I feel like a jerk.

[Lisa Gayle 713]

jhuff23, I am so sorry for your loss. I had a pet rat that was suffering. I actually euthanized him myself. It was heart-wrenching. I cried the whole time, but I thought it was the right thing to do.

I can only tell you I no longer keep rats... it is too hard emotionally for me.

 

[J.huff23]

Well I found a place thats only a 10 minute drive away that puts small rodents to sleep. So Im going to call them tomorrow and ask if I need an appointment to come in. Its a local vet. Bittersweet news. Good news and bad at the same time. At least my girl wont be in pain any more.

I had to walk away from a table of pet rets for sale at a reptile show today. Shame they have such short life spans.

 

[J.huff23]

Well the appointment is in about 20 minutes. Im getting ready to leave. It sucks, but it's for her own good.

 

[J.huff23]

Well its done. She's gone. Thanks for the help everybody. I really appreciated it.

 

[Sunset]

its the tumor that smells. if i were you i would kill her. because you know shes not happy. shes going to die sooner or later.

 

[zonbonzovi]

its the tumor that smells. if i were you i would kill her. because you know shes not happy. shes going to die sooner or later.

Not much of a reader, are you?

 

[J.huff23]

its the tumor that smells. if i were you i would kill her. because you know shes not happy. shes going to die sooner or later.

Well if you would have read the entire thread you would know that I know this already, and that she has already been put to sleep. But thanks anyways.

 

[xhexdx]

Hey Jake,

I'm sorry for your loss, but I do think you did the right thing for her. As you said, it sucks they have such short life spans, considering they're the best rodent to have as a pet.

Oh, and:

Not much of a reader, are you?

Despite the tone of this thread, I have to say, that made me chuckle.

--Joe

 

[J.huff23]

Thanks Joe. They are awesome pets.

And yea zonbonzovi's comment made me laugh too, lol.

 

[DrAce]

I'm late to the thread, but I have a question/comment.

Was the lump examined by a vet? Did the vet who put her down examine it?

Because it sounds, to me, like it could well have been a nasty abscess. A lump which grows considerably over a day or two? That's not normally a cancer. They grow fast, but not over 48 hours! Heck, I've seen cancerous lab mice who have tumour suppression genes turned off, and they don't have lumps which grow that fast.

And a smell would be consistent with an abscess. As would a weepy eye. And the rapid degeneration. And possibly being sore to the touch.

It all sounds to me like she had a cut/puncture wound which she got infected, and it went sceptic. My hunch is that lancing that 'tumour' would have given you a lot of fluid. Was it firm to the touch?

 

[J.huff23]

The vet did examine her before she put her down and she said that it was a tumor. She said that a lot of white lab rats are bred for the purpose of developing tumors. I did not touch the area because I didnt want her to bite out of pain.

 

[NevularScorpion]

This whole thread was very dramatic to read, Jake you did the right thing not a lot of people can handle your situation very responsibly. I'm proud of you bro...

 

[DrAce]

The vet did examine her before she put her down and she said that it was a tumor. She said that a lot of white lab rats are bred for the purpose of developing tumors. I did not touch the area because I didnt want her to bite out of pain.

It's true, white rats in general are susceptible to tumours, but this is as much a natural thing as anything else. Rodents are susceptible to tumours - it's a consequence of their fast metabolism in part.

If the vet checked it out, then I guess it was a malignancy, but it really did sound, to me, like an abscess.

You did the right thing.

For the record, an extremely rapid, cheep, and pain free method of terminating a rat/mouse's life is called 'cervical dislocation' - breaking the neck. It's completely instant, if done right. If done wrong, it's still virtually instant.

CO2 asphyxiation is actually quite painful, as it causes acidification of the blood first.

 

[tarantulaeddie0]

Rip

I kno its not the best thing to think about,having to put her to sleep, but now shes in a better place, in no pain.

 

[Kirsten]

I'm sorry to hear about your pain, and glad your friend is relieved of hers. I've been through the same many times with my rodents;it's hard to love that which is so transient,yet so hard not to. New legs;new wings.

 

[Lisa Gayle 713]

She'll be waiting at the Rainbow Bridge for you at the end of your days...

I'm sorry for your loss.