Cheddars Vet Visit #2

 Today, January 25, 2021, Cheddar is going back into the vet. We have been giving her Enrofloxacin twice daily to treat an infection surrounding her GI tract, and we will see what happens from there. 

We brought her in and got news we were not wanting. the infection had worsened and was going to soon impact her organ function. Our vet made it very clear to us that our options were surgery, euthanasia, or letting her live with the infection on pain meds. we looked into surgery, but it didn't seem worth it when we weren't sure at all what they would find when they opened her up. We thought about letting her live as long as she could as is, but our vet let it be known that a few weeks seemed like all that could have been made with the infection as bad as it was. 

we ended up opting for euthanasia. We brought her in the following day, January 26, 2021, at 8:30AM and they gave her an injection in her abdomen. After a few minutes she had passed, I held her the whole time and she was very at peace in her final minutes. 

I will be getting her ashes back, and I ordered her a handmade urn with a crystal on top signifying healing of the mind and soul. 

I let my vet do a necropsy on her so she could as much from Cheddar as she could. When she finished she called us and let us know that there were multiple large masses in her abdomen attached to different organs, there would have been no way to remove them all and she would've been in immense pain very soon if we hadn't chosen the way we did. 

it was really hard, but I feel we made the right choice for her. we didn't want her hurting or suffering in any way. Gouda and Swiss, he sisters and cagemates, are upset and confused, but okay. They know she is missing and look for her frantically each night when they snuggle up together for bed. I hope in the coming days they will be able to grieve her loss and the same for me and the people who were closest with her. 

We have a little display for her, with her blankie, her urn, her syringes from her medication, prints of her feet, and a small tuft of her fur. So far we have been able to feel happy for her in knowing that she would've been in extreme pain shortly if we had opted differently. hopefully her story and what we learned from her will help our vet to help other rats that come in with similar problems. 

We love you very much Cheddar.