Doodles PT update thread . . .

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2Rats

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2013
Messages
702
Location
Texas
It's been a while since I have posted, but I am glad to say that Doodles is still with me !:love4: -
I had been posting all her PT problems on Khalirat's PT thread but since the passing of her Milo , I have not posted there. RIP sweetie Milo :rose: .

Doodles coming out of her 6th crash ( since this all began in early January this year ) as of a couple of days ago. This has been a terrible one with more complications than the previous ones had. Last Tuesday I took her to her vet to have her PTS but I could not do it so the doctor said she felt that she might still have a chance to "come back" if she got some fluids. She gave her Dex/Glucose via sub q. It took 24 hours + before she was even interested in eating. This crash presented the following complications that the others did not : refusing food which caused extra weight loss & very strong nasal sounds which caused heavier breathing which in turn caused extra weight loss. I am HAPPY to say that as of 4/21 - Monday that she has once again been able to eat from a dish , her porridge baby food mixtures & soaked Oxbow:eatcake: !!! FINALLY she is putting back on weight ( as I weigh her each day ) and the terrible nasal sounds are just about gone. Of course she is still on Baytril & Prednisone. I am thinking about adding Doxy to the menu ....Poor girl also managed to break off a botton incisor about a week ago. I think that is why it is still difficult for her to bite and eat a yogie - which is the 1st thing I always give her as soon as she has come out of a crash.
 
The poor baby. I have a PT girl myself. It sounds like she is a fighter, and I am very happy that your vet thought of and offered that. Good luck to your little baby. :)
 
Oh I'm sorry to say I had forgotten about your poor baby. Things just get lost on this new forum - I'm so glad you posted this... I feel like a :horsepoop: for forgetting... Its so hard to make the decision to have them pts - I made the decision two days ago for Popper (RIP). We put him on pred as our last attempt, but it didn't work. However, he was given a doxy shot by the vet that lasts 7 days - maybe your vet could give your baby that isn't of you having to try and give a third medication. So happy to hear your still having good days and I hope that continues. I know from experience how hard PT is.
 
So sorry to hear about Popper, 911:disbelief:
They have such short little lives & then these ^%#&@ illnesses & especially tumors make them even shorter !!!!

Don't feel like a
horsepoop.gif
...... cuz you're certainly NOT - LoL !

Aida: so sorry to read that you too have a PT girl - there are just no words ( nice ones anyways ) that describe how I feel about those damn things !!! It IS so nice though that we can all discuss it & know exactly how the other one feels:kisses: How about a pic of your girl ?
 
This is such a tough bout after her last crash. She eats like a pig - don't know where she puts it all -- BUT not packing on the weight like before. Breathing faster than normal but no wheezing or any kind of sounds coming from her. I have also noticed that she does have a differnt "odor" to her. She always smelled fine to me , clean , fresh. But now even though I keep her as clean as always she does not smell as clean - is that weird? Could she have something going on inside that puts out an odor through her skin? cancer? I don't know how to explain it:wrong:
 
I don't know if this means anything and I haven't really thought of if as meaning anything until now, but on the day we had Curley pts while we were at the vet he smelled like he had a very bad case of gas.

You mention something about a tooth problem - have you smelled her mouth closely for infection? How about urine - could she have a UTI?

Hope its nothing serious and you have more good time with your baby ♥
 
So sorry to hear about Popper, 911:disbelief:
They have such short little lives & then these ^%#&@ illnesses & especially tumors make them even shorter !!!!

Don't feel like a
horsepoop.gif
...... cuz you're certainly NOT - LoL !

Aida: so sorry to read that you too have a PT girl - there are just no words ( nice ones anyways ) that describe how I feel about those damn things !!! It IS so nice though that we can all discuss it & know exactly how the other one feels:kisses: How about a pic of your girl ?
This is my little Matilda- baby! :kisses:
(some pictures are a bit older)
In the last picture, I just took it now, you can see that she is doing that PT-specific food-holding thing. :(
She doesn't always do it, sometimes she holds it normally, but it's becoming more and more rare. Oh well, the important thing is that she is still eating and not losing weight!

I'm so sad about your baby, 2Rats. It is heartbreaking, because I know that that is coming, and I wish our babies didn't have to deal with these things.
 
Matilda is beautiful !:flower: -- She looks very good! thanks for the pic. I always like to see everyone's babies:) ....

911 - it's not a gassy smell.. well maybe kinda - it's like a light poopy smell. I just went & picked her up & smelled her & checked her mouth/tooth & it is actually grown back quite a bit! Inside her mouth had no smell ( LoL - the things we do, right ? ). She still eats her baby porridge mixtures well. The thing is this time around she just looks "tired". Her eyes look tired. She has been fighting so hard & bouncing back several times but I guess it takes it's toll after a while.
I just pray she ends up going in her sleep or in my arms w/o suffering when the time does come. She always wants to be with me & is glad to see me , which makes my day each day:tumkiss: -- just love her to pieces! Unfortunately she is not wide eyed & full of energy like she was in my avatar - right after her last crash.
 
When I said gas smell - I mean poop smell without the poop. I so wish my boys would go peacefully at home too, but so far that has not happened and I'm 0 for 4... Just remember helping them cross the bridge is the last loving thing you can do for them. It is the hardest decision to make and you will second guess yourself for awhile - at least I do. Putting Popper down was the hardest so far because he was having a good day, but the day before was awful and I had to tell myself it was a good Popper day not a good rat day like ratties should have and he could change to a bad day in minutes. Even on his good day it looked like he was using butt muscles to breath and I know that isn't right. Just get in as much time as you can with Doodles you'll know when she's had enough. :heart:
 
I know the smell, my Anna smelled like that too. Vet thought it was old age and the fact they don't groom as well. Anna was 40 months when she passed. Sending good vibes to your sweetie.
 
I'm sorry you are going through this. Many of us have nursed a PT rattie, and it's heartbreaking to see them struggling. When my last PT boy refused to eat any more, I knew it was time to say goodbye. I hope your girl passes quietly at home for you. :hugs:
 
It's very hard going through this. You love them so much and never want to see them suffer, or leave. Sounds like you're doing all you can for her and I hope that whenever her time comes, she can go quickly and peacefully, preferably in your arms. No matter how it occurs, it will be the way it was meant to be. She is filled with all your love. PT is awful; don't know why our ratties get so afflicted with this, as it doesn't seem to be as prevalent in other animals...all we can do is love them and keep them as comfortable as possible. Wishing you both healing thoughts and all the best.
 
thanks for all the comforting words. Doodles is still "ok" - poopy smell & all. She still eats like it's goin out of style but still no weight gain.
One "new" thing she's doin & I am sure it is neurological is while she grooms her face, she flails/shakes her front paws like you would if shaking pom poms ....:sad4:

I now have another problem with one of her daughters Lamb Lamb. She now has a tilted head:cries::cries: - She is eating well & all else appears normal w/ her. I am sure something about this is somewhere in the forum - but ya'll are so great on this thread.....anyone had this happen before?
I have read that it could be an ear infection or PT - should I start her on Baytri & Pred ? I am SO STRESSED over this .....
 
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It sounds like Lamb Lamb has an inner ear infection. It's important to treat those promptly and aggressively. The first time Daffy had one, she recovered completely. The second one 1 1/2 years later left a permanent head tilt. Not that it slows her down any!
Good luck!
 
I still feel pretty numb about it.
Went to check on her @ a little before 6am & felt the need to bring her back to bed with me for a while before I had to get up & get ready for work. Off & on she was making some head lifting movements - which is normal for her to do when she is in a "bad phase" of the PT battle. Soon she settled down and we both fell asleep w/ her snuggled in my rope.
She woke me up by crawling forward. I picked her up and she went 100% limp. I could feel her heart beating & then in about 3 seconds it went faint & then stopped. All I could do is lay there with her & cry. She is no longer suffering & I am so glad for that but I will miss her so much! She fought so hard the past few months, we both did. I think she knew how much I loved her.
Ay least I still have 7 of her offspring & I started giving Lamb Lamb Baytril yesterday. My doxy is expired - will need to get more I guess.

R.I.P. my sweet baby girl :kisses:
 
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I'm so sorry for your Doodles baby. It is so heartbreaking. The way she died was beautiful. You knew to take her and snuggle her, that something was happening, and she felt at peace and loved. The fact that she actually crawled toward you a second before passing, in her obviously bad state, is incredible and it proves that as humans, we have special and spiritual bonds with animals beyond language. She was very lucky to have such a good mommy, to leave children in her care, and to pass so peacefully after such a strong battle. Rest in peace little Doodles.
 
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