Pet Forum / Mammals / Rats / March 2004

Our naughty little sweet Sprocket passed away. After finally getting some
money to take him to the vet and treating him properly for his chest
infection, which the vet, upon assessment, thought could either be allergies
or indeed a bacterial infection, he suffered a heart attack after been given
an anti-inflammatory injection.
The vet said that he'd give him the shot and a course of antibiotics, which
I thought was odd. We never had this vet before and Rufus who always has the
sniffles is only given antibiotics with good effect. However, as Sprocket
had very laboured congeested breathing, I was more inclined to think it was
a respiratory tract infection.
My boyfriend warned the vet that Sprocket is bitey and jumpy, and the vet
said that he would hold him himself and as soon as the needle stuck him,
Sprocket jumped, the needle came out and appeared to be bent. Sprocket
couldn't use his legs on his left side, and was running around using one
side only which was visually disturbing.
By this time, I was about to be sick, I was so worried at what I was seeing.
Jase AND the vet looked just as concerned. The vet took him out the back
with the nurse to "check him over". He came back in and said that it seemed
to appear that he suffered some sort of heart attack and that they had him
on oxygen. God knows how Sprocket would've sat through that if he wasn't
about to pass on. The vet said that he listened to his chest and he was
having severe palpitations. By this stage Jase was in tears. The vet said he
didn't think he'd make it. I wanted to go and see how bad he was and I knew
as soon as I walked into the surgery that he was gone. It was such a
horrible thing to see.
Jase couldn't bring himself to see him, and I didn't have anywhere to bury
him in my apartment block (I moved a week ago from a place with a lovely
garden which would have been perfect) so the vet said he'd bury him in their
garden. I asked him not to throw him in the trash but he assured me he'd
bury him. I hope he does.
I don't know how this supposed heart attack would make him paralysed in one
side. I think it hit a nerve or his spine. The needle that is. Sprocket
wasn't even sitting in his hand properly when he gave it. I was stunned.
Needless to say we bawled all the way home. I just hope my fat little boy is
happier now and causing havoc over the Rainbow Bridge, making the other
ratties smile as much he made us smile ('cept when he wee'd on my new
couch)...
Here's to Sprocket...