I ran her to my vet last night.

So far;
The jaw is not broken (my worst fear), its actually very stable
No signs of infection (nothing inside mouth, ears, etc)
Heart is strong, no lumps internally

the "conclusion" we came up with was my vet had only seen this type of shift when there was cancerous masses along the jawline.

She is now on baytril and metacam.

She's a sweet passive girl, but she's tricky to read her body language, so I am going to have to learn fast!

Has anyone seen this before?


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## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

*Re: Amelia's Smoosh-it Face*

yes, just recently in fact but not to such a degree. Kakushi looks very similar to her. the nose and tiltly head in particular but her jaw is slightly off of alignment as well. i have a post on her, though no pictures and i didn't mention this alignment issue because its not nearly as pronounced as yours. i can only barely notice a difference from before and with everything else, i guess i just never paid it much mind. but, kaku has recently just been diagnosed with malignant cancer of the brain as among her first symptoms was head tilt and spinning in the opposite direction of the tilt. i think the crookedness developed after that. it could be a PT of course but her eyes are still the same size so far (one eye being larger then other i always took to be a sure sign of a PT but Kaku doesn't have that, or at least not yet). i really hope this girl doesn't have what kakushi has, she deserves more time for lovings to make up for the time she lost at her previous owners.


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## Emster (Dec 9, 2007)

*Re: Amelia's Smoosh-it Face*

I know I'm not any help, but I just wanted to say...

What a poor girl! She looks like she's been through alot and those pictures are heartbreaking. Thank God she has come back to you and can get the care and help she needs.

Good luck with her and keep us updated.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

*Re: Amelia's Smoosh-it Face..Anyone seen this?*

The one eye bigger than the other is not a given at all for PT. I have rarely seen it myself. This blue girl walks straight, very little tilt noticeable. Its all rather strange.

twitch, have you seen my Ariels' case history on Ratguide? She has some very very classic symptoms minus the vaginal bleeding. Do you see any of those?

There is pics AND video
http://ratguide.com/health/figures/pituitary_tumor_figure_2.php


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## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

*Re: Amelia's Smoosh-it Face..Anyone seen this?*

i haven't seen it but i will look at it, thank you. i thought one eye bigger then the other was a classic and fairly standard PT symptom. i didn't know it was rare, when the vet explained PTs to me when Lyiint had hers she told me that one eye bigger then the other was a clear, definate and common thing when diagnosing PTs. mind you, i will be right up front when someone says a vet can very easily be wrong or misinformed. thank you for the link. 

like i said before, i really hope that your girl does not have the same thing. hopefully the meds she is on will clear up whatever the problem is and she can live a good long life.


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

*Re: Amelia's Smoosh-it Face..Anyone seen this?*

With that face I would be worried that the teeth would misalign had they not already ): Poor thing had a rough time at life. I'm glad she found you.

The thing I find odd is it's the same side as that crusty bad eye. I'm glad no infection was found that spread though. But that's my first thought looking at it. 

Did you ask to have her x-rayed? That could probably help you tell what is going on with her.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

*Re: Amelia's Smoosh-it Face..Anyone seen this?*

I mentioned -x-rays and my vet said that the lesion would be so small we might miss it. She knows my funds aren't huge and x-rays start at $75.00 I think? They might be more...sigh.


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

*Re: Amelia's Smoosh-it Face..Anyone seen this?*

That is very possible. It's a decent price for x-rays though but x-rays do often miss things. And if you found something in the x-rays what would you do differently anyway? Probably nothing.

