Iris has a back injury.

Iris was rough housing with her sisters about a week ago and she got a wound on her tail and on one of her fingers. There's still a scab on her tail. Her tail started getting a splotchy look to it, almost like dried blood- but the color keeps spreading and won't wash off. Last night we noticed she is not using her tail- (Rats use their tails to climb and balance. They can even wrap their tail around your wrist). Her tail was very limp and she doesn't seem to have any feeling in it when you press on it.

I called the vet this morning and we took Iris for her 10:45am appointment. Besides an infection in her tail from the bite wound she also has a lower back injury which was very painful when the vet pressed in the area of her lower back. The back injury is what is causing the paralysis in her tail, because it's all inflamed.

He gave her metacam and antibiotics. We are hoping the tail infection heals, because then he could give her steroids for her back injury. If the infection spreads or gets worse in her tail she could have to have it amputated... Hoping her back injury heals too. I'm not sure if she will get use of her tail again or not though.

Iris: (Her nickname is Ratatouille). ♥