Update - Definite progress in the grieving boys

[KristyR]

I didn't start on the boys' cages last night until close to midnight. I just had to have a little time, knowing that Simon wasn't there anymore. When I did finally go in and get started, I noticed that three of my boys were sneezing and sounded congested. Emmett and Elwood - the two with chronic respiratory problems, and little Vincenzo. None of them were having trouble breathing, and all were eating and drinking fine.

Emmett seemed a little lethargic, but all his brothers were last night, so I don't know if that is him missing Simon, or part of his illness. But Elwood and Vincezo were acting normally, so at least for now, I'm thinking that it's not being sick causing it.

Emmett had a small bit of porphyrin on his nose, and Elwood has chronic porphyrin around his right eye. None at all on Vincenzo.

I started all three on Baytril.

 

[jorats]

After we lost Isabelle, Radar was pretty quiet and stayed outside the group most of the time. He wouldn't even cuddle with any of the other rats. This morning, I found him with a buddy. So it pretty much took him 5 days to get back to normal.
Grief can do many things to rats. :sad3:

 

[mamarat]

Yes, our ratties do grieve for their buddies. I've seen it many times. Extra cuddles for them.

 

[Dahlas]

I have seen it to and it breaks your heart.

 

[KristyR]

So is it possible that the stress of the grief triggered the respiratory issues in these three guys? All three are sounding a little bit better this evening. But when I walked in the room a few minutes ago to check on everyone, most of them looked my way, but nobody came running to the cage doors to greet me like they usually do. Nobody even rushed the doors when I got Emmett, Elwood, and Vincenzo out for meds. They all look so very sad. :sad3:

Gah, I wish I didn't have to work tonight so I could spend extra time cuddling them. When I went to bed this morning, I really wanted to take all my blankets and pillows and go sleep in the boys' room.

 

[jorats]

I do believe that grief can cause enough stress to bring on myco. Your poor boys and poor you!!

 

[KristyR]

So here's the situation this morning. Elwood and Vincenzo sound much better. Lungs sound nearly perfectly clear. Elwood still has porphyrin around his right eye, but that is chronic for him. Vincenzo looks, acts, sounds great. Spit his Baytril on me. Neither of these two were Simon's cagemate.

Out of Simon's brothers though, who were all cagemates, Emmett still sounds terribly congested, and now Justin does too. Those two are huddled together in the back corner of the cage under a plastic bin. Neither of them came out for food, but they both would lick food from my finger when I offered. Jed seems to be breathing a little bit fast, but lungs sound clear. He also didn't leave the hammock for food, but licked from my fingers, and actually grabbed it and pulled it closed when I pulled it away a little. Cyril and Ryan were huddled in the igloo. Their breathing looks and sounds normal. Ryan didn't screech or try to run when I picked him up like he always does. Again, Cyril took food from me, but wasn't interested in the bowl. Ryan is the only one who went to the bowl, and he ate, but didn't seem to be enjoying it like he usually does.

And there are some lab blocks left over from last night. They never, never leave them lying around. They are always either eaten or stashed.

These boys are usually very good about using the litterbox, but there is poop everywhere, and they've even got poop smushed on their feet, and Cyril had some in his fur.

 

[jorats]

Maybe Simon was pretty high up in the dominance ladder. If so, there will be quite an upheaval along with the grieving.
Keep an eye on the one with the congestion. If it doesn't clear, I'd get doxy as well.

 

[mamarat]

The smushed up poop could be from the meds too.

 

[KristyR]

No change in Emmett or Justin this evening. Jed now sounds the tiniest bit congested. Ryan and Cyril still sound fine. All the boys in the other cage are doing great

Nobody in that cage are at all interested in their food. They usually act like they think I have starved them for days when I put food in the cage. They are all just laying around. They even ignored bananas. :sad3:

I'm so sad and worried for them that I am just sick to my stomach!

I don't have any doxy, and my good rat vet is out of the office on Thursdays. He can almost always get me right in on Friday mornings, so if there's not significant improvement respiratory-wise for Emmett and Justin, I'm taking them in Friday morning.

Now I have to leave my babies and go to work. Sigh.

 

[KristyR]

This morning there is still quite a bit of congestion, but it is definitely better in both Emmett and Justin. Jed, who was just having rapid breathing yesterday, was making a tiny bit of noise breathing today. Elwood sounds perfectly clear, and Vincenzo sounds just a little wheezy.

The best news though, is that Emmett, Ryan, and Cyril were all interested in their breakfast this morning! And Justin and Emmett walked around the room some when I had them out for meds. The last two days they've just sat still. I had to get Jed out of the igloo, but once I did, he was somewhat more active. Still the least active of all the boys in that cage, but he was probably the closest to Simon of any of them.

I think I will still take Emmett and Justin in to the vet in the morning just so he can check them out, and get some doxy.

 

[KristyR]

Still some congested breathing in Emmett and Justin this evening, but 4 of the 5 came to the food with moderate interest. Justin was in the igloo and I had to get him out, but he showed mild to moderate interest once I put him by the food bowl.

Work again tonight, but this is the first night I've been able to go without feeling like I'm going to vomit with worry about the boys.

 

[Argent]

i know how hard it is watching them grieve like that...your babies are lucky to have each other for comfort when you're not there-I lost Axel not too long ago and I really thought Joey wouldn't make it past a week without him, but he's doing fine now, even better than before. It took about a week for me to actually stop worrying about him so much because he is so old...but just hang in there, your ratties can support each other through this tough time and they'll be back to normal within a week or two *hugs*

 

[jorats]

Oh Kristy... hopefully they will soon get over the grief and all will be back to normal soonish.

 

[mamarat]

It does sound like they're coming to terms with Simon's passing. Poor sweeties, poor you. :hugs: