First time rat owner - first time experiencing "the end"

[kko2046]

Our current rats Cookie and Cream are our first pet rats. Bought them for my daughter beginning of 2021. We all knew their lifespan was only about 2 years, we all knew it was gonna be a short affair. How attached could we become to such tiny creatures in 2 short years? So I thought...
Breeder told us they were about 2 months old when we got them, which makes them only about 1 year and 4 months old now. Somehow I think they are older (either the breeder intentionally or unknowingly gave us wrong age, we don't know, but it doesnt matter). Only thing is that it was a big surprise when Cream suddenly "got old" in a matter of days. One day last week we noticed he was off. He wasnt as active, was not eating/drinking much, but still OK. In just a couple of days, he has stopped holding food with hands, stopped drinking from water bottle, his eyes are always "squinty" or even closed when awake, he sleeps more, lost a bunch of weight and no longer chunky. Now he is only taking soft food like baby food. His whole body is fragile and limp.
I have been reading up in the forums... are these PT symptoms? Do most pet rats end up in this stage if no other serious illnesses? It is devastating for us to see him age so quickly. We had dogs before and they took several years to age and finally deteriorate, but this was less than a week's time from seeing the first serious sign, by now I am anticipating the inevitable "end" very soon based on his progress. So sad and helpless for such cute and gentle little creatures.

 

[kko2046]

By the way, do you experience rat owners think that their cage mate knows when one is not in good shape and nearing the end? My other rat cookie, is fortunately still active and healthy but he seems oblivious to Cream's condition...

 

[Kye]

If you could post a video of him eating or moving around that'd be helpful but I wouldn't rule out a PT. As for the cage mate yes they often know long before we do and they have their own ways of handling the situation, but if this is something that will take his life you will need to spend a lot more time with the cage mate so he doesn't get lonely.

 

[mwp051699]

Our current rats Cookie and Cream are our first pet rats. Bought them for my daughter beginning of 2021. We all knew their lifespan was only about 2 years, we all knew it was gonna be a short affair. How attached could we become to such tiny creatures in 2 short years? So I thought...
Breeder told us they were about 2 months old when we got them, which makes them only about 1 year and 4 months old now. Somehow I think they are older (either the breeder intentionally or unknowingly gave us wrong age, we don't know, but it doesnt matter). Only thing is that it was a big surprise when Cream suddenly "got old" in a matter of days. One day last week we noticed he was off. He wasnt as active, was not eating/drinking much, but still OK. In just a couple of days, he has stopped holding food with hands, stopped drinking from water bottle, his eyes are always "squinty" or even closed when awake, he sleeps more, lost a bunch of weight and no longer chunky. Now he is only taking soft food like baby food. His whole body is fragile and limp.
I have been reading up in the forums... are these PT symptoms? Do most pet rats end up in this stage if no other serious illnesses? It is devastating for us to see him age so quickly. We had dogs before and they took several years to age and finally deteriorate, but this was less than a week's time from seeing the first serious sign, by now I am anticipating the inevitable "end" very soon based on his progress. So sad and helpless for such cute and gentle little creatures.

Yes, sounds like PT, and no, most rats suffer from URIs that more often are the cause of their demise. If you get more rats consider getting spayed females as they seem to live longer than males, i have 2 elderly females now that are just 3 years old this month and 1 is slowing down, eating soft foods and drinking Ensure only and has Hind Legs Degeneration, so she pulls herself around, and is also now peeing where she lies, and burying her head into corners, which is the tell-tale sign that she is ready to cross the bridge. Her sister, on the other hand, my heart and soul, is as healthy as the day i got her. So consider spayed females, and they dont pee everywhere like males do. They can be just as cuddly as males also, just depends on their personality. Im sorry to hear of your pending loses.

 

[kko2046]

Yes, sounds like PT, and no, most rats suffer from URIs that more often are the cause of their demise. If you get more rats consider getting spayed females as they seem to live longer than males, i have 2 elderly females now that are just 3 years old this month and 1 is slowing down, eating soft foods and drinking Ensure only and has Hind Legs Degeneration, so she pulls herself around, and is also now peeing where she lies, and burying her head into corners, which is the tell-tale sign that she is ready to cross the bridge. Her sister, on the other hand, my heart and soul, is as healthy as the day i got her. So consider spayed females, and they dont pee everywhere like males do. They can be just as cuddly as males also, just depends on their personality. Im sorry to hear of your pending loses.

thanks so much for your advices and good for your long lived girls.

 

[kko2046]

If you could post a video of him eating or moving around that'd be helpful but I wouldn't rule out a PT. As for the cage mate yes they often know long before we do and they have their own ways of handling the situation, but if this is something that will take his life you will need to spend a lot more time with the cage mate so he doesn't get lonely.

