Pocket's Plight - Cancer?
After several months of recurring abscesses and surgeries (for lack of a better word) the vet's finally decided that IT'S PROBABLY CANCER. They could do another surgery and buy her a few weeks, but we've spent our entire savings on this precious (and I DO mean precious!!!) little creature. And we'd spend more if we knew it would help. She's not even two yet, and she's probably the best rat I've ever owned (definitely the cutest and the sweetest) so if there's ANYTHING I can do I'd like to try.
Here she is trying Nutella Spread for the 1st time ever.
She REALLY loves Nutella spread. I know it's not a healthy snack, but I mean, if she's got cancer does it really matter?
And here's the face that she made after tasting Nutella for the very 1st time:
...Wait for it...
"WOW!!! OMG THIS IS SOOO MUCH BETTER THAN MY REGULAR TREATS!! I JUST...WOW!!!"
So obviously you can see why I wanna save this pretty little creature. Whenever I see Pocket's sweet, smiling face my bad thoughts just melt away completely. There's not a whole lot in this world that can do that for me. My husband, too. I haven't told him yet because we've had an awful lot of terrible news over the past few days (Apparently I just started early menopause at the age of 29 and had to tell him 2 days ago that we'll never have babies) so I can hardly even entertain the thought of Pocket dying before she's lived a full life with us. And all this veterinary care, for naught? (seriously, I've spent at least $1500 on her medical care alone, so that's also frustrating.) But she deserves it. She loves life and is otherwise healthy and happy. She's a favorite patient of the veterinary staff and even won over an old lady with a proclaimed rat phobia in the waiting room earlier today. She's the perfect rat, health problems aside. I don't want to lose her, and I especially don't want her to die painfully and slowly from an open wound on her lady-parts. (Yes, she's on meds.) And I can't imagine having her euthanized because I know I'd be a wreck and don't want anybody to see me like that. So yeah. Help??
Here's a link to a webpage about that particular type of cancer (I think.)
http://ratguide.com/health/neoplasia/squamous_cell_carcinoma.php
Even though I like knowing that you think she's cute, I'd much prefer advice or suggestions on how to save this sweet baby girl!!! If anybody has any experience with repeated open wounds / abscesses (with or without a tumor present) I'd really appreciate your advice!!! I hate thinking that there's nothing I can do, but we've tried everything and nothing has worked!! I'm at a loss, and I fear soon I'll lose my favorite rat too. :(
Here she is trying Nutella Spread for the 1st time ever.
She REALLY loves Nutella spread. I know it's not a healthy snack, but I mean, if she's got cancer does it really matter?
And here's the face that she made after tasting Nutella for the very 1st time:
...Wait for it...
"WOW!!! OMG THIS IS SOOO MUCH BETTER THAN MY REGULAR TREATS!! I JUST...WOW!!!"
So obviously you can see why I wanna save this pretty little creature. Whenever I see Pocket's sweet, smiling face my bad thoughts just melt away completely. There's not a whole lot in this world that can do that for me. My husband, too. I haven't told him yet because we've had an awful lot of terrible news over the past few days (Apparently I just started early menopause at the age of 29 and had to tell him 2 days ago that we'll never have babies) so I can hardly even entertain the thought of Pocket dying before she's lived a full life with us. And all this veterinary care, for naught? (seriously, I've spent at least $1500 on her medical care alone, so that's also frustrating.) But she deserves it. She loves life and is otherwise healthy and happy. She's a favorite patient of the veterinary staff and even won over an old lady with a proclaimed rat phobia in the waiting room earlier today. She's the perfect rat, health problems aside. I don't want to lose her, and I especially don't want her to die painfully and slowly from an open wound on her lady-parts. (Yes, she's on meds.) And I can't imagine having her euthanized because I know I'd be a wreck and don't want anybody to see me like that. So yeah. Help??
Here's a link to a webpage about that particular type of cancer (I think.)
http://ratguide.com/health/neoplasia/squamous_cell_carcinoma.php
Even though I like knowing that you think she's cute, I'd much prefer advice or suggestions on how to save this sweet baby girl!!! If anybody has any experience with repeated open wounds / abscesses (with or without a tumor present) I'd really appreciate your advice!!! I hate thinking that there's nothing I can do, but we've tried everything and nothing has worked!! I'm at a loss, and I fear soon I'll lose my favorite rat too. :(