Hi everyone,
My beloved heart rat, Anna, was diagnosed with a pituitary tumor. She's a little over 2.5 years old, and I've read that at best, medication can prolong the lives of rats with PT for a few months. I know I don't have much time left, and I'm trying to give her the best quality of life that I can. She's currently on prednisone and cabergoline for her PT, but she hates taking the cabergoline, even though I try to dissolve the dose into a measly 0.1mL. She fights so hard, and it breaks my heart to have to fight her in order to get the meds into her body. I've only ever given it twice, but it's been a colossal struggle both times. I have the tablets, and have been dissolving them in juice, but it seems that she can still taste it.
I've read that some people had luck hiding it in oat milk, so I was wondering if anyone has found something that can convince their rats to take cabergoline more easily. I've had to syringe other meds into her before that she didn't like (for ex, doxy and Baytril) but she has never fought me THIS hard, so I think she must REALLY hate it.
Any other tips, advice, or anecdotes about helping rats with pituitary tumors are very much welcome. This is the first time I've had a rat with a pituitary tumor, so any help could help prolong Anna's life or increase her quality of life.
Thanks so much.
My beloved heart rat, Anna, was diagnosed with a pituitary tumor. She's a little over 2.5 years old, and I've read that at best, medication can prolong the lives of rats with PT for a few months. I know I don't have much time left, and I'm trying to give her the best quality of life that I can. She's currently on prednisone and cabergoline for her PT, but she hates taking the cabergoline, even though I try to dissolve the dose into a measly 0.1mL. She fights so hard, and it breaks my heart to have to fight her in order to get the meds into her body. I've only ever given it twice, but it's been a colossal struggle both times. I have the tablets, and have been dissolving them in juice, but it seems that she can still taste it.
I've read that some people had luck hiding it in oat milk, so I was wondering if anyone has found something that can convince their rats to take cabergoline more easily. I've had to syringe other meds into her before that she didn't like (for ex, doxy and Baytril) but she has never fought me THIS hard, so I think she must REALLY hate it.
Any other tips, advice, or anecdotes about helping rats with pituitary tumors are very much welcome. This is the first time I've had a rat with a pituitary tumor, so any help could help prolong Anna's life or increase her quality of life.
Thanks so much.