Have To Have My Rat Put To Sleep

[Ratgirl81]

:sad3: He hasnt been right for a week or so now and before that he had what we though and the vet was a cyst on his side a big one, that went with some cream. but the past week he's got weaker, cant seem to have total use of his back legs, he's been to the vet twice last week, first she said wasnt looking good and then we see another one and she says to take him home he's fine, hate seeing different vets all the time.
But i know he isnt right and what else could his back legs be than a tumour? i dont want to admit it but have to as i dont want him to suffer and its no life if you cant get around, we have another rat and he's been withdrawn lately - whether he knows that the other isnt feeling good and somethings up, going to hate monday when we have to call the vets, never had to be in the room when a pet of mine was put to sleep, it would be easier if he would just go peacefully over night, but im so scared that im going to be in that vets and cry i hate crying in front of people, wish that my BF could just do it but then id be leaving him to deal with it alone, dreading it, and the thought of not having my rat is just well, you can all probably guess, but its his health and quality of life in the end you have to think about i know.

:sad3:

 

[jorats]

I'm so sorry you are going through this... but HED (hind end degeneration) is quite normal in aging rats. I've had so many rats with this but I never had them put to sleep. They all managed to move around perfectly well. Rats are amazing critters and adapt so well to their handicaps and environment.
How old are your rats?

 

[ryelle]

My last rat lost the use of his hind legs completely just before he hit his 2nd birthday. It got to the point that he couldn't even pull them back underneath himself, he couldn't move out of his own urine, he hardly ate and he slept ALL day long. I left him on a pillow on the couch for 3 hours one time and he didn't move an inch. He just slept the whole time, all day and night. THAT's when i decided to have him put to sleep.

My current eldest rat (28months old) has HED, but he still gets around pretty well. He can't use his feet and he walks on his heels. I will know in my gut when his quality of life is being affected, and its not at the moment.
This is how he walks and his feet:

He does a mix of hopping and dragging his butt across the floor. My last rat dragged his whole body from his middle along the floor by his front feet. I found that vets knew very little about the whole thing, and they tried to treat my last rat for spinal damage with injections that caused more stress than they were worth. I was also bumped around to see a different vet at the same clinic each time, which was ridiculous.

 

[Ratgirl81]

thank you both very much for replying, im really not sure what to do, i dont want him to have to be put to sleep but i dont want him suffering either, he can get around on the one level he's on and his back feet can move a bit as he tries to have a scratch but he cant get them right up they just tap the floor, he seems a bit off balance at times too, and before he could sit on his bum and hold his nuget in his paws and chomp away now he cant hold them whether thats coz his back legs wont work proper to let him have his paws free, as he can move his front, but he just puts his head in the food bowl and chomps right there, never did that before.
He's only just coming up 2 years old and we have another one as well, he seems ok up to now.

The one thats not i just dont know, i mean he's sat there trying to have a little wash right now and he's eating ok but i have read that doesnt mean anything as they can eat right up till the end.
the vets that we see are nice enough but as you said when you dont see the same one all the time they cant get to know your animal so how would they really know what was best.
we're going to get him out of the ratty home tomorrow and see how far he can actaully walk and if its worse, he does drag his legs a bit and shuffles like you said, not sure if its what the vet said, brain tumour or just old age, just want to make the right choice.

 

[jorats]

I wonder if perhaps he might have something else going on like pituitary tumor. If that's the case, he will probably progressively get worst. But now might not be the time to have him put to sleep. I would get him some baby cereal and baby food if he has trouble grasping his food.

 

[SQ]

At present I have 4 rats with hed. They are still able to get around on one level. I have made changes to their cage to accommodate their decreased level of ability.
They may need a bit of help with scratching and washing. Mine have a difficult time with hard food so I make their lab blocks into mush. They also like baby cereal and vegs such as peas.
As long as they are eating, have some quality of life and aren't suffering it is ok. When that changes, I will be taking them to the vet to be pts.

You need to look at how your boy is doing and what you can manage.
all the best to all 3 of you.

edit: if his front feet are clubing he may have pt, and meds might help that for awhile.

 

[ryelle]

any chance you can get a video or photo's of the how your little guys feet are? Like when he is walking, sitting, etc.

I had some pictures of Harvey laid out on the couch but i can't seem to find them. Will have to check my boyfriends computer

 

[Ratgirl81]

thank you all very much! we are going to hold off on going back to the vets with him just yet, see how he goes over the next few days, its just very worrying, i've had a lot of other pets before but these are our first rats.
i will try the mushed up food idea and yes i do have to help him have a scratch, but he seems ok other than the back legs thing and the balance thing, i just dont want him to suffer, and i guess that if he was in any pain he wouldnt move around or anything, he does and he is eating drinking and all that, trying to wash, just what the vet said last time about the tumour really scared us.
it has helped coming and talking on here so thank you all very much, and when we get them out tomorrow night i will try and get a few pictures of him and his legs.
you are all so kind and helpful and i appreciate it all.