In the case of your story and from what you said about the rat like animal (hole on side, sunken stomach) it would not have made it and as much as you don't want to hear this, I would have had to put it out of it misery. Well honestly have my husband do it for me, don't know if I could do it. Even the Wildlife rescue would do the same, just the humane thing to do.

Now in a different sitution (animal not to far gone) I would save it, without question.