Rat Bleeding Out of Nose and Mouth!

[SillyGilly]

Hello all!

So, last night my boy, Oz, seemed to be having trouble breathing and there was what looked like blood spewing out of his nose. At first, we thought he’d just been congested and the stress of his situation caused a whole lot of Porphyrin to come out of his nose. So, we turned the shower on and I took him into the bathroom so the steam could help alleviate his symptoms. It seemed to work and the red around his nose washed away, he was breathing normally, etc. Perfectly fine. This morning he was having the same problem again. And again, I took him into the bathroom, turned on the shower, except, after nuzzling my cheek once, he tumbled forward, off of one shoulder and managed to climb onto the other, then he just began wiggling around, like a fish out of water. I held onto him as best as I could to keep him from falling, thinking that he was just suddenly scared of the roar from the shower head (which I thought was weird because he’s never been frightened by it before). Then, he just kind of stilled and blood came out of his mouth and he died. Right in my arms. After a while some blood started coming out of his nose too.

I just don’t understand because he was perfectly normal; eating, drinking, he’d run up to the cage door whenever we’d come around. He was even same as ever when we had him out of the cage the night before. It was just so out of nowhere.

I was just wondering if anybody could tell me what might have happened to him? Like, if you’ve had a similar experience? I’d love any feedback.

 

[ViciousCurse]

I'm so sorry for your loss and in such a manner I've never had a rat pass away like that, nor am I well-versed enough to give you a definitive answer. For now, it sounds like a mixture of something in his brain and lungs. Hopefully someone like jorats or SQ will pop in and have some answers.

 

[SillyGilly]

Thank you very much for your response. It is greatly appreciated. And in such a short amount of time too! I’m beyond grateful. We just took him down to the humane society to be cremated We love and miss him so terribly…it’s beyond words. Thanks again for your reply, even if it’s not definite, it’s certainly better than being passed by without a second glance.

I hope that’s the case regarding some answers. I’m still in shock over his sudden passing.

 

[Dena]

So sorry for your loss! I had something similar happen with my heart rat, pepper. He had respiratory issues for a few months, and was acting totally normal, other than losing some weight, and raspy breathing from time to time. He was playing like normal up until about 15 mins before he died in my arms. He went limp, and had a couple of seizures, then went totally limp. I yelled to my husband to get his stethoscope, and in the time my husband ran to the room, I just felt this vibration (no lie, like someone turned on one of those massaging tools) then I knew he was gone. When he died, tons of porphorine, or blood, some kind of fluid pooled on my chest. So much that it drained down my chest. When I layed him on the towel a few mins later, it came out of his nose too. The best I could guess was that he was way more congested than I thought. I think toward the end, he may have had a seizure because of lack of oxygen to his brain. It was a terrible horrible way to have him go, but at least I was cuddling him when he did. Same for your baby. They hide illness way better than we think they can. Take solice in the fact that you were trying to help him, and that he wasn't alone and scared. He was loved. Again, so sorry you had to go through that, and lose your baby.

 

[SillyGilly]

My Ozzy had always been a little fatty, and sometimes he’d make these little cooing sounds, they would always come from deep within his chest by they’d eventually go away. I just thought of that when you said your boy had raspy breathing from time to time.

Thank you for your response and sharing your experience with me. It makes me feel not so alone, and gives me comfort knowing there are others who can relate with my situation. I watched and felt him enter death throes right there in my arms, but I’m so thankful I could be there with him when he went. I honestly wouldn’t have wanted it any other way, though I wish there was more I could have done for him but just being there for him at the end is enough. Thank you so, so much for your words of comfort, they seriously mean a lot to us during this hard time. More than words can say. I’m really sorry about your Pepper, I hope he and my baby boy are playing nicely together up there in ratty heaven <3

 

[ViciousCurse]

I'm glad they died with you guys and knew they were well-loved!

 

[lilspaz68]

How old was your Oz? If he was anywhere from 15 months and onwards it's very possible he had PT. Very occasionally they can grow fast and rupture like this where you will see a lot of blood from their nose and mouth. I'm so very sorry you lost your boy

 

[SQ]

I am very sorry for your loss

 

[SillyGilly]

How old was your Oz? If he was anywhere from 15 months and onwards it's very possible he had PT. Very occasionally they can grow fast and rupture like this where you will see a lot of blood from their nose and mouth. I'm so very sorry you lost your boy

He was only about 7 months old, but do you think maybe that could have still been the case anyway? I mean, he was super small when we got him but he turned out to be one of our biggest boys, and our other three boys were close to the same age as him. Can PT happen in rats his age? Thank you so much for your kind words <3 We miss him more and more with each day he’s not with us

 

[SillyGilly]

I am very sorry for your loss

Thank you so very, very much for taking the time to offer your condolences <3 I’m beyond grateful.

 

[SQ]

It is possible that it was a brain tumour that ruptured, or an aneurysm, or a seizure resulted from or caused the bleeding.
You are right that 7 months old is very young to have pt
Perhaps lilspaz68 may have other suggestions

What happened to Oz is very unusual so I can only guess.
A necropsy might be able to discover the cause.

I am so very sorry that this happened to Oz
and I know how difficult it can be not to know why a rattie suddenly died

{{hugs}}