I can totally understand not affording x-rays or putting them to the side with rats because most times they don't really tell us much and what we would do doesn't differ than working symptomatically with them. The times I've had x-rays done there wasn't really much else I could do with the rat and I felt like I wasted my money but at least I was sure what was going on. That's kind of why I've not done any on Hobbes yet. He's doing fine treating his chronic conditions symptomatically.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

*Re: Amelia's Smoosh-it Face..Anyone seen this?*



Poppyseed said:


> That is very possible. It's a decent price for x-rays though but x-rays do often miss things. And if you found something in the x-rays what would you do differently anyway? Probably nothing.
> 
> I can totally understand not affording x-rays or putting them to the side with rats because most times they don't really tell us much and what we would do doesn't differ than working symptomatically with them. The times I've had x-rays done there wasn't really much else I could do with the rat and I felt like I wasted my money but at least I was sure what was going on. That's kind of why I've not done any on Hobbes yet. He's doing fine treating his chronic conditions symptomatically.


Its funny I went in there all gung-ho about the x-rays but she actually talked me out of them. LOL

My good rescue friend who goes to the ends of the earth and beyond for her resident animals as well as fosters (most guineapigs, but she has rats and a degu now), also said...what would/could you do differently?


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

*Re: Amelia's Smoosh-it Face..Anyone seen this?*

Well I come home tonight to a different ratgirl :mrgreen:

Very responsive, turns to either side quickly, moves much better, actually tried a test nibble and tried to get away when I picked her up! Much better than the limp apathetic little beast she was. Who knows if it was the baytril or the change to the metacam. I personally think it was the pain relief. Lots of us feel just awful with bad headaches but if we take meds we feel much better and more lively


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

*Re: Amelia's Smooshy Face..Anyone seen this? After meta*

http://s61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/rattiluv/Amelia and Lottie/?action=view&current=DSCF5603.flv

Wheeee!!!! I believe in aliens now, because they left me a clone of Amelia :lol:


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

*Re: Amelia's Smooshy Face..Anyone seen this? After meta*

YAY! She looks so happy.


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## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

*Re: Amelia's Smooshy Face..Anyone seen this? After meta*

what a beautiful girl


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## ration1802 (Sep 25, 2007)

*Re: Amelia's Smooshy Face..Anyone seen this? After meta*

Lookit her go! She looks SO much happier!

You've done it again Lilspaz, be proud of yourself (and of course, 'Amelia Smoosh')!


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## Nenn (Nov 13, 2007)

*Re: Amelia's Smooshy Face..Anyone seen this? After meta*

SHe looks so much healthier and happy now! *pats*


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

*Re: Amelia's Smooshy Face.. Pics *

Improving all the time now..and pics to prove. :mrgreen:

No clue why she is responding like this but I will take it!! It may only be temporary but here you can see the good non-porphy eye is bright, and how thin, but in control of her body (the other dangly shot she was very limp)

Is it my imagination or does her jaw look less crooked?



















And a pic of her cagemate Lottie just for the helluvit


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## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

*Re: Amelia's Smooshy Face..Anyone seen this? After meta*

does lottie have mites. her fur seems thin.

good to see that amelia is looking better. her face does look less crooked


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

*Re: Amelia's Smooshy Face..Anyone seen this? After meta*



twitch said:


> does lottie have mites. her fur seems thin.
> 
> good to see that amelia is looking better. her face does look less crooked


Lottie is a bad rex (velveteen) but she had a really bad infestation of mites (they both did) when I got them, but they have been treated and the scabs are disappearing and their fur is filling in again


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## ration1802 (Sep 25, 2007)

*Re: Amelia's Smooshy Face..Anyone seen this? After meta*

She looks so much better..

Perhaps aliens DID switch her lol

Regardless though, well done. And Lotti is a total doll too, she's got a "Yeah .. cause I'm REALLY enjoying this.." look on lol


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

*Re: Amelia's Smooshy Face..Anyone seen this? After meta*

Well Amelia runs and bounces and climbs now.  And slides to the floor to explore. Sigh.

