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Gabrielle_AnimalLuver Crew
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 Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 8:08 pm
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I hate this year...
Well, we knew this was coming. Blaze was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of cancer just a week and a half ago. Though she likely had it a good week before being diagnosed.
Pain meds worked great for the first week. She got spoiled absolutely rotten and was very much enjoying life even with the tumor. But Tuesday night something was off. She didn't wana roam, she just wanted to sit in my cupboard. Her appetite actually weaned saturday night and Tuesday she was interested in even less. She had the typical hunched fluffy appearance of a rat in pain. I checked on her all through the night and never once saw her sleep. Took her to the vet Wednesday afternoon and it turns out she not only had an infection in her mouth...but either a pyo or a uti. Antibiotics take 2-3 days to work. I upped her pain meds but...it wasn't helping. And I wasn't about to let her continue to suffer for 3 days in the hopes that she would recover enough to then live another...maybe 3 days. Honestly at the rate she'd been loosing weight even PRIOR to loosing her appetite. I wouldn't have given her that long. She was withering away she just couldn't keep the weight on. So I brought her home, let everyone say their goodbyes. Then dad drove me to my clinic and she was euthanized IP (takes a few mins vs IV or gas which is almost instant) and she very slowly drifted away snuggled up on my shoulder.
It was certainly not an easy decision. As hard as it was to loose her though, it was somewhat of a relief. I had literally been worried SICK all week, especially in the last 24hrs, I hadn't eaten or slept. I had a few legit panick attacks. In histo on Tuesday I broke down and cried IN PUBLIC cause my power point presentation wouldn't work. I'm not saying that caring for her was a burden in any way. I would have hand fed her, and prepared her food, and given her meds, wtv it took to give her a few more days of good quality life. But seeing her suffer that last day was more than I could bear. So when she drifted off to sleep so peacefully, free of pain, surrounded by love. I let go of all that anxiety. And the pain I feel from loosing her is much less than the pain I felt seeing her suffer. Course I'm sure I'll have my moments. When things remind me of her.
All that being said. I have to start thinking about Fae soon. She's too nervous to be a solo rat. There's a few options, all rescues of course. Not sure what the best age would be for a companion for her. She has LOADS of energy so, preferly a rat not older than her. But hopefully I can pick out a girl who is fairly calm to calm down Fae. She looks to other rats to know how to feel. If they are spooked she is, if they are comfortable she sort of...realizes there is no reason to be scared. I don't wana rush into it though. It's only been a lil over 24hrs since Blaze passed. Just looking for advice/opinions.
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Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 11:13 pm
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Aww man, I can relate to having to put a pet down, having done so twice in my life so far (one cat, one dog). Definitely not an easy thing to do, but it's usually for the better. It's very hard to let them go, but just being there with them as they cross over I'm certain is comforting for them ... and ourselves as well, knowing that they won't be in pain anymore. neutral
Short of taking in a classroom pet rat (a mamma w/ babies, actually) over a 2 week winter break, I've never kept a pet rat before, so I'm not knowledgeable of their behaviors. [Though I did own a couple of grey dwarf hamsters (brothers) at one point, with one surviving 5 years beyond their estimated 2 year lifespan.] Irregardless, it sounds like Fae would do a lot better by having a companion, so I would take the time to choose one wisely.
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