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Ugh, rescue mission. Worms in urine?

1326 Views 14 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  Vladina, 
T
A friend of mine at work recently decided he wanted rats and bought three. Now, less than two weeks later, one is missing, one has died, and the third is being rehomed, probably to me, because I can't stand the thought of the poor thing going to another bad home..

Taking this guy in concerns me, because he lived with a rat who had worms in its urine, supposedly. I've never heard of such a thing, but the rat I'm taking has a checkup appointment tomorrow to make sure nothing contagious is in his system.

Anyone heard of worms in urine with rats? What could it have been? I assume it was bad enough to have killed this rat, since she died at SUCH a young age.
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Oh this guy you work with....can you please give him a verbal face slapping for me? :mad2: What the **** was he thinking???


Why oh why do mean, thoughtless people purchase animals??


Sorry. Had to vent. I hope you told this guy off. How thoughtless can one be?

I have not heard of worms in urine before, but maybe some other folks on the forum have. Needless to say, I am so thrilled that you are willing to take this poor lone soul in who has lost his siblings so quickly. How did one end up missing?? Maybe I don't want to know.
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S
It is biologically possible to have worms anywhere on any animal.

I've read about threadworms getting in rat's bladders I think? I'll look it up when I get done typing this. It is definitely a sign of something wronger than usual, the least of which is @#$ for even the basic hygiene and sanitation efforts, probably beginning well before this guy even got the three rats. So don't skimp on strict quarantine (separate air space, not just separate room in a house that shares central air conditioning). And I would use strict hygiene efforts as you handle this guy too. What he has may be human transferable. Ectoparasites tend to be more transferable in general.


Searched Link: http://ratguide.com/health/digestive/endoparasites.php
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Here's another couple of links:
http://www.petmd.com/exotic/conditions/urinary/c_ex_rt_bladder_threadworm#.UDeQF6ApLRQ

http://www.faqs.org/health/topics/82/Threadworm-infection.html

I don't know if these are what you're dealing with of course, but it's a start.
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T
Ugh, he's decided to keep this last rat. I just.. don't know. He won't take him to a vet over financial issues (why get him in the first place then?) and I worry this rat will just die like the others have.

I feel I've done what I can; offer help and fuss at him.
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Oh man..so now he is keeping one lone rat, by himself, so he will be a lonely solitary rat with no other rats to keep him company, and this guy will not take him to a vet. So why for the love of god does he want to keep it if he does not want to care for him? Am I missing something here?
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A
The only thing you're missing is the selfish attitude this guy apparently has that you do not - which likely also explains why you're missing it, you've got to have it to recognize it (or at least be intimately familiar with it).
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L
To some people, rats are possessions, like a toy. YOU want the toy, and they don't want to give it up...because its MINE. :( They won't ever take care of the rats but they also won't let you have it.

I took in a tiny old sick lady once, and the sister had to "steal" her from her own sister. The good sister offered to take the rat to the vet and pay for the treatment but the parents said No, and the sister said "MY rat, you cannot have it or touch it or go near it" and continued to ignore, neglect and not feed or clean her.

Think of a scenario with small children. A ball is sitting near a child. He is ignoring it and playing with something else. Another child wanders over and starts to play with the ball making it "wanted", and the first child marches over, grabs it and says Mine, and sits there with it preventing the 2nd child from having it. Once the 2nd child has wandered away, the ball is put down and ignored again.

Good luck little boy, lets hope she gets so bored with you, that she says "take it, I don't want it anymore" and then you swoop in with NO words, and grab him and make him safe.
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You're right Spaz, that is probably the truth of the matter. Ugggh.

I want to swoop in and take that ratty home right now. :(
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T
Ohhh kay. I have swooped in and grabbed this little boy. Coincidentally, he looks almost exactly like Sofia, one of my recently deceased rats.

Anyway, he's done his quarantine time and all that and is medically well, so he met with my boys last night and is getting along so far very well. Keeping an eye out in case any fighting erupts, but so far so good. Worst case scenario, I get one more rat to be his buddy if my rats decide they don't want him living there.

What's ONE more right? Heh. Well, rescue mission complete, regardless. He's in loving hands and won't be lonely here.
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Thank the ratty gods, you got the lonely boy!! Good for you, I am so relieved!! I am sure your new boy would thank you if he could, for rescuing him. That is terrific news!!! :tyvm:
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T
He's going to have to get used to eating lab blocks, heh. He's a seed junkie right now, but that'll end. He has taken over one of the hidey boxes in the cage. The others cuddle with him. I'm proud of my boys for being so nice to him thus far.
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Aww, that is wonderful! I never stopped being amazed at how much compassion rats can show other rats. So great to hear that your other furry kids are taking care of him. :heart:

He must be so much happier now. I know I would be if I was him!
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I think they know how afraid he is, hah. The little guy's been through ****. His two friends are dead, and he's lived alone for a couple months. I'm confident I can get him to come around ♥ Thanks for all of your help, guys. You helped me believe it was the best thing for me to take this rat.
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The poor little guy. :( I am almost afraid to ask how the other two died. It is probably not a nice story to hear.


I think anyone here would have done the same thing, taking this poor fellow in and giving him a good home. If anyone deserves it, he does. It was indeed an awesome thing you did to take him. I really am relieved. And, you can smack that guy for me that decided to get rats in the first place and caused this tragedy.
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