# Rest in Peace, Izzie-Bear... (Pic heavy, possibly large pictures?)



## YellowSpork (Jul 7, 2012)

I didn't have Izzie for long, about 3 months, but the time that I did have her we were the best of friends. When I brought her home from the adoption table at PetCo, she was in a dirty aquarium that hadn't been cleaned in what looked like weeks... she stank, the cage stank, and the terracotta pot she had to hide had absorbed all the stench of her and whatever previous inhabitants, so it had to be thrown out. She had a "clean bill of health" from the vet, which is BS...

When I first brought her home she was scared of being picked up, and would go to the bathroom whenever anyone lifted her off the ground and waddle away from your hand if you tried to pet her, since she couldn't really use her hind legs. Once you got her and she was calm, though, she would start bruxing away.

It got to the point where we were almost inseperable. She would sometimes come to school with me in the little bag I'd made her, and then sit on the lawn with me while i did homework. I firmly believe those were some of the happiest times of her life. She always looked so happy and relaxed while we were cuddling in the sun. Every night, after my other girls got put away, Izzie would snuggle up in bed with me and we would go to sleep together. She could get in and out of her cage, which was on a table next to my bed with the door open, so that she could go back to go to the bathroom, eat and drink.

Over the months, she had labored breathing and sneezed a lot, and I took her to the vet and tried a few antibiotics to no avail. The last vet I took her to was on Wednesday (love the new vet). I took her for 3 reasons:
1- respiratory issues
2- A lump behind her left front leg
3- Odd scaling on her back and thinning fur

After examining her, the vet decided that she probably had a bad myco flare-up (which had been my assumption), the lump was probably a tumor (as expected), and the scaling was actually lice eggs. Her ears and paws were also slightly yellow (which I hadn't noticed), indicating liver failure. She also had an enlarged spleen. If I wanted to remove the lump, she had to get over her respiratory issues due to the anesthesia, and they would have to find out for sure if she had liver problems so they would know what pain killers to give her after surgery. Plus since she was so old and the myco was so advanced, I wasn't sure if I should treat the symptoms to make her comfortable until the end, or try and get rid of her flare-up altogether since I didn't want to be too aggressive because of her age. So, to check out her liver and spleen and see how much lung scarring she had, I elected she have an x-ray. She had to be anesthesized, but the vet said she would only be under for 3 minutes so it wouldn't be much of a problem and she thought she would be OK. Well, her lungs ended up being perfectly clear of scar tissue, meaning that her myco probably wasn't myco and was caused by something else. Her heart looked slightly enlarged, as well, but the radiologist didn't look at them until after I left so the vet just told me what she saw.

I took Izzie back on this morning with Ziggy, who was going in for his neuter. I dropped them off in the morning and then went to class. She got put under again so that she could get an ultrasound to check out her spleen and liver, and they took a few samples of her spleen to see if there was anything cancerous in it.

At 4:00, I got a call saying that Ziggy was fine. But Izzie had passed away... the vet said she'd pulled through anesthesia beautifully and was eating and moving around on her little heating pad after she woke up. Then, the radiologist called her and the pathologist called her, the pathologist telling her that Izzie's spleen was basically made of lymphoma and the radiologist said that she saw evidence of cancer in the bone marrow of her hind legs. When the vet went to feel Izzie's hind legs, she'd passed away.

Izzie was living with a lot of pain, and I had no idea until the day she died... But she was a fighter, and I'm glad she held on long enough for us to have all those wonderful times together. I loved her so much, and no rat could ever replace her. As soon as I get the little mold of her paw with her name that the vet makes, I'm going to get her pawprint tattooed on me so I can have a reminder of her with me forever. Not sure where, but I have about a week to figure it out. 

So... I guess here's some pictures of her being all cute and happy to finish up. The way that I'll always remember her. 























































(Sorry if these pics are big... I can't figure out how to resize them on photobucket )


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## Raturday (May 26, 2012)

Aw, she knew you loved her and she loved you back. You gave her a great life!


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## jd882 (Sep 16, 2012)

I'm very sorry for your loss. She was a beautiful ratty...


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## IOVERATS (Aug 25, 2012)

She looked like an amazing ratty, I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm sure in the time you two were together she had a great time. Its hard losing a pet, especially one that bonds so well with their owners, but rats are more than pets, they are members of your family, friends, they come to brighten up your life, then they have to go, they change your life and bring you happiness that you otherwise would never had of gotten without them. You did a honer able thing taking her in, and you changed her life before it got even worse, you did what you could for her. 

Good luck for the future


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## RatzRUs (Feb 5, 2012)

I'm so sorry or your loss Yellow. It never gets easier,but please know she's watching over you and playing with all the passed on rattys! She was very well loved and she knew that.


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## Poodlepalooza (Aug 9, 2012)

Sorry for your loss! A beautiful girl!


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## never-sleep (Mar 3, 2012)

She was beautiful. You got at the right time. If you had not adopted her she would have still been in that diry tank with the stinking teracotta pot. You made her last months happy ones. You changed her life for the better and it sounds like she changed yours. I have not lost a rat friend, but I know what it is like losing someone close to you. Just remember your gorgeous little girl isn't in pain anymore. She is over the bridge playing in a field, with legs that are not weak, eating all the treats she wants without getting too fat. She is in a good place.

Rest in Peace Izzie.


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## Rodents=Love256 (Aug 26, 2012)

What a pretty rat she was. I am so sorry for your loss, it is clear that your bond was a beautiful one. You were put in the right place when you found her, who knows what would have happened if you hadn't picked her up. From your description you were really meant for each other. And now she is in a better place, over the bridge, pain free waiting to meet you again. Rest In Peace Izzie


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## YellowSpork (Jul 7, 2012)

Thanks everyone.  It's hard losing her. I'm glad I was able to give her a good end of her life, out of that stinky aquarium... I just wish she'd been able to pass away at home with me instead of in a strange place she didn't recognize.  I'm really going to miss waking up next to her in the mornings and sharing my cheerios with her (though my boyfriend is probably relieved, he was always telling me she didn't need to sleep with me). I regret never getting around to making her that cuddle cup I promised to... so I think I'm going to try and find time to sew one before I get her ashes back so I can put her little bag or urn inside so she'll always be comfortable.


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## RatzRUs (Feb 5, 2012)

We had our girl cremated as well. When her cagemates cross we will do the same with them and out their bag of ashes next too each other in the same box so they are togeather again..


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## skottiesgerl (Oct 3, 2012)

I am sorry for your loss... It is sad to see these lovely creatures have such a short life span... I wish there was a way we could do more to increase their life span.. It looks like you did everything you could to make her time on earth pleasant and happy..... thanks for sharing your story.... 

RIP


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