all right...we've got a disease...great timing - Paw Talk

mulder · #1 07-12-2007, 05:28 PM

so Timmy's sick now, with Tepal dying two days ago. He was wheezing this deep gurgly awfulness yesterday. Today he's not making as much noise, but he did sneeze a few times and it sounds funky. I'm so frustrated because NOW i don't have the money to take him to the vet. (insert expletives here) *sigh* what kinda murphy's law is this? should i separate the boys? they'll get awful lonely if i do, so i wanted to check in here to see what you say. petie's seeming fine, not making any noise, rambunctious as usual. so, to separate or not to separate?

luvnature · #2 07-12-2007, 06:46 PM

I dont know what you should do so all i have for you is a (((BIG HUG!)))

Sorry, and i hope the rest of your babies dont get sick.

tarita2004 · #3 07-12-2007, 08:12 PM

i'm not sure either

but wouldn't you rather be safe than sorry?? JMO

hope you come to a decision

Vanilla_Rat · #4 07-12-2007, 11:58 PM

Well unfortunatly if one is sick,the other one probably is as well.The way you explained the noises sounds like a RI or myco.If you feel they will be too lonely,then do not seperate them.As I said,the other most likely has it now as well.You will have to treat both of them anyway.

candyraver · #5 07-13-2007, 03:22 AM

I'm so very very sorry.

Mousey · #6 07-13-2007, 06:00 AM

I am so sorry.

lilspaz68 · #7 07-13-2007, 08:10 AM

No point separating the cagemates. They will already have been exposed to the illness by now. I only remove them from their friends if the rat is too sick and the other rats are bothering them.

Catch me up here. Nepal died? How? URI? any other symptoms besides porphyrin, wheezing/gurgling/crackling?

How long had you had Nepal?

mulder · #8 07-13-2007, 10:36 PM

Tepal my degu just died. She was squeaking all day long, she wouldn't stop, then it all just went quiet. timmy's still alive, still low grumbly wheezing with every inhale exhale, but he's still lovey and playful. i won't separate them. you are right, peter's all ready exposed so i'd rather not make them both lonely as well as sick. for what it's worth, i took the gp cage peter came in, and attached it to the top of their 2 floor cage, gives them a 3 section highrise now lol. i'm sure ill take pics eventually. i hope the extra space helps them get more excercise to get healthy. i gave them rice and veggies last night. i hope it helps. right now they're sleeping, but earlier they were climbing all over me while i cage-modded

lilspaz68 · #9 07-14-2007, 05:12 AM

Sorry to hear about your degu. Did his friend die? I heard that they get so depressed without companionship they can die from it.

My friend had to play degu recordings to keep her male going when his companion died, but now she has 2 new friends for him that she is slowly introducing.

About Timmy, once they get that sound in their lungs/breathing it never goes away no matter how much good care you give them. It only gets worse. You need to get him to a vet for at least baytril but hopefully for baytril/doxy or a combo with baytril (clavamox, etc).

mulder · #10 07-14-2007, 08:44 AM

thanks lilspaz for all the help. my degu's buddy (sister) died in feb. i did my best for my tepal but i guess it wasn't enough. with my ratties, i've given them fresh bottle water every day now, and more often cage cleanings, hopeing to weed out the illness. my logic tells me it won't make a difference but it's all i can do. gave them more fresh veggies too. is there anything that helps rats fight disease? like it's vitamin C with humans....what is it for rats? cause i'll make sure they eat whatever they have to. maybe next month when our welfare check comes i can budget a bit to take the boys in to the vet....*sigh* cry...cry....

**Sasami** · #11 07-15-2007, 02:29 PM

I'm sorry

. Is there any sort of shelter or rescue that will treat the rats for you? I don't know if there's anything like that in Canada.

lilspaz68 · #12 07-15-2007, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sasami


	I'm sorry . Is there any sort of shelter or rescue that will treat the rats for you? I don't know if there's anything like that in Canada.

Not that I know of.

Mulder, if you end up losing all your rats, I would rethink getting anymore since you have no vet fund. It does happen where the fund gets depleted, etc but you never had one which isn't fair to the rats themselves.

mulder · #13 07-15-2007, 06:13 PM

lilspaz, i appreciate your concern.

however, when i began this, i had a vet fund. then i lost my job due to illness, then we got welfare, now we're here.

i want you to believe, that just because i've no money now, doesn't mean i wasn't prepared. i need you to understand that exceptional circumstances arose, that totally changed my life and what i was capable of doing. i shall not defend myself, but i wont' leave you without enough information to truly understand my position. it breaks my heart that my timmy is ill. but i do absolutely everything im humanly capable of, to help him get better. i also believe that this illness situation arose when i got petey, because i do remember him being ill when i got him. i qt'd for a week and a half, he was fine. a week later he wasn't, but at that time he was all ready living with timmy. i do not harbor resentment for you voicing your concerns, i truly appreciate that you care enough to say something. but please trust that i don't act with malice or contempt towards the rules of taking a pet to the vet. again i say, i HAD money, but circumstances arose that required a different budget. please know i love my boys, and i do everything im capable of. i did not get rats, intending on being unfair to them. im well aware of my situation, and it takes all my strength to keep myself going, rather than feed my depression over my incapabilities. mebrie if you're out there, tell me about your homeopathic procedures. there must me something (like vitamin c for humans) that helps stave off illness. there's must be something that i can do for my boys, i feel helpless, and refuse to accept my limitations. just because im financially incapable NOW, to take them to the vet, doesn't mean i ever intended on being unfair to my pets. to that i'll end, and say that *hopefully* in 2+ years when i lose my rat boys, i'll be taking to aquariums for their tranquilizing nature. believe me when i say, that i will not get more pets until i can afford a vet. i hate myself for the position im in, however, poo happens, i must move on and do what i can do help them, hence my being here. now, i am open to many more suggestions, i will take all i can get.

lilspaz68 · #14 07-15-2007, 06:29 PM

I'm sorry too Mulder, I shouldn't have jumped on you without knowing your circumstances. Life does take some rotten turns I agree, and if you went through that situation with your job etc, then we are going through similar things as well. My vet care has reduced (no tumour removals or elective procedures, I eat a lot less to make sure they are okay too). I injured my back on the job, and a month later after no money was coming in and I could barely walk, WSIB refused my claim, and I am having a helluva time finding a job.

I guess you see the things we read on the forums about people blithely collecting pets and not having the money to support them at all, and I should've asked before posting that this morning...sigh. I don't usually do that, because I know you do love your boys and would take them to a vet if you could.

I had just read a post from some girl who bred her PEW and black berk boy cuz she wanted to be a breeder and sell rats, didn't realize rats could/should go to the vet and it actually looks like the little female is hemorraging and/or has babies stuck. Stupid me I should've fumed and got off the computer and instead I come here, and let my frustrations out on you. I am truly sorry for my words as well.
Life sucks doesn't it?

mulder · #15 07-15-2007, 06:35 PM

don't worry lilspaz, i too am guilty of reading things on here and blowing a gasket. i understand where your concerns come from, and i try very hard to be patient and understanding towards others. i too hate WSIB, my man broke his finger at work years ago, and they refused his claim, and instead made him work 8 hour shifts dusting displays. don'y worry about me, i'm a tough bird, been through a lot, and i appreciate you voicing your concerns, rather than keeping them to yourself or talking to others about it. open honesty is what i've found to be most successful in any relationship, even ours

life sucks sometimes, but i find life likes to get in the way of what we have planned or intend to do