Injured Young Rat

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She's looking worse to me now, like she definitely does not feel good. She is very fluffed out and it seems to me she is having issues with her balance. She is already on antibiotics right? I mean I know she was...but is she still? You say it seems to be her mouth but I am wondering if it isn't her ear. This would explain both the pain an the wobbling. Get some more pain meds in that girl asap and hopefully a veteran will have further information.
 
she's out of antibiotics now so i'll have to take her back. i asked the vet to give me a few weeks worth but she only gave me one week. :(
 
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oh no... she has a wound on her neck :( it must have been from when she was attacked. i think this is what's hurting her.

eta: i gave her ibuprofen last night and she was calm through the night. so i just now gave her another dose. hoping that will ease the pain again.

wound1.jpg


wound2.jpg
 
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This is not looking good...she needs a lot more pain management. Rats do NOT squeak in pain over and over, this is veyr serious, she's not uncomfortable, or even just hurting, she's in real pain.

Go back to the vet and ask them to look at her throat, and if they have not-so good news, have her put to sleep and end any suffering. That is a very very unhappy, hurting little rat. The infection could be deep in her throat, this is not a simple issue anymore. Poor sweet love :(
 
The ibuprofen does stop the squeaking. Could she have an absess on the sore on her neck? This literally JUST started 20 hours ago, she hadn't ever done it before. I just lost a rat the day before yesterday I don't want to lose another :( She was acting normal even though she hasn't gained weight and still looks scrawny, she's been playing eating drinking all of that. And when the ibuprofen's in her system she acts normal again. How often can I give it to her safely?
 
sonnyvincent said:
The ibuprofen does stop the squeaking. Could she have an absess on the sore on her neck? This literally JUST started 20 hours ago, she hadn't ever done it before. I just lost a rat the day before yesterday I don't want to lose another :( She was acting normal even though she hasn't gained weight and still looks scrawny, she's been playing eating drinking all of that. And when the ibuprofen's in her system she acts normal again. How often can I give it to her safely?
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The location looks a lot like a molar abscess. Dose her up with ibu, get a damp warm compress gently on that spot and see if it bursts and gives her relief. After it bursts you will need to flush it. BUT only dribble a little saline in and see if she swallows...this means the hole goes into her mouth and you cannot flush.

While you are there check her front incisors for even-ness or malocclusion. Something is very wrong with your girl...abscesses are horrible but rats tolerate them well, and don't squeak like this. The fact that she's squeaking, no weight gain etc, means something more horrifically is wrong.
 
she didn't handle that well and now she's squeaking again :( i dont know what to do i feel so bad for her. i know rats usually suffer in silence so this has to be truly terrible for her to be being this vocal :(
 
Keep her doped up on ibu to dull the pain (it won';t take it all away), and take her in Tuesday morning and let your baby go.

I am pretty sure I am seeing neuro symptoms as well now. That is some pretty frantic screeching on her part :(

I have seen a lot with my rescues, pain, death, infection...having to inflict pain while treating, etc, so things don't usually phase me like it would a pet owner. But those videos and her crying, brings tears to MY eyes. :'(
 
Your poor, poor baby. She has been through so much (and you too!)
Yes, rats tolerate a lot without ever making a noise, so she must be in quite a lot of pain. Even if it was an abscess, they don't usually vocalize unless you squeeze it.
It worries me that she still looks unthrifty and has not gained weight. I think the damage done in that initial attack was probably too severe for her to completely recover from.
Definitely get her in to the vets ASAP to find out where that hole is coming from. Once an abscess has popped, the rat doesn't have pain with it. Perhaps she even had her jaw broken by the bite and it is now necrotic.
I agree with Lilspaz; it may be time to give up the fight and let her go... :sad-p:
 
Even if she's still eating? Because she is, she's picking and choosing what to eat but she's eating.
If she has to be put to sleep, I heard somewhere they should give her a shot of something before the final shot? Otherwise she'll suffer? Can someone let me know. Thanks

Also, I took her cagemate out today because she seemed to be licking or doing something to the wound on Olivia's neck (Olivia didn't squeal in reaction or anything but i didnt want the wound to get aggravated). Should I put her back in with her so she's not alone tonight? In case it's her last night?
 
If she is to be euthanized, it's best to gas them down first (like for surgery). That way they can have the final injection and won't feel a thing.

As long as her cagemate is not hurting her, then I would leave her in the regular cage. Her cagemate may actually be trying to clean the injury, especially if your little girl can't reach it herself.
 
I agree. The fact that she is still eating when her pain is managed makes me think she just needs more time. Don't give her up if it doesn't feel right.
 
Had to take her cagemate back out because the cagemate was aggressively trying to lick the wound. But keeping Olivia comfortable until tomorrow. She's got a very healthy appetite and is drinking up a storm so I'm still not going to lose hope. I just don't want to keep her alive and suffering when there's no hope just because I feel guilty. I know it's not anything near the same but I had a baby nephew who lived for 12 days and every day was pure pain for him until he was finally taken off life support and there was no hope from the beginning and knowing that he suffered each and every day he was alive haunts me to this day 18 years later. So anyway I don't want to keep her alive for selfish reasons, nor do I want to give up on her too quickly. Kind of trying to find that balance.

Thanks for all your suggestions along the way.
 
Was Olivia's cagemate making her squeak with her attentions? If so removing her was smart. If not, she may be trying to help clean it out, since Olivia cannot reach it herself. Its an instinct of rats to clean out infection.

You didn't kill her, it was just a mistake. One that a lot of us have made along the way. So try not to think of it like that.
 
lilspaz68 said:
Was Olivia's cagemate making her squeak with her attentions? If so removing her was smart. If not, she may be trying to help clean it out, since Olivia cannot reach it herself. Its an instinct of rats to clean out infection.

You didn't kill her, it was just a mistake. One that a lot of us have made along the way. So try not to think of it like that.
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yeah she was too aggressive and made Olivia cry out so i removed her otherwise i would've let her stay. olivia slept through the night calling vet now.
 

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