Courtney Cheesman
Member
Hello,
So back in April I bought my first 2 female rats from a petstore.
They would have been 4-8 weeks old when I got them.
One of them in particular was always very active and had a very close bond with me...the type to run up to me & climb up my leg
She passed away mid-late June...not even 5 months old
It was very sudden. She was literally active, running around and climbing up my legs an hour before she went down hill very very fast....
I went into my bedroom to check on her...she loved to climb up and sleep between my pillows and there she was just fine, woke up when I lifted the pillow. 10 mins later she trotted out normally...went into her open cage and moved around the base...for maybe 60 seconds...which I knew was odd as she would never choose to be in there when she could free roam.
She then came out and walked slowly about 2 meters and settled down still on the tile floor which I knew was an odd place for her to stop so I went to her and picked her up.
She seemed slower than usual...almost slightly delayed...
I had her inside my top on my chest looking at her and I just knew she seemed too calm so I rang the vet not knowing if I was overreacting. Said Id call back if it got worse...hung up...and then she pee'd in my top which she never does...like she lost control of her bladder??
I put her on my bed to see if she would move but she struggled to coordinate her legs. I called the vet and said I was coming over and within 10 mins of that...her eyes started turning white. By the time I got to the vet...she was paralysed from the waist down & eyes were white and she was really stressed.
The vet said the best thing to do was to put her down & I did & now I just need answers. Did she have a stroke?? Is there something I could have done?? Would it have been cruel to let her live? It all happened so fast (within 20 mins) I didnt have time to think & Im having such a hard time dealing with it.
So back in April I bought my first 2 female rats from a petstore.
They would have been 4-8 weeks old when I got them.
One of them in particular was always very active and had a very close bond with me...the type to run up to me & climb up my leg
She passed away mid-late June...not even 5 months old
It was very sudden. She was literally active, running around and climbing up my legs an hour before she went down hill very very fast....
I went into my bedroom to check on her...she loved to climb up and sleep between my pillows and there she was just fine, woke up when I lifted the pillow. 10 mins later she trotted out normally...went into her open cage and moved around the base...for maybe 60 seconds...which I knew was odd as she would never choose to be in there when she could free roam.
She then came out and walked slowly about 2 meters and settled down still on the tile floor which I knew was an odd place for her to stop so I went to her and picked her up.
She seemed slower than usual...almost slightly delayed...
I had her inside my top on my chest looking at her and I just knew she seemed too calm so I rang the vet not knowing if I was overreacting. Said Id call back if it got worse...hung up...and then she pee'd in my top which she never does...like she lost control of her bladder??
I put her on my bed to see if she would move but she struggled to coordinate her legs. I called the vet and said I was coming over and within 10 mins of that...her eyes started turning white. By the time I got to the vet...she was paralysed from the waist down & eyes were white and she was really stressed.
The vet said the best thing to do was to put her down & I did & now I just need answers. Did she have a stroke?? Is there something I could have done?? Would it have been cruel to let her live? It all happened so fast (within 20 mins) I didnt have time to think & Im having such a hard time dealing with it.
