Lovee RIP 8/26/15

Our old man of the bunch, Lovee, has been showing signs that concern me he might be getting PT, but he might just be getting to the end of his time with us. He is approx. 27 months old and an intact male. He has had a "spinal" issue for well over a year that has made his tail go to the left and curve instead of going out straight and/or up. He has shown weakness in his back legs which could be from the spinal issue or HED - he is now basically paralyzed in the hind end and sits with is legs spread really far apart. Over the past few weeks he hasn't really been using his hands, but I'm not sure if its a PT symptoms or he's holding himself up. He will grab food with his mouth, but will grab that some times with a paw. I don't see paw cupping, no confusion. He still gets around pretty good even though his cage has been set up for a geriatric elderly rat for months he can get up and down three modified levels. No plugs, but he really doesn't eat hard food anymore so he gets dishes of baby cereal, etc along with fruit. He's very alert for dinner time or when we come to the cage. I noticed yesterday that even though he lives with three girls his buck grease is out of control so he will be getting a bath.

I'm curious, has anyone noticed a change in head/face shape with PT? His head/face has changed its shape and I noticed that with Curley, Kona, and Peanut. Unless it was do to weight loss, but I don't think so.

He's too old and fragile, so I'm not treating PT if that is what this is, BUT if anyone has suggestions for anything else I'd like to hear them.

I find that if your gut is telling you something is off, then you are probably right.

I really don't think it's PT, but I've never (I know it's hard to believe) had a rat just get old on me... They have all been sick and too young to die. He put up one heck of a fight for his cookie today when they girls were trying to steal it, so he is still full of energy. I really think the back end is all spine related and the rest it possibly all age... He's seeing the vet tomorrow along with Torres.

I have 2 HED boys, one is just shy of 3 the other is an estimated whopping 4yrs old, but I can't really verify that since he's been thru a multitude of homes. For Picard, the really old one, he's had weak hind legs since I got him last fall. Its gotten very slowly progressively worse, and I can feel the loss of muscle tone in his hips when I hold and pet him. But, much like your dude, you'd almost never know. He attacks treats with all the ferocity and speed of a jaguar taking down a zebra, yet he walks something like a yeti. He's a dear angel and a beautiful old soul and I'm so grateful that he came into my life. I've rearranged things in his cage...built ramps up to the hammies and such, but he doesnt care. He will hoist himself up there with his stronger forearms and his fat lazy younger cagemates just go to sleep on said ramps. Now, the other rat with HED, Darryl, his is much more rapid onset. And I hate to say but rapid onset paralysis, starting with the hind end, is what killed his brother last year. But Darryl is almost 3, and out of 9 rats only he and Princess remain...and they are both now in declining health. I have them both on baytril right now as well as metacam for Darryl, because often, especially with obese rats, there is swelling and water retention contributing to compression of the spinal cord and HED symptoms.

I do hope your dear sweet boy is not too seriously ill and that whatever his issue, it is managable.

I know I haven't been on these forums in a while...mostly been on FB rat groups, but I've certainly been thru a lot in the past couple years. I now have 35 rats, 3 dcn's and about 5 other cages!
I started the year with this: [ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7RpyqLs7Ec[/ame]
and in late Feb came this:[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joUOQPMx3Oc[/ame]
and this: [ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHtpmHC-83E[/ame]
and there's a few new ones who I haven't video'd yet. Moving in a couple weeks, so my whole setup is going in a bigger room and doing some overhaul, so hopefully by early this fall I will have modifications all done and videos up about the new digs.
DSPCH you little guy will certainly be in my thoughts! For Larry, who did pass due to paralysis, I kept him comfy as best I could, let his cagemates help and comfort him, and when it became clear he couldn't properly eat/drink and was in some distress about the dysfunction of his body, I chose to let him go. But that time frame is very different for every rat. Hopefully it is very long for you, if there is even a serious issue at all. ~hugs~

Lovee had his bath today - he whined through some of it, but he came out cleaner. He saw the vet today and his hind end is worse, basically he doesn't use it. She said she noticed a twitch in one eye which is concerning and he has an arrhythmia, but nothing too concerning so we're not going to medicate him for it yet. I know, you're all probably saying, WHAT? He will be closely watched and when medication is indicated we will start it. He has no respiratory issues and it's a slight arrhythmia. I'm more concerned that something is going in his head that is making his eye twitch. We are starting him on an holistic DMG for the spinal issue. He has lost 35 grams in two months.

