I'm having a difficult time right now and just wanted someone to "talk to".


Our pet rats started out as intended feeders, but became pets.

Smudge was MAYBE 2 yrs old but appears to have had a stroke 3 weeks ago. On the 1st he was very unstable and lethargic and wobbly. We took him in to an emergency appt. He had lost soooooo much weight so quickly, and the vet couldn't find any myco/RI/tumors but gave Smudgey tetracycline treatment.

He couldn't even sit up and hold his food, and after two days of not much hope he started getting better, but the only eating was what I was giving him w/the syringe of A/D mixed w/milk (I forgot...no dairy) but then I'd thin it w/water. 10cc of lactated ringers 1/day because he was dehydrated.

Last week he actually started eating his yogies on his own, as long as they were under his nose, and the pureed squash & cat food. He would still eat small pieces of the bread soaked w/olive oil.

Came home this morning to him sounding really stuffy, and repeated sneezing---not quite gasping, but just not doing well. I would have LOVED to stay home night after night to feed him every 2 hrs, but I couldn't.

He died in my arms this morning around 0730, before I could even get him to the vet in an emergency appt. at 9.

Luckily, Squeeky is his daughter, but I'm having a hard time w/this right now.

Thx for listening.

RIP Smudgey. You'll be missed.