Arg, I am so sick and tired of having sick rats! Why is it that rats always get sick!?!?!? I have owned 12 rats in the past three years, not including the litters of babies some of my rats have had. Out of those 12, 7 of them have gotten seriously ill. Just now, I discovered a nickel size tumor in Chloe's arm pit. Violette also has a facial abscess that has ulcerated- she is going to the vet.
Peanut, Punkin, Nugget, and Sweet Pea all had respiratory problems. Nugget also had cancer in her mammary glands and in her uterus. Oreo also got a massive tennis ball sized tumor that grew so fast we could not help her, so she had to be put to sleep. Oscar and Fred have lice, I am sure the others have it too, but they have it the worst, now the h-e-double hockey sticks they got it is beyond me. Oscar also has some problem going on with his heart. His breathing is normal, he is eating and drinking, but his heart is beating oddly. I am looking all over the net trying to find information.
How we can take three rats to the vet at a time is beyond me, because all the vets around here cost two arms, two legs, and half of your torso. The vet visit charge itself is $37(x3), add another $80 or so for the x-rays, $20(x3) for the medication, and $80 for a needle biopsy for the tumor. That is $331.00 right there, and tack on another $100-$200 for the tooth removal or whatever is needed to help out Violette's facial tumor.
So far, Fred, Daisy, and Phoebe (along with Skittles-RIP) have never gotten ill. *Laura runs around house and knocks on all wooden objects!!!!*
:( My poor babies, I feel so bad for them, like I could have prevented it. Why do they always have to get sick!?!? :(
Thanks for reading my rant...I had to get it off my chest.
Here is a picture of Chloe's tumor:
Here is Vi's facial abscess: (looks very small in picture, size of baked bean)
Sorry they are fuzzy, my babies are little wiggly worms.