I wonder if the spinal issue could be pinching nerve tissue anywhere along the spine, causing a twitch. It doesn't sound like PT: seems more like a degenerative spinal breakdown that might be causing some crossover in neural signals along the spine. I'd just keep him comfortable as you can; if he's eating, drinking (even if from offered foods in a syringe) and seems happy enough...it's all you can do until you feel you may need to start meds. Sweet old ratties..

Carol Weekes said:

I wonder if the spinal issue could be pinching nerve tissue anywhere along the spine, causing a twitch. It doesn't sound like PT: seems more like a degenerative spinal breakdown that might be causing some crossover in neural signals along the spine. I'd just keep him comfortable as you can; if he's eating, drinking (even if from offered foods in a syringe) and seems happy enough...it's all you can do until you feel you may need to start meds. Sweet old ratties..

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I'm about 98% sure its not PT, he's still doing pretty good despite the hind end thing. He almost took off one of my fingers today grabbing a treat from me - he still strikes like a snake at times. He looks good, but has one stubborn gooey buck grease patch. He is still getting around and enjoying his cuddles with the chicks. He is on a holistic for nerves - I do believe his problems are related to his spinal issue. He likes it too so he takes it like a champ. I do offer him a bowl of soft food, but the girls insist that he shares.
So for now I think he's doing good for an old man who will be 28 months on August 6th (approximately)

Our poor old guy has been having issues. I found two masses one on each side of his winky. One was about gumball size and the other pea size - this was about 5 days ago. I was having trouble checking for plugs since I could never get his winky out - I think he must of had what you guys refer to as an inverted penis. He is about 30 months give or take a month since I don't know exactly when he was born. After talking to Peggy (hopefloats) she advised me they would be sacks/masses of infections and to soak him. I did, and was able to get some nasty green stuff out, but only very little. He wasn't getting around much anymore, appeared dehydrated, wouldn't use front paws much -although I don't think he had PT, he was doing alot of swatting at his ears (which always had goo in them), teeth grinding - they were overgrown. He would take ensure by syringe.

I took him to the vet yesterday when I picked up Streaker. She was able to needle aspirated the gumball size mass and it was nasty green goo. His teeth were filed down, his one swollen thigh which I thought seemed like fluid was actually a mass, and he had a large internal mass (I was able to feel) that she believes was an enlarged kidney. He had some ensure before we left the vet and I let her give him a shot for pain (the med you guys don't like that everyone says causes pica) I have not had a problem with it when used just once, but I did question myself on that choice.

This brings us to current time 0603 est and he is making his journey to the bridge. I checked on the boys about 2 am and found him unresponsive so I've had him on my chest since then. Around 4-4:30 he started having mild seizures and around 0530 he had a big one. Then nothing until literally right now 0606 and he's having another. They don't last long his heart rate is still strong, but he has no eye response (checked about 20 minutes ago). I wish my boy would just let go perhaps I will put him down and walk away maybe he wants to pass alone.

I'm sorry dspch. ):
It sounds like he's had a great life though. I hope he passes peacefully.

Velo said:

I'm sorry dspch. ):
It sounds like he's had a great life though. I hope he passes peacefully.

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It seems like he's waking up. We think perhaps with the enlarged kidney he couldn't process that damn shot! What I thought were seizures the hubby thinks is just him running and trying to wake up. He is blinking now. So not sure about the seizures - looks scary to me. I might of stayed up all night with a rat that was in a really deep sleep/coma.

Well I suppose that's better news! Hopefully he will keep perking up then... definitely seems strange. Must have been a strong pain killer!

Velo said:

Well I suppose that's better news! Hopefully he will keep perking up then... definitely seems strange. Must have been a strong pain killer!

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Its that one Peggy refuses to use during surgery. I let them give a one time shot of it.

He's gone. Guess my assestment was accurate - he pasaed in hia daddy's arms. RIP our precious boy.

I'm so very sorry Vicki hugs to you.

jorats said:

I'm so very sorry Vicki hugs to you.

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He lived a long life and he got to live with our first set of girls! I've never had a rat have seizures, but I'm pretty sure he was having them especially since in the end between the rapid running motion and the front paw clinching and back straightening his little legs continued to quiver. I think he had a few moments of alertness, but was just waiting for his daddy to come home from work to let go.

RIP Lovee, I'm glad you had a wonderful life full of good company and lots of snuggles...
It's sweet he waited for his daddy to come home, so he could leave with both of you there.

I am so sorry