Cait
Well-Known Member
I about died today, I swear it. I went upstairs because I had a "feeling" and I checked the babies. I happen to glance over at the boy's cage (they're usually not in it, they free range the room during the day) and Denny was in a hammock having what looked to me like a seizure. At first I wasn't all too worried because I wasn't sure what I was seeing... Then I realized he was in an odd position (sitting up on his hind end, like a person) and that he kept doing the twitching thing... So I took him out (now sufficiently freaked) and I held him for a few seconds trying to grasp what was going on, saw he was drooling and acting very jerky and not wanting me to touch him. At this point I ran downstairs and into the garage with him, crying hysterically, and he bit me (a few times...) which only made me cry worse because that meant something REALLY was wrong with him, you guys know Denny, he's never bitten any one in his life! He was acting really stiff and still jerking, buggy eyes and the whole shebang, and he leapt from my arms (landed on his feet on a shelf) and I had to grab him with a towel. Automatically we call the vet and tell them we're bringing him in... He was still in the car, nestled on my lap in the towel, and was bruxxing at me. He's usually all over the car, exploring, going from seat to seat. But he wasn't acting like he had been in the garage, he seemed "normal" now, although more subdued. The vet saw him right away, and naturally by then he was perky and fine. He was a good boy while she examined him and listened to his heart and lungs, then declared him fine! She said that this sometimes happens (which I know, because I had a seizure when I was 13, nothing huge caused it, no damage, and never had one since) and that she wanted us to monitor him. If he does it again, we're supposed to time it, and bring him in and then they'll do blood tests to see his liver and kidney whatevers, but that at this point, it was considered unnecessary, because there were no outward signs, his weight is healthy, he ate perfectly normal this morning, and he was acting his normal self not 10 minutes later.
Is this right? Do I just watch him? Right now, he's running around the couch acting like his normal self! I was so scared... I can't even really post in complete thoughts because I'm still shaken up. That was THE most frightening rat experience I've ever had... And Denny! All I could think of was "Not him, not Denny, not now". He's only a year (next month, anyway) and he really shouldn't be having problems. I like to think they're all taken care of properly... I'm hoping it was just a freak thing, but what are the chances of that?
Has any one else had a rat do this? Has any one had a rat who developed a seizure disorder, or a disease or tumor that caused seizures?
Did he even HAVE a seizure, was it something else? My first thought was he was choking... But I looked and there was nothing, and he was only breathing fast, not irregular or struggling for breath, he didn't turn blue.
All I know is thank god he seems fine now... He sure knows how to scare his mom, that's for sure!!! I'm so relieved that he is okay. I don't know what I would have done if... I probably would have died. It makes me want to throw up to think about it.
Is this right? Do I just watch him? Right now, he's running around the couch acting like his normal self! I was so scared... I can't even really post in complete thoughts because I'm still shaken up. That was THE most frightening rat experience I've ever had... And Denny! All I could think of was "Not him, not Denny, not now". He's only a year (next month, anyway) and he really shouldn't be having problems. I like to think they're all taken care of properly... I'm hoping it was just a freak thing, but what are the chances of that?
Has any one else had a rat do this? Has any one had a rat who developed a seizure disorder, or a disease or tumor that caused seizures?
Did he even HAVE a seizure, was it something else? My first thought was he was choking... But I looked and there was nothing, and he was only breathing fast, not irregular or struggling for breath, he didn't turn blue.
All I know is thank god he seems fine now... He sure knows how to scare his mom, that's for sure!!! I'm so relieved that he is okay. I don't know what I would have done if... I probably would have died. It makes me want to throw up to think about it.
