A Sick Rat

Carvagio, we call him Vagge, has been very sick this last month and his family has been very concerned! One may ask, how do you know your rat is sick, but this person has never seen a sick rat. They sneeze, have red around their noses, they squeak when you touch them, they wheeze, and breathe really hard. It's quite pathetic to see. I was treating Vagge with antibiotics in his water for a few weeks before we decided to take him to the vet. This may sound strange- a rat to the vet? But yes, Vagge went. He is a spoiled rat. We went to Riverwoods Pet Hospital and I really enjoyed their services. They knew exactly what was the matter with Vagge- he had an upper respiratory infection bordering on pneumonia. Fluid was filling into his lungs. They gave him a shot of a very strong antibiotic, lasix (a diuretic), and a corticosteroid (it decreases inflammation). They sent him home with a antibiotic syrup for two weeks. Wow....... our five dollar rat suddenly become a lot more expensive.

You know, it was all worth it. I grew up always wishing that we took our animals to the vet more often. I promised myself that when I had my own animals, I would make sure they got the care they need. I don't know what will happen to Vagge, we have him in our bathroom tucked in one of our cupboards underneath the sink. He's being quarantined from Leo and Gello. Even if he doesn't get better, at least I will never have to wonder whether or not I could have helped him.