Foot Issues (Update: What the Vet Said (FEMUR!!))

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Cait

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2007
Messages
3,510
Location
Pasadena, CA
Ok so, today I notice Denny is dragging one of his back feet. He'll put pressure on it, he'll walk on it sometimes, but sometimes he drags. It's not swollen or broken, he just drags it. I touched it and he didn't react, and he doesn't act in pain. Yesterday I kind of noticed he was a little slower on that side, if that makes any sense... Just a little more uncoordinated? I can't explain it, but I could tell something was off, but I thought he was just being a weirdo. They've all been acting off lately.

Could this be related to the "seizure" he had? And why would it start now? I'm hoping he just sort of sprained it and it will be okay. Like I said, he'll USE it, just mostly he drags it.

Rubin yesterday, he looked like one of his lips was bitten! But I hadn't noticed any scuffles between them. That's likely what it was, though. They need more space, and fast. I think they're getting irritated at each other more and more often. But usually no one messes with Rubin; he's just kind of "there". Anyway, it was swollen, and he was holding his tongue off to one side (but in his mouth). I know it hurt, because he nipped at me when I touched it. I gave him some children's ibuprofin. Today it looks better, tongue is back in place and I can touch it without getting the stink eye. But what the crap? Lip? But he is looking better, so I'm not sure what else to do about it besides watch it. But I wanted to mention it in case there's something I'm missing.
 
How old is Denny? He could be starting hind end degeneration. They often start by dragging one foot...is he low to the ground and plants the whole sole of his hind foot down?

The lip sounds like its improving and there's not a lot more you can do but what you are doing. Watch for swelling, obviously but it should heal fine.
 
He's only one. In November... This early? He does kind of slink with his foot like that... He moves oddly. I took a video, I'm going to load it now for you to see.
 
Photobucket is taking forever, but Youtube is no better. *sigh*

When I took the vid, there was less dragging, but you can totally see what I'm talking about. He doesn't walk normally at all. When he stops, he'll hold out his back foot, topside down. He didn't do that on the vid, but he does. It's hard because the things I see him doing, I couldn't catch on film. :/

It's loading though. Maybe in five years it'll load. *rolls eyes*
 
Cait said:
Photobucket is taking forever, but Youtube is no better. *sigh*

When I took the vid, there was less dragging, but you can totally see what I'm talking about. He doesn't walk normally at all. When he stops, he'll hold out his back foot, topside down. He didn't do that on the vid, but he does. It's hard because the things I see him doing, I couldn't catch on film. :/

It's loading though. Maybe in five years it'll load. *rolls eyes*
Click to expand...

I guess i'll be watching it in the morning *Shelagh snores*
 
Oooh, that leg looks almost dislocated? He's running with it so he can't be in much pain if any at all. But there's definitely something off with that leg, couldn't tell you if it's part of the seizure.

As for Rubin, could he have had an allergic reaction to something? Good thinking with the ibuprofen, bring down that swelling... poor guy.

Sounds like they need a bigger cage and fast!
 
Now his rear leans to favor that leg... And the good leg leans under his body more, as if to compensate... And I notice he "dribbles" pee more... I got him out and put him on the bed and he dribbled all across it, and he normally never does that, then I had him on the table so I could watch him walk, and he did it more. He's not a dribbler. I know that sounds dumb because they all do it, but really, he doesn't, and if he does, it's not a lot.

This calls for a new video.

And he tries to scratch with that bad leg and he can't lift it up there. But again, no pain... He does what he normally does. He crawled right up on my shoulder and is sitting there bruxing away. While he's up there I notice he's sort of sniffly... But IDK if that was just because he was bruxing a TON or... See now he's stopped. He worries me too much.

IDK what it is, they free range all day, and sleep when I sleep (from about 11-5). It's not like the cage is super small... It's the SP exotics, that's a 5-er, and there's 6 of them. The new cage should be done tonight. I'll make my dad hurry.
 
The vet took films and Denny's FEMUR is broken!! CLEAN, in two bits! Now how on earth did he do THAT?! I didn't get copies made because they wouldn't, but I'm going to take pics of them sometime soon. But it was amazingly cool looking. 0.0 My poor Denny, though!! He HAS to be in pain. They told me to dose him with ibuprofin since that's what I already have and I know he'll take, but that there wasn't much they could do. He wasn't sure surgery was justified because of how Denny acts... And that's perfectly normal! I just saw him climb the cage bars earlier today and attempt several times to scratch/clean himself.

Should I put him in a one level cage? Or something? I have to do something, he can't just go on like that with the others, even though they are lazy but obviously not lazy enough! The vet said he'd probably always have the limp, because the leg would heal like that. Which makes me sad, because he can't scratch that side. So I'll have to be extra diligent and hope the other boys take a hint and help out with that.

I'm pretty much at a loss. I saw the films with my own eyes, but he doesn't even act like it bothers him!

Also, without words, this puts an end to free ranging.
 
I guess so, right? It's kind of wigging me out. He was running all over the car and up and down my arms and across the couch and just every where... If I broke my femur, you could forget that.

He will be very spoiled, that's for sure. If that's possible to spoil him more... :p I'm making rat chili tonight for dinner, just for my special little furry guy.
 
Oh my goodness....when I first saw the video I was going to say dislocated or broken.....

It is something else how they can just keep going. All part of the "show no weakness thing"
 
I hope the ibuprofin helps with any pain he is having... Not that I can tell, really, with how he's acting.

Do you think I should put him in a one level cage? Or since he does what he wants anyway does it really matter?
 
Aw poor little Denny. :hugs:
I remember Hazel was playing with Pearl one time and after that she was limping quite badly. I am fairly sure that she did not break anything but it was probably sprained. She walked quite like Denny is walking. But come outtime she ran with the best of them. You could tell half way through outtime it was bothering her again because she would be limping, but she didn't care.
 
I figured it was his femur. Poor little guy. With his level of activity, seems like it's been a few days? Do you know if the bone fragments on each side are close to each other? Might heal that way which is not the end of the world. Denny seems pretty happy still. Does the vet think it's a recent break? If so, keeping him quiet would allow the bone to join and heal but if it's not recent, then I'd keep him with his current buddies so not to stress him out at this time.
 
It seems like a few days, but he hasn't acted any different until Wednesday, so maybe it happened then? You know what... When he had his seizure deal, he jumped from my arms... I wonder if it happened THEN... But no, he was fine after that, didn't act weird or anything... And he went straight to the vet and they messed with him all over and nothing.

I didn't ask the right questions. He didn't tell me anything to do care wise, when he thought it had gotten broken. I want to go in today to look again at the films and get photos. When I saw them, it didn't look like the pieces were touching at all, it was like /- if that even makes sense, which it doesn't.

I left him with them last night and he was up in their cube, underneath all the rest of the fatties. Meaning he not only climbed up there, but he wasn't in pain being crushed by the rats who are huge compared to his tiny 400 grams.

I think the office opens at 9, I'll call and ask to talk to the vet, or at least the tech who was helping him. She seemed like she knew more. This is what I get for taking him to the vet who didn't know rats could have megacolon.
 
Please tell us what he says. I wonder if a nerve was severed during the break? And if its a clean break it should heal...callus is an awesome thing. Its when they are shattered or an open fracture that its really terrible :(

Leave him where he is, and just keep on top of his possible pain.

Poor brave little man. Good luck Cait!
 

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