It started really suddenly. I take the boys out every day and didn't notice any wheezing, etc. Tuesday evening Templeton's appetite was fine. He was wrestling with Emile on the bed like usual. Wednesday when I came home from work late afternoon Templeton has porphyrin all over his nose, and he had pee all over his belly. He was lethargic too. Teddy also had a bit of porphyrin around his nose, but not as much as Templeton. Thursday morning when I woke up Teddy was having a hard time breathing, he kept gasping. Templeton was also sucking in his sides and having a tough time breathing. I called my vet as soon as they opened.
We actually ended up taking them in a little earlier than their appointment because Templeton had seized up and panicked and his little nose and back feet turned blueish. The vet gave them both Baytril injections and Dexamethsone to help with the inflammation from pneumonia.... how in the world did they come down with pneumonia so fast? He also gave them Cipro antibiotics to take home.
We also picked up a nebulizer machine that my Mom lent us, with some Abuterol to try and ease their breathing. That evening after the vet though Teddy was still gasping a lot. He ended up passing away 5 hours after his vet visit... Templeton was upset. The other boys Emile & Remy lay down next to Teddy with their ears back, after he passed away. I always try to let them say goodbye.
Templeton saying goodbye to Teddy after he passed away...
Templeton didn't seem quite as bad. We were doing everything we could think of. He didn't want to eat or drink on his own. But he would lick water or pedilyte, ensure off our fingers. We kept pushing baby food and nutritional paste to see if he would eat it. He would only really take a full drink on his own twice a day...
Thursday night I kept Templeton in a carrier next to the bed. He hated to be in and would start to panic at first. So Friday when I had to go to work, we left him on the bed curled up in my comforter and my husband kept watch over him. Friday evening he cuddled with me on a heating pad and started chattering while I pet him. He drank a long drink of water, and he had some carrot cake icing that he actually got excited about and had two little spoonfuls of.
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His breathing was still labored and he was very lethargic... but we were hoping as long as we were getting bits of food/water/meds down him that he would be okay. Late that evening (early Saturday morning) he started having issues with his back legs, they were slipping when he was walking. I was trying to wipe his nose off and he was trying to scoot off when his whole body seized up and went limp. He started gasping for air like Teddy had done... and then my Templeton was gone... my buddy was gone... ♥
You were the only male rat that ever gave me kisses all over my nose, the only rat that would ever use my arm as your pillow when I was reading in bed. The rat who loved to lay on his back a lot when he was younger...I always wanted to name one of my rats Templeton... you were my buddy... you were my heart rat... ♥
Goodbye Teddy and Templeton....
More videos of Templeton:
