Pet Rat Dying with Tumor

Question
QUESTION: Dear Sandra,

Again, Dewey, my beloved rat is sick. Since I wrote you last, about the spinning, she has developed a massive tumor in her chest/stomach. I went on vacation for a week and when I came back she felt bloated and then I realized it was a huge tumor. This is the same rat who had respiratory issues in Oct, a tumor removed in Dec, the spinning incident, and now this!!!

I don't know what to do. I can tell she is dying she eats very little (mostly yogurt) but drinks water. She just lays around breathing really heavily. I have baytril for her. The vet is out of the question...for one I have no money and also she doesn't look too good. But I'm willing to get her any medication to help ease the pain.

I'm at my wits end and very depressed. What do you recommend?
Thanks.

Gabby

ANSWER: I usually do not suggest this but if she is suffering, she needs put down.  You need to maybe borrow some money to do this, but it wont cost you an arm and a leg to do it.  Humane euthanasia is the kindest action.  The only medication that can help her would be pain medication from the Vet, and at this stage, it really isn't worth it if she is this bad off. I wish I had better news for you. I am really sorry.  :(

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Dewey Dell   QUESTION: She ended up passing away that night! I'm still upset about it but it just happened so quickly. I could tell something was seriously wrong when she was dragging herself and wanted my attention. We were very close...she would sit in my lap and we'd even take naps. Her sister, however, is more ADD and I have to work on her getting closer to me.

What do you recommend for my other rat as far as living alone goes? Besides spending more time with her? My mom also has rats and we can visit them for social interactions...

Well, thanks for all the help. Hopefully Cora (always in good health) will not need your advice and you won't hear much from me! I don't know how you can put up with seeing them pass...I prob won't get rats again for a lonnnnggg time, too heart wrenching for me!

Dewey will be missed dearly...

ANSWER: I love the photo.  May I publish it on my website, Sandyscrittercity.com?

I am so sorry she passed. It was really for the best.

As for keeping your rat company..human companionship is important to rats, but its just not the same as living with another of your own species.  The good news is that your mom has rats so perhaps you can introduce her to them (if they are female of course...or neutered males!)

Also, you asked how I can handle the devastation of losing such sweet pets so often? I have loved and lost several dozen rats over the years, plus I also really feel sad when people that write to me often lose their rats. I feel like I know some of these rats, as I try sometimes for months to help these rats only to have them die anyhow.  A rat owner has to be able to accept the fact that they have short life spans and thats just the way it is. A healthy rat that is properly cared for can live to be up to 4 yrs old, but thats not very common. Many of my rats have lived to be 3 years and older, but the sad fact is, they usually live 2.5 years to 3 years old and sometimes younger, esp if they were always sick with various ailments etc...  When we lose a loved one that is say, 90 years old, we are sad, yes, but we also feel comforted knowing that they lived a long and fulfilling life. This helps ease the pain of losing them. We need to accept this with rats, too. Their 3 years is like that of an 80 year old person. This is the life cycle of the rat. They dont know any better. To be able to avoid constant heart ache, you have to just accept that this is their life cycle and you have to make the best of it.  A rat in the wild is lucky to make it to 6 months old, so in reality, our domestic rats are beating mother nature by 2 years!
If I couldnt accept their short life span, I couldnt be a rat owner...and whats a rat "expert" without having her own rats?  I cant see myself never having a pair of rats, even when I am 80 years old myself!

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Dewey Dell   QUESTION: Sandra,

I totally understand your perspective. I guess I want to be able to provide every comfort for them possible and that will be when I'm older and can afford a lot more. I'm a college student without a job, currently...so that stinks!

One last question(s), my other girl's vaginal area seems kinda swollen/hard. No bleeding or anything though. Is this an issue? Oh, and she is actually 2, so introducing her to the males should be ok if they aren't neutered right?

And of course you can publish her pic...I have a lot of great pics of her. Here is another.

Thanks!
Gabby

Answer
She may have a mass in her genitals. Keep an eye on it.  As for putting her with the males, no, do not attempt this.  Its impossible to know if her estrus cycle has ceased and she is no longer fertile. There are many females that give away tell tale signs when they are in heat such as when they vibrate their ears and lift their rump area up in the area which is seen during heat. I have never had my own females do this but many other rat owners have and it is a definite sign of heat. When they stop doing this after a certain age, its a pretty good bet they no longer go in heat, but some females still  get pregnant, which can be fatal for both the mother and pups. I only suggest putting the opposite sex together if one of them has been sexually altered. Its just not worth the risk other wise. You just never know what is going on with their little bodies really.