| Hind Leg Paralysis - CLICK HERE for the Pet Manual Forum Home Page |
| Tracey |
Hi. I've not been around for a couple of weeks as things have been full-on
here. I lost my Grandma, whose funeral was on my birthday of all days, and
the same day one of my closest friends died of cancer - so not a birthday
I'll forget. When you're at your lowest ebb you can always rely on your
animals to make you smile and bring much needed comfort :o)
I just wondered if I could get some reassurance about my Max. He's nearly
three, but for a few months now has been suffering hind leg paralysis (it
has been a gradual onset, that has slowly grown to full paralysis of the
back legs) and has fits now and again. After the fits he always makes a
quick recovery and is back to his old self. I've totally rearranged the
cage so that he just has one level to cope with, his water and food are all
within easy reaching distance from his sleeping box. He doesn't like to
come out of his cage as much now but when he does he manages to pull himself
around with his front legs. Last week he made me smile when he pulled
himself right over to the otherside of the kitchen to where I was standing
washing the pots, only to nibble on my toes and then go back to where he'd
come from. He's still enjoying his food, although he has lost a lot of
weight (but I've found that happens to ratties in old age anyway). He can
no longer wash himself properly so I have to remove his penis plug daily,
clean his ears and give him little washes with damp cotton wool. Am I doing
right in not having him put to sleep yet? In my heart I feel he still has
enough quality of life to warrant not being pts, but am I hanging onto him
for selfish reasons? He looks so feeble when he's there pulling himself
along and not being able to groom himself, but then he's so enthusiastic
about his food (he even pulls himself up to the cage door when he thinks
food is about to be served and waits for the dish) and he likes his little
grooming sessions I give him (he licks and nibbles gently at me - something
he never did as a younger rat). Oh I just don't know. Any thoughts you
have would be much appreciated.
Tracey
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| Joanne |
Tracey wrote:
> Hi. I've not been around for a couple of weeks as things have been full-on
> here. I lost my Grandma, whose funeral was on my birthday of all days, and
> the same day one of my closest friends died of cancer - so not a birthday
> I'll forget. When you're at your lowest ebb you can always rely on your
> animals to make you smile and bring much needed comfort :o)
>
> I just wondered if I could get some reassurance about my Max. He's nearly
> three, but for a few months now has been suffering hind leg paralysis (it
> has been a gradual onset, that has slowly grown to full paralysis of the
> back legs) and has fits now and again. After the fits he always makes a
> quick recovery and is back to his old self. I've totally rearranged the
> cage so that he just has one level to cope with, his water and food are all
> within easy reaching distance from his sleeping box. He doesn't like to
> come out of his cage as much now but when he does he manages to pull himself
> around with his front legs. Last week he made me smile when he pulled
> himself right over to the otherside of the kitchen to where I was standing
> washing the pots, only to nibble on my toes and then go back to where he'd
> come from. He's still enjoying his food, although he has lost a lot of
> weight (but I've found that happens to ratties in old age anyway). He can
> no longer wash himself properly so I have to remove his penis plug daily,
> clean his ears and give him little washes with damp cotton wool. Am I doing
> right in not having him put to sleep yet? In my heart I feel he still has
> enough quality of life to warrant not being pts, but am I hanging onto him
> for selfish reasons? He looks so feeble when he's there pulling himself
> along and not being able to groom himself, but then he's so enthusiastic
> about his food (he even pulls himself up to the cage door when he thinks
> food is about to be served and waits for the dish) and he likes his little
> grooming sessions I give him (he licks and nibbles gently at me - something
> he never did as a younger rat). Oh I just don't know. Any thoughts you
> have would be much appreciated.
>
> Tracey
>
>
>
Hi Tracey,
It sure sounds like the progressed stages of pituitary tumor.
I've had a few little rattie men having the full love service we give
them when they reach this part of their life.
Like you, it's a wait and see game. You watch every day for a sign that
their life has no more quality to it.
