Advice on elderly Miss Ophélia

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FemineaDea

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Advice please on Miss Ophélia
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  1. Jun 23, 2018#1

    FemineaDea
    New Member
    Hello everyone.
    My sweetest Miss Ophélia is pushing 2 1/2 years old. She lost her best friend amlost 2 months ago, since then her health has rapidly declined. She barely eats, I have finally figured out a mash that she will eat. She refuses water as well. I have kept her hydrated with the food I am making her. Her hind end is starting to go, her eyes are cloudy, not the bright sparkling gems theyusually are. Her skin is affected as well. She is either sleeping or staring off most of the time. Just yesterday I noticed her hind legs were swollen and bluish in tone, she also tends to curl up her feet at times. This really concerns me . She can walk, but it takes her a bit to get going. I havent seen this before in rats...I wondered if its circulation ? I gave her a massage this morning on her hips, feet, and legs as well as underneath. She really really seemed to enjoy it. She also has a rattle in her chest. I an unable to get her into the vet until tomorrow.
    I have not dealt with this sort of thing before. My other girl, Sammie had a pituitary tumor which progressed to the point that she just shut down snd I had to have her euthanized.
    At this point I feel like I'm at a loss. Ophélia is still going but she isnt happy that's for sure. Given her age , at what point do I send her "home".
    Any advice and info would be greatly appreciated.

    FemineaDea, Today at 2:18 PMReport
    Reply

  2. Jun 23, 2018#1

    lilspaz68
    AdministratorStaff Member Admin
    Can you get a video of your girl? I might recognize something from a video.

    lilspaz68, 38 minutes agoReport
    Reply
 
So I took a few videos but apparently can't upload them . I've kept up with massaging her muscles in her hind end, it seems to be helping her with mobility and bringing normal color back to her legs. She is moving around well at the moment. I tried putting her in her cage the last few nights but she seriously loses her marbles over it. So she sleeps in a kennel next to me on my bed.
Sorry, I couldnt get videos uploaded. Would pictures help?
 
You can post the videos to YouTube and then post the links on here
Lilspaz68 would like to see videos so if you can, that would be great
Glad that your massaging is helping her (I am doing something similar for Rhys who was 3 in Feb and can no longer use his back legs .... I also soak him in warm water in the sink - supporting his body and head with one hand under his body & head, and flexing his back legs with my other hand)
 
Thank you for the tips. Tech wise and warm bath. Uploading videos now. I gave her a bit of metacam to help as well. She is sitting in the bedroom window looking at up the moon. I think the coolness from the window gives her relief .
 
btw glad that you have been able to figure out a mash that she will eat.
Rhys used to eat his rat blocks soaked in cold water to make mush but since Jan he refuses to eat anything except organic soy infant formula thickened with baby cereal .......... it keeps him hydrated as well, which is good because he will not drink water anymore either.
 
I use rice cereal, oatmeal cereal, (Gerber ) equal parts. 1 tsp each. 1 and a half tsp water . 1 tsp chocolate soy milk ( natura). 1 squirt baby gourmet baby food (veggies and fruit, alternate flavors each feeding ) . I used ensure before however I found that she became dehydrated rather quick, and had a hard time having bowel movements.
 
She needs to see a good vet with the experience and knowledge to treat rats, so great that she has a vet appointment
She likely needs antibiotics or a combo of antibiotics such as baytril + azithromycin (10 mg/Ib), orally twice a day for at least 6 weeks if it is helping
and she may need heart meds, etc

I hope she is soon feeling better
 
Thank you so much. She actually has two skilled vets that know their way around rats. Today she is motoring around pretty good. Swelling and bluish color is not present today. Good to see her being her mischievious self .
 
Don't even worry about her legs not having much mobility, as she's an elderly soul, its her breathing, losing weight and being on the verge of open mouth gasping from respiratory that is the worry. It looks like pulmonary abscesses but it depends on what her lungs sound like when you hold her sides to your ear. What antibiotics were you prescribed and for how long?
 
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