Sonoma RIP 03/24/2014 to 09/30/2015

Brief background: We noticed about two weeks ago she seemed blah, but we thought it was because she missed Lovee. Noticed she was walking funny, but I had seen her fall off the ramp a couple times - she is mostly blind - so figured she hurt herself. About a week ago noticed she seemed to be dragging her right rear foot/right side a bit. Gave her metacam in case she was in pain from an injury. Last Tuesday or Wednesday noticed she was not eating, just laying there, she looked really bloated, and her tail was cool. I didn't feel any masses, but her stomach obviously bothered her. I felt something by her back leg, but not a definitive mass. She had crusted urine on her girl parts, but no smell. She didn't mind the bath she got to clean her, but she didn't poop either. She did pee some on daddy and would eat some baby food. We started her on baytril and gave more metacam. Next day, more dried urine and she still would just lay in her igloo. This time she did poop in the "bath".

She went to the vet today (earliest I could get her into the vet I wanted her to see) and she seems all messed up, but no "this is what she has" diagnosis. Her x-ray showed, enlarged lymph nodes (one under an armpit, and one by each leg) gas in the intestines and stomach. Consolidation of left lung w/possibly a nodule. There was a circular area, but could also be an infection. She has fatty pockets. She has an arrhythmia, her heart actually skips a beat or two, but not a concern at this time. I think that's it.

I guess we could be dealing with pneumonia, chf, cancer, and I don't know what else....

Goal right now, get her through the weekend. We have her on Baytril .13 ml once a day (100 mg/ml), Metacam .17 ml once (twice if needed) a day (1.5 mg/ml), Simethicone Drops (gas drops) .10 twice a day, and Lasix .05 once a day (10 mg/ml) She is on a liquid diet since that is all she will eat right now. She looks miserable so if there is no improvement by Monday we will have to make some decisions.

So, anyone have any suggestions or opinions?

Sometimes rats get bladder infections which can cause distress and lameness. I think right now antibiotics and pain meds are the way to go --> can't hurt and may help...

She seems squisher today and not as solid - more rat like if that makes any sense. She also took granola from daddy today and ate it. Seemed a little perkier. I'm going to get her out in a bit and see if I can get her to take some fluids. This girl even takes metacam from the syringe - yuck!

Aggh, she's not using her front paws to grab anything - hasn't for afew days now. She'll try to eat solids, but only if we hold them or she can grab it in her mouth.

Otherwise, she looks perkier and not bloated as much. Got a poop out of her yesterday.

We made the decision after Kona not to treat any more PT's, but I have bromo and I'm willing to try it here. Only problem, she's on metacam - haven't given it today yet, but do I need to wait 72 hours with the bromo or is that just with the dex?

Yes, you can give her bromo even if she's on metacam. I know the dilemma you are feeling. I say the sam thing, we've had such bad results with bromo and I keep saying I won't and then I keep trying, one more time. It's hard to not do something. I hate that feeling of helplessness.

As Joanne said metacam can be given with bromo but I don't think its PT so much you are dealing with...abdominal pain, diarrhea and gas pockets makes me think she's got an internal mass that is impeding her digestive system.

lilspaz68 said:

As Joanne said metacam can be given with bromo but I don't think its PT so much you are dealing with...abdominal pain, diarrhea and gas pockets makes me think she's got an internal mass that is impeding her digestive system.

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There is no abdominal mass on her x-ray. Just gas/air pockets, 3 enlarged lymph nodes, fluid pockets, and nodule - which is questionable in her lung. She does not grasp anything! What would cause that other than a brain tumor? Should I start bromo? She is considerably smaller since we started the gas drops and other meds. She was passing gas last night - stinky girl.

Could the paralysis potentially be a result or related to the enlarged lymph nodes?
I'm sorry to hear she's not doing great. ):
Does she do any better after getting metacam?

Velo said:

Could the paralysis potentially be a result or related to the enlarged lymph nodes?
I'm sorry to hear she's not doing great. ):
Does she do any better after getting metacam?

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She can push with them and groom herself, although I've only seen her groom her head. She picks up food with her mouth, bites off a piece, drops the rest, then picks it up with her mouth, and repeat... or we hold it for her. Otherwise she just eats soft food.

I will have to watch her closer after she gets her metacam. She falls alot, the other day she fell off the higher shelf and then off the ramp (We've fixed that), but she will topple over if she steps on a piece of uneven bunched up fleece. Literally topples over like a drunk.

Yesterday I saw brightness in her eyes again and not just the "help me" blank stare. She kind of reminds me of Finn after he got kidney failure. She's not spinning yet though and he didn't have all the other issues. I'm not sure what exactly reminds me of him, but she does.

Velo said:

Could the paralysis potentially be a result or related to the enlarged lymph nodes?
I'm sorry to hear she's not doing great. ):
Does she do any better after getting metacam?

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Aww, poor love. u_u
I'm just not familiar with PT, so I don't know. If Lilspaz and Jo say it's safe to give bromo, then maybe it would help.
Definitely sounds like she has a lot going on either way.
Is she the one who had a suspected cancer before?

Velo said:

Aww, poor love. u_u
I'm just not familiar with PT, so I don't know. If Lilspaz and Jo say it's safe to give bromo, then maybe it would help.
Definitely sounds like she has a lot going on either way.
Is she the one who had a suspected cancer before?

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Yes and no - she is the one they thought had a mammory tumor and it turned out to be an encapsulated abscess. Her sister is the one that had the bad blood work that they thought would be full of cancer and they found nothing.

Ohh, I see. You always adopt the rats with the wildest medical problems, seriously.

OMG, I'm hoping someone in forum land is still up and sees this. She now has smelly green goo coming out her girly parts and a small drop came out her butt. Is this good or bad? I'm thinking bad. If she had an infection why didn't it show up on the x-ray? Vet did think the lymph nodes could be swollen due to an infection or cancer. So is this bad or could this be good for her, but I need to change antibiotics from baytril to something else. OMG, I just scared the crap out of my self! I have her on a fall towel and I looked down and thought she was bleeding everywhere - it was the darn turkey design she was sitting on.

So she's already on baytril, I would add Clavamox. Sounds like pyometra.

We're off to the vet in an hour. Receptionist seems to think the vet will want to see her again since this is a new issue - then maybe she should pay for it! No more green goo since around midnight. Oh this girl is driving me crazy! Can she have pyometra without a uterus? Everything I've been reading says it's a uterine infection?

There are stump infections too.

It does sound like PT, but it also sounds like there's a lot more going on then just PT. :/

the green goo is definitely infected and smelly? Came from her vagina and her anus? Something is going waaaay wrong inside of her

u_u I wish I could offer some help or advice. Hope you get some kind of good news at the vet. Thinking of you two!

Ok, vet agrees she's looking better. Doesn't think its PT, I still disagree there. It was a very tiny dot by her anus - not 100% sure it came out of there. I got a little more green out of her vagina when I washed her up. It seems the water "unsticks" what has dried and sealed her up and then I get more out. She is now on chloroplam in place if baytril, reglan to help her poop, tramadol added to metacam (not at the same time) to help with pain, off the lasix, and gas drops down to once a day. Appointment didn't cost me since the new receptionist screwed up. Could of just talked to her on the phone like I requested.

Good stuff - Glad she's on the mend and you didn't get charged !

Velo said:

Good stuff - Glad she's on the mend and you didn't get charged !

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Nope, she put down that I declined the exam. Just had to pay for the meds.