But from what you described, I'd say he's not quite there yet. There's
something about those last days, that allow you to fully love and
dedicate your time to these dying ones... it really brings you closer
and then he'll tell you when it's time.
--
Joanne
Owned by 14 rats
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| Vanessa |
I agree with Joanne, I don't think he is there yet either from your
detailed accounts.
>From what you describe, you are doing everything right by him. You are
grooming him and looking after all of his needs, including giving him a
safe home. Do you groom him with a toothbrush? I use them on my boys,
in that condition, and they really enjoy it. Just keep an eye out for
any soreness that might develop on the body parts that are being
dragged a lot.
I have noticed that some boys do really well for a very long time with
the condition. My Achilles is suffering from paralysis now as well,
but it has not slowed him down in the least. He is doing extremely
well, and might be like that for a long time before his quality of life
is truly diminished because of it.
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| Jackie Mullins |
Yes ditto to both replies he sounds just like my Wilf the hind legs go first
then the fits start they become more frequent and then they do not come out
of it. You will know when the time has come.
--
Best Regards
Jackie and the Girls.
"Vanessa" <nessie1@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1142700332.176654.283710@g10g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> I agree with Joanne, I don't think he is there yet either from your
> detailed accounts.
> >From what you describe, you are doing everything right by him. You are
> grooming him and looking after all of his needs, including giving him a
> safe home. Do you groom him with a toothbrush? I use them on my boys,
> in that condition, and they really enjoy it. Just keep an eye out for
> any soreness that might develop on the body parts that are being
> dragged a lot.
> I have noticed that some boys do really well for a very long time with
> the condition. My Achilles is suffering from paralysis now as well,
> but it has not slowed him down in the least. He is doing extremely
> well, and might be like that for a long time before his quality of life
> is truly diminished because of it.
>
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| Mark Thompson |
> I just wondered if I could get some reassurance about my Max.
Sounds like he's still having fun. My rat dragged herself around in a
similar manner for months without problems. They don't seem to mind. She
was still exploring, nibbling holes in things and nicking food. The only
difference is that she was slower so KitKat retrieval was easier, and she
couldn't jump so no more ambushes when you walked past her penthouse
gardens[1].
[1] Top of the Giant Wardroby Thing
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| bevluvsrats |
Personally I don't think this is a pit tumour, I think it's much more
likely to be kidney failure.
I've seen this many times in rats over the years, and I have one with
hind leg paralysis at the moment.
Basically, the best diagnosis you can get, is by having a vet check his
kidneys by feeling his sides. If they're too big or too small, or
knobbly, that's what you're dealing with.
I'm also very inclined to think that it's the kidneys that's causing
the fits, due to a build up of urea in the bloodstream.
There's something you can try to help, go to www.vetscriptions.co.uk
and buy a pot of Ipakitine, it's available without prescription and is
a food supplement made for renal failure in cats and dogs.
Get a little spoonful of something tasty, I use melted ice cream, and
mix in a little bit of the Ipakitine, the dose is described by my vet
as the tip of the spoon that comes with the Ipakitine. Give him some of
that daily, and see what happens.
The way that it works is by helping the kidneys by binding fats so that
they pass out as poo rather than going through the kidneys, as that can
put huge strain on them.
I've used it in loads of rats before now, as have friends of mine, and
in many cases if caught quickly enough, the hind legs start working
again.
While he's on it, monitor him carefully, especially his poos, although
it's only calcium and chitosan there's a very slim chance that it
might bind the fats too much, so keep an eye on his weight too.
You're right though, I think as long as they're still scooting around,
eating and drinking, and enjoying life on two legs, then that's fine.
Hope that helps.
Bev x
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| Tracey |
"Tracey" <tracey7370@ukonline.co.uk> wrote in message
news:482a2eFi278iU1@individual.net...
> I just wondered if I could get some reassurance about my Max.
Thanks guys, for all the replies. I feel more confident now that I'm doing
the right thing in not taking him to be pts yet.
Bev, that's interesting what you say about kidney failure, I'll do some
background reading on that and keep in mind the Ipakitine.
