ViciousCurse
Well-Known Member
So, recently I had to euthanize Owen. He was only estimated to be about 2.5 years old (previous owner told me he was 1.5 when I brought him home, but as some of you may know, the owner seemed rather apathetic about Owen and Peter), and I decided it was time for him.
Some lovely news before his eventual passing:
About two or three months prior to euthanasia, his personality did a complete 180. Perhaps he knew he was getting sick and wanted to reconcile, or something else, but the biting and bullying ceased. Just... stopped. It wasn't like the habit tapered off, it just stopped cold turkey.
He went from rearing up and biting me if my hand got close, to actually coming up for head rubs.
Anyways, onto the reason for this post. Owen very rapidly lost weight. All of my other boys held weight and I had seen Owen eating, drinking, sleeping, etc. He was doing his normal activities, but his muscles were wasting away. I gave him yogurt and applesauce, and I watered down Oxbow just for him. I did everything to keep on his weight, but he was just losing it way too quickly. I called my vet and they were nice enough to give me advice over the phone. I tried high-calorie baby food, avocado (no skin or pits), hard boiled eggs, I even tried Ensure. I tried 95% dark chocolate. Anyways, I digress.
However, his stomach remained rather distended. Some palpation by me (and eventually the vet) told me he was holding a lot of fluids within his stomach. He was drinking a lot more water, so I suspected a very aggressive cancer in his abdomen, or renal failure. The vet agreed with me when they pressed (gently) on his stomach, right before he was euthanized.
At the vet, basically waiting to say goodbye to him, I noticed his skin had seemingly just opened on his left shoulder. Mind you, there was absolutely no blood. My rats have NEVER inflicted this type of injury on each other. My cage (yes, I checked after we got home) had NO blood anywhere. His shoulder didn't have any type of discharge coming out. I could see into his body. I watched his scapula move back and forth, along with atrophied muscles.
It honestly reminds me of a huge cyst that opened up, just with how the skin was opened up, but there was no discharge and I would have seen this cyst on his shoulder.
Any idea why his shoulder could have just... popped open? I asked the vet and they didn't know either.
His ears, tail, and toes were a healthy pink, so he couldn't have been anemic.
Also, this opening wasn't there when I put him in his carrier on the way to the vet, so it happened during the car ride or while at the vet's. He didn't cut his shoulder on the carrier, the carrier had no fur or blood or puss stuck to it. I checked after we got him home.
I didn't get pictures because I quite frankly hate taking pictures when my animals are at their worst and it honestly doesn't cross my mind. I'm usually way too concerned with them to worry about pictures.
Thanks for any advice. I'm just a little lost, right now.
Some lovely news before his eventual passing:
About two or three months prior to euthanasia, his personality did a complete 180. Perhaps he knew he was getting sick and wanted to reconcile, or something else, but the biting and bullying ceased. Just... stopped. It wasn't like the habit tapered off, it just stopped cold turkey.
He went from rearing up and biting me if my hand got close, to actually coming up for head rubs.
Anyways, onto the reason for this post. Owen very rapidly lost weight. All of my other boys held weight and I had seen Owen eating, drinking, sleeping, etc. He was doing his normal activities, but his muscles were wasting away. I gave him yogurt and applesauce, and I watered down Oxbow just for him. I did everything to keep on his weight, but he was just losing it way too quickly. I called my vet and they were nice enough to give me advice over the phone. I tried high-calorie baby food, avocado (no skin or pits), hard boiled eggs, I even tried Ensure. I tried 95% dark chocolate. Anyways, I digress.
However, his stomach remained rather distended. Some palpation by me (and eventually the vet) told me he was holding a lot of fluids within his stomach. He was drinking a lot more water, so I suspected a very aggressive cancer in his abdomen, or renal failure. The vet agreed with me when they pressed (gently) on his stomach, right before he was euthanized.
At the vet, basically waiting to say goodbye to him, I noticed his skin had seemingly just opened on his left shoulder. Mind you, there was absolutely no blood. My rats have NEVER inflicted this type of injury on each other. My cage (yes, I checked after we got home) had NO blood anywhere. His shoulder didn't have any type of discharge coming out. I could see into his body. I watched his scapula move back and forth, along with atrophied muscles.
It honestly reminds me of a huge cyst that opened up, just with how the skin was opened up, but there was no discharge and I would have seen this cyst on his shoulder.
Any idea why his shoulder could have just... popped open? I asked the vet and they didn't know either.
His ears, tail, and toes were a healthy pink, so he couldn't have been anemic.
Also, this opening wasn't there when I put him in his carrier on the way to the vet, so it happened during the car ride or while at the vet's. He didn't cut his shoulder on the carrier, the carrier had no fur or blood or puss stuck to it. I checked after we got him home.
I didn't get pictures because I quite frankly hate taking pictures when my animals are at their worst and it honestly doesn't cross my mind. I'm usually way too concerned with them to worry about pictures.
Thanks for any advice. I'm just a little lost, right now.