Lottie is now tracking me when I am near the couch.  I pat her everytime I go back and talk to her. She's a nervous girl but is settling down. Those ears twitch like my Wildlings do...hehe.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

*Re: Amelia's Smooshy Face..Anyone seen this? After meta*

Well she's still thin but dang is this girl active. Runs from top to bottom of the cage all the time. She was out on the couch getting a bit of extra food for her thin little body, and I took out Shadow with her. Shadow ended up on the floor and I tried to take pics of Amelia...she stopped a couple of times only :doh:


She forgets her food sometimes and has to have a run around then "discovers" it again. You cannot let her mouth near your face or you get chewed on/nipped. :roll: She also still has some issues with that right front paw. You can see she's not using it quite properly.


















See! I can climb all by myself!

















She can also rear up a bit









Shadow came for a visit, especially to check out the little bit of food Amelia "forgot"









And finally Amelia stopped. :mrgreen:


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## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

*Re: Amelia's Smooshy Face...Good Updates *

wow, she really looks much better. here's to hoping that what ever the problem was it continues to clear up! way to go amelia!


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

*Re: Amelia's Smooshy Face...Good Updates *

This morning she was running around, chewing on everything. "Is this food, Is this food? Is your nose food?" :roll: 
I left her devouring baby cereal with the others.

Tonight I come home to limp rat. We are back at the beginning, so I am putting her back on metacam and she will continue the baytril. I hope we get another comeback, but right now she is curled up in my lap with her eyes closed. She has gained a lot of weight in a week though, so that is a good thing.

She will be on my bed in the small cage tonight. Sweet Amelia 

Her face is wet because I had to wipe her down a bit.


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## ration1802 (Sep 25, 2007)

*Re: Amelia's Smooshy Face...Sigh *

Poor Smooshy Face 

I'm sorry Lilspaz. Hopefully the metacam will bounce her back like last time. My fingers are crossed for the two of you

Feel better soon, Amelia!


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## Gary26Uk (Oct 2, 2007)

*Re: Amelia's Smooshy Face...Sigh *

Thats amazing , pat on the back for you and your vet.What a cool recovery !

I wonder what was wrong with her in the 1st place ? looked almost like some kind of calcium difficency.I used to experience similar symptoms when I was working with reptiles a few years ago.


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## Gary26Uk (Oct 2, 2007)

*Re: Amelia's Smooshy Face...Sigh *

oops , sorry , obviously a late page update as the last few posts were not here before.Sorry to hear about the relapse.I hope she picks up , shes a real cute looking rat , especially with her squinty eye


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

*Re: Amelia's Smooshy Face...Sigh *

My sweet girl passed in my hands just now at 9:13 pm.

Once I can stop kissing her and telling her that I love her, and do my ritual I will work on her memorial.


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## Gary26Uk (Oct 2, 2007)

*Re: Amelia's Smooshy Face...Sigh *

Aww man , im really sorry to hear that  Judging by your posts I understand you have lost quite a few rats but I can imagine it doesnt get any easier.I have only been a rat owner for around 8 or 9 months so havent had the sadness of losing one yet.
Im not looking forward to it.
The only comfort is that at least shes not struggling for life anymore and has found the peace that passing brings.
Chin up , your doing great things for the fluffys , no matter what the outcome you improved their lives :wink:


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

It gets easier in some respects. You don't get that shock feeling, you are much more prepared for it, but its still very very sad. You will "recover" faster as well...and then you will help the next rat that comes into your life.

My regrets are that I didn't know her long enough, and that she was only happy/healthy in my care for less than a week. I would've liked to show her a Good Time before she was to leave.


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## Gary26Uk (Oct 2, 2007)

You made her better for a short while and in rat terms it probably seemed a lot longer to her.Even a brief respite in her illness was some relief.Im sure you gave her a few cuddles and kisses that she wouldnt have got in her old home.


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## ration1802 (Sep 25, 2007)

Lilspaz, I'm sorry


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## kaylaface (Sep 6, 2007)

Aww I'm sorry. -_-


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## OnlyOno (Apr 4, 2007)

you tried amazingly hard for her, and i'm sure she knew that. gary is right - you made the time that she had with you worth it all. i'm so sorry for your loss, but i'm sure that amelia is happy now. *hugs*


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