Tracey
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| Tania |
Hi Tracey,
I am so sorry to hear about your Grandma and your best friend :-( My
thoughts are with you.
I'm so sorry to hear about Max too, bless his little heart. In the past I
have had a couple of rats suffer with hind leg paralysis, and perhaps
fortunately for me the decision for pts was taken from me as my vet also
diagnosed tumours.
You know in your heart when the right time is to send Max to the Bridge, and
you are such a fab rat mum, you won't let him suffer. I am thinking of you
lots and hope you start to feel a little better soon x
Tarn ...............
Barney, Yoda, Yogi, Beau & Sebastian <:3_)~~~
At Rainbow Bridge: Buttons, Patch, Cookie, Fudge, Apollo, Zeus,Ben, Neptune,
Morpheus,Ulysses, Pluto, Jerry & Smokie <:3__) ~~~
http://community.webshots.com/user/tarn75
"Tracey" <tracey7370@ukonline.co.uk> wrote in message
news:482a2eFi278iU1@individual.net...
> Hi. I've not been around for a couple of weeks as things have been
> full-on here. I lost my Grandma, whose funeral was on my birthday of all
> days, and the same day one of my closest friends died of cancer - so not a
> birthday I'll forget. When you're at your lowest ebb you can always rely
> on your animals to make you smile and bring much needed comfort :o)
>
> I just wondered if I could get some reassurance about my Max. He's nearly
> three, but for a few months now has been suffering hind leg paralysis (it
> has been a gradual onset, that has slowly grown to full paralysis of the
> back legs) and has fits now and again. After the fits he always makes a
> quick recovery and is back to his old self. I've totally rearranged the
> cage so that he just has one level to cope with, his water and food are
> all within easy reaching distance from his sleeping box. He doesn't like
> to come out of his cage as much now but when he does he manages to pull
> himself around with his front legs. Last week he made me smile when he
> pulled himself right over to the otherside of the kitchen to where I was
> standing washing the pots, only to nibble on my toes and then go back to
> where he'd come from. He's still enjoying his food, although he has lost
> a lot of weight (but I've found that happens to ratties in old age
> anyway). He can no longer wash himself properly so I have to remove his
> penis plug daily, clean his ears and give him little washes with damp
> cotton wool. Am I doing right in not having him put to sleep yet? In my
> heart I feel he still has enough quality of life to warrant not being pts,
> but am I hanging onto him for selfish reasons? He looks so feeble when
> he's there pulling himself along and not being able to groom himself, but
> then he's so enthusiastic about his food (he even pulls himself up to the
> cage door when he thinks food is about to be served and waits for the
> dish) and he likes his little grooming sessions I give him (he licks and
> nibbles gently at me - something he never did as a younger rat). Oh I
> just don't know. Any thoughts you have would be much appreciated.
>
> Tracey
>
>
>
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| Tracey |
"Tania" <tania.hewitt@nospam.ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:4yyTf.2453$g76.340@newsfe2-gui.ntli.net...
> Hi Tracey,
>
> I am so sorry to hear about your Grandma and your best friend :-( My
> thoughts are with you.
>
> I'm so sorry to hear about Max too, bless his little heart. In the past I
> have had a couple of rats suffer with hind leg paralysis, and perhaps
> fortunately for me the decision for pts was taken from me as my vet also
> diagnosed tumours.
>
> You know in your heart when the right time is to send Max to the Bridge,
> and you are such a fab rat mum, you won't let him suffer. I am thinking of
> you lots and hope you start to feel a little better soon x
>
> Tarn ...............
> Barney, Yoda, Yogi, Beau & Sebastian <:3_)~~~
> At Rainbow Bridge: Buttons, Patch, Cookie, Fudge, Apollo, Zeus,Ben,
> Neptune, Morpheus,Ulysses, Pluto, Jerry & Smokie <:3__) ~~~
> http://community.webshots.com/user/tarn75
Thanks Tania :o)
Tracey
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