# I think my new baby has megacolon :,(



## DanaBug020 (Jun 29, 2012)

Hey guys,

I'm new here. I just got a baby rat yesterday, she is 6wks old (according to the shop owner). She has the doomed color pattern and has not pooped since I brought her home. I heard her being actiive last night and eating/drinking. Her tummy is puffy so thats why I am jumping to the megacolon conclusion. But perhaps shes pregnant? She was still in the cage with her male littermates.... Anyway, what do you guys think?


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

DanaBug020 said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> I'm new here. I just got a baby rat yesterday, she is 6wks old (according to the shop owner). She has the doomed color pattern and has not pooped since I brought her home. I heard her being actiive last night and eating/drinking. Her tummy is puffy so thats why I am jumping to the megacolon conclusion. But perhaps shes pregnant? She was still in the cage with her male littermates.... Anyway, what do you guys think?
> 
> ...


First pic is inconclusive, the 2nd looks a bit pregnant. Can you take more pics of her from the side and the front so we can age her? How old did they say she was?


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## DanaBug020 (Jun 29, 2012)

They said she was 6wks but she didn't check any records so who knows... she is definitely young though. Here are some more pictures.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

No she's younger than 6 weeks, she's very tiny and you're right that lump is suspicious...i think she does have MC  I think you need to take her to the vet


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## DanaBug020 (Jun 29, 2012)

OK, we went to the vet and he agreed with my diagnosis of MC. He checked to be sure that her anus was open by giving her an enema. He told me the drug that is usually prescribed for this (cisapride) is really difficult to get because it is no longer available for humans in the US. He gave me some laxatives but I am weary of giving just that.... I have had her since Thursday afternoon and have not seen any poop. I am fairly certain she will not make it but I would like to try anything and everything I can before giving up on her. I have her on the MC diet now but she doesn't seem particularly interested in eating it, the web page didn't say how to feed it so I assumed just put it in her bowl... Is that right? It seems like if shes getting fed something that she only has access too for a few hours it should be fed at night? 


Any way I have a question on the meds. I have read here that giving a laxative to a rat that has a large blockage is bad so should I not give the meds from the vet? Also, I read here that Reglan is not good for baby rats but I do have that (it was prescribed to me) would it be worth a try to give her some? If so how much? 

Any other advice that you have on making her comfortable would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

She needs a motility drug like cisapride and if you don't have it you most likely don't have a chance. How is she acting? Is your vet able to see her VERY quickly for when she does start to bloat up? The Woody Diet only works on very mild cases and your girl doesn't look mild unfortunately. You just offer it to him, but if your girl is already impacted she will not want to eat.

You can see the roundness in Chaos' belly...he started with diarrhea, and then he bloated up...you could feel the hard lumps in his belly and the came up fast...I noticed them the night before by the morning I was in at the vet and we determined he was not a mild case and my lovely 4 month old boy was put to sleep for late onset MC.


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## DanaBug020 (Jun 29, 2012)

I guess I should have put her down :.[ What do you mean when she starts to bloat up? Shes been bloated all along. She seems lethargic but I haven't had a rat in years so I don't know how far from normal she is. She's mostly hanging out in her little basket and sleeping, but looks around when she hears me or another animal. Right now she is sitting in her basket cleaning herself. Gosh shes so adorable, this is so sad.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

DanaBug020 said:


> I guess I should have put her down :.[ What do you mean when she starts to bloat up? Shes been bloated all along. She seems lethargic but I haven't had a rat in years so I don't know how far from normal she is. She's mostly hanging out in her little basket and sleeping, but looks around when she hears me or another animal. Right now she is sitting in her basket cleaning herself. Gosh shes so adorable, this is so sad.


Can you feel any lumps in her belly? Press very gently as it will hurt. How bloated is she? Can you take another pic or is it the same as before? is she drinking at least? You could try her with Ensure maybe, as its liquid?

and no its horribly unfair. I wish BYB's and rat mills and even breeders would stop breeding high white rats no matter how cute they are


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## DanaBug020 (Jun 29, 2012)

Her whole belly is one big lump. I think its about the same size as it was in the previous photo though. I don't think she is drinking on her own, at least not during the day. i have been giving her peidialite though. I'm thinking I'll take her to be put down in the morning


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## DanaBug020 (Jun 29, 2012)

Is it cruel of me to keep holding out hope and not put her down ASAP?


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## elliriyanna (Jul 27, 2011)

From what I have heard of Mega Colon ... its a horrible way to die and if she doesnt go humanely it will kill her anyway and most likely she is already suffering  I dont mean to sound cruel I know how hard it is ... But it is best to let her go before the pain gets too bad


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

I would let her go if I were in your shoes. I am so sorry that you have to go through this.


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## DanaBug020 (Jun 29, 2012)

Update:

I took Mabel to my regular dog/cat vet this morning to have her put to sleep. I cried in front of the vet so she insisted we give her Cisapride for at least 24hrs to see if it would work. Even though she is not a small animal vet (and the guy I went to on saturday was) she was FAR more competent about the issue. The small animal vet told me you can't even get cisapride (UGH, not going there ever again). Anywho, she's still hangin' out. She seems happy... she's eating sniffing and exploring. With a little bit of luck maybe she'll get to see adulthood. keep her in your thoughts! <3


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

DanaBug020 said:


> Update:
> 
> I took Mabel to my regular dog/cat vet this morning to have her put to sleep. I cried in front of the vet so she insisted we give her Cisapride for at least 24hrs to see if it would work. Even though she is not a small animal vet (and the guy I went to on saturday was) she was FAR more competent about the issue. The small animal vet told me you can't even get cisapride (UGH, not going there ever again). Anywho, she's still hangin' out. She seems happy... she's eating sniffing and exploring. With a little bit of luck maybe she'll get to see adulthood. keep her in your thoughts! <3


has she pooped or eaten or drunk anything?

I am glad you got the cisapride and really hope it helps her.


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## minnehaha25 (Mar 14, 2012)

She's your baby, I know if I was in your shoes I would do the same thing. Sadly enough its your call if it seems like she's in a lot of pain I would say yes but she is your baby and you did everything you could for her at least she got a fantastic home instead of dying in a pet store food luck to you hun. But I feel your doing the right thing!!


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## DanaBug020 (Jun 29, 2012)

Hey All, 

After consulting my vet and getting her on the proper meds we still had no success. She was quite swollen but still active and happy (in my and the vets opinion) she didn't seem to notice her problem. She continued to eat, drink, play, and snuggle up until she passed away. I gave her a treat on Tuesday night she ate it and let me rub her face through the bars. When I got home from dinner she was gone :,( I'm so sad about the poor thing but I am glad that she was with me and didn't die alone at the pet store like her sister (she died the same night). So, I am down to one ratty, Cora. Tonight we go to the breeder to pick up a healthy little girl! Thank you all for your care/concern and for the help/advice. 


This may sound mean... Is it awful of me to name a new baby Mabel? I can't decide if that is dishonoring her memory :\


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