[Nenn]

Well, I thought id ask here aswell before the vet visit, since ive had lots of help from here in the past

I have already reserved time for the vet for thursday (The soonest time I could get ).

My oldest rat Piippa is 2years and approximately 7 months old.
And couple days ago she has started "Bleeding" From her.. vaginal area.
Its not blood I guess, its murky greenish blackish stuff that comes from there, and sometimes a bit reddish like blood. She also has very bad eye sight.. but anyway. What could the bleeding be? and the cause? I was thinking of somekind of an infection but im not sure. Also, might it be contagious? I just wanna know everything that would have similiar symptoms and suchs.
Piippa looks like shes tired almost all of the time. She never has liked being scratched nor being held. More of a going type girl. But now days shes been on my lap and hasnt really "Resisted" the scratching.
Im not quite sure if this post makes any sense... too tired to think right now havent really slept.

 

[ration1802]

Re: Bleeding from rear end

All I can think of is Pyometra (although I've never experienced a rat with it, it's usually the first given answer when any discharge is involved)

Here's some info - see if it fits.

http://www.rathealth.co.uk/articles/pyo.html

http://ratguide.com/health/reproductive/pyometra.php

Perhaps if it is this, you should call your vet and explain that Thursday is too long to wait? Get her seen as an emergency case?

It