Dumbo Rat is Sick

Question
QUESTION: Hi there,
I was hoping you could help me.  My Pet Dumbo Rat is sick.  She started bleeding on Saturday from her vagina, the blood was all over the cage.  She was falling over and looked really weak.  The next day she was bleeding from her eyes.  I fed her water and a small bit of food.  The next day she looked great, we held her, bathed her and she was walking around bright eyed.  She seemed to be getting better and happy.  We cleaned her cage twice, and her private area.  She seemed really happy.  She was eating and drinking. This morning when I woke up she didn't look so happy.  She let me rub her body and put her to sleep.  She was stumbling and I could see brown drops of blood in her cage.  What would you recommend I do...I can;t afford to taker her to a vet unless it's to put her down.  I don't want her to suffer.

ANSWER: Hi Nancy


That is really sad that she will need put down rather than have antibiotics for a possible uterine infection, because that is what she may have.  The blood from her eyes is not blood. See the URL here and tell me if that is what your rat has:

http://www.freewebs.com/crittercity/bloodynoseandeyes.htm

CHance are she has either an infection or possible uterine tumor, but they both can be treated.  If you have to put her down because of this please refrain from getting more rats until providing proper vet care for when they get sick could be an option for them rather than having to be put to sleep.

You can, however, speak to a vet about payment plans or apply for a service called CARE CREDIT and this will finance your bill and you make low monthly payments to them. You can apply on line for care credit.  I can help you find a vet that can work out a payment plan, just let me know your zip code and I can  start looking.  I would rather see her have a fair chance at a possible recovery instead of just letting her be put down.

Please let me know if you want my help. I will support you as best as I can so we can help the little girl.

hang in there

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Yes, that is exactly what it looks like.  I have bathed her so many times.  She actually will let me bath her bottom as well.  So you think she could just have a urine infection?  Should I give her Cranberries, or juice?  I felt her body and I did not feel any bumps.  She is very fat though.???  Please respond at your earliest convenenience.

Answer

If its coming from her vagina,it would more or less be an infection of the uterus.  If it were from her urinary tract, it could be a bladder infection.  Having alot of blood all over the cage indicates to me it is probably uterine and having the excessive porphyrin around her eyes shows she is really stressed out.  She will need antibiotics from the vet.  To be honest, to put her to sleep would not cost much less than taking her to the vet and having her treated. Putting her down will cost $75 or so and going to the vet will cost about the same including medicine.

Cranberry juice will not kill bacteria if she does have a bladder infection, only antibiotics will work.