Thanks. I have attached a couple files, the photo shows Cream knuckling his little hands, which I have now learnt is typical for PT. The video was from yesterday morning, shows him very weak and seems to be confused, always moving head left and right searching for things. No eating videos, he is getting worse day by day, and as of yesterday i needed to feed him with a syringe. Day before he was still weakly eating out of a dish himself. He slept the whole day yesterday except when i woke him to feed. Finally able to make an appt with a vet this afternoon who will work with rats, no idea how good they are (reviews are mixed but this is within reasonable distance from me). I am just hoping to get some dexamethasone and steroids, which may revive him and give him more comfortable time, based on what i have been reading on this forum so far. Or is it too late at this stage to try to extend his time?

 

[Kye]

Ohhh I'm so sorry about your boy... There's a chance steroids will help him yes, but some rats never respond to them and only continue to go downhill no matter what you do, the good news is if you are keeping him fed and hydrated the PT isn't actually painful, but side effects like hunger, dehydration, bed sores, etc are obviously painful so if you feel like you can keep up with his management then I don't think there's anything wrong with trying the steroids as long as you realize they may not work and it isn't a cure, it may only give you a few months more.

 

[kko2046]

Ohhh I'm so sorry about your boy... There's a chance steroids will help him yes, but some rats never respond to them and only continue to go downhill no matter what you do, the good news is if you are keeping him fed and hydrated the PT isn't actually painful, but side effects like hunger, dehydration, bed sores, etc are obviously painful so if you feel like you can keep up with his management then I don't think there's anything wrong with trying the steroids as long as you realize they may not work and it isn't a cure, it may only give you a few months more.

Thanks... so I guess based on observation you also think he has PT then... it is tough to see him going slowly but i read on another thread someone had luck with their rat in similar situation (sudden onset of symptoms and becoming inactive within a few days) and they bounced back after the meds... and also this hopeful remarks from lilspaz68: "My best success was Malcolm, a 26 month old boy who went to almost immobile, he got dexamethasone then the next day went onto bromocriptine. He was the only one who became truly symptom free and made it another 6 months. Within 2 days he was moving, alert, able to eat on his own (soft food initially) etc".

 

[Kye]

Thanks... so I guess based on observation you also think he has PT then... it is tough to see him going slowly but i read on another thread someone had luck with their rat in similar situation (sudden onset of symptoms and becoming inactive within a few days) and they bounced back after the meds... and also this hopeful remarks from lilspaz68: "My best success was Malcolm, a 26 month old boy who went to almost immobile, he got dexamethasone then the next day went onto bromocriptine. He was the only one who became truly symptom free and made it another 6 months. Within 2 days he was moving, alert, able to eat on his own (soft food initially) etc".

Yes I do suspect it's a PT, but it is still possible that the medication will work, it's rough but something I say is prepare for the worst and hope for the best to help me out through the tougher times

 

[kko2046]

Back from the vet. It was not the best outcome I had hoped for - that he would prescribe me the meds to try revive him and give him a bit more time. The clinic may handle rats but all I could say is the vet was not familiar at least with PT in rats. He was not familiar with the use of dexamethasone or bromocriptine for PT, and they dont carry bromocriptine as it is a special med. And he said even if they had it, they would need to confirm the diagnosis of PT before he would prescribe... he could do an X ray which he said may not show it, and MRI is the better method but they don't provide that and I would need a referral to another clinic. He could prescribe dexamethasone but he also said it is short lived (which agrees with what I read), and without the Bromo even if symptoms improve, Cream would eventually start back on the same path again soon. And I also agree that even if I got the meds it may or may not work... Not knowing if any other clinic will just be the same my second best option is the tougher decision - to stop Cream's suffering.

I do have one actual question for the experts here... is it recommended to let his cage mate see him one last time? Do they need "closure" like that?

Nothing the vet said was wrong, and I am not blaming them for the outcome but I will write another post about the clinic to let forums members know, as it was highly recommended here but apparently the great rats doctor there is no longer at that clinic.

 

[Kye]

I'm sorry things aren't going according to plan... In the past I've let all of my rats say goodbye except for one who was critically ill and rushed to get pts, but for the most part they see the deterioration of their friend and they more often than not know what happened to them be it general working out, smelling them on you, even your mood all will tell them what happened

 

[kko2046]

Thanks much for your replies, sorry I wasnt clear... I meant is it advised to let cage mate see their body one last time (after euthanized)? I think I read somewhere it is not recommended but cant find the thread now...

 

[Kye]

Ah- I bring mine to the appointments except for the one time so they can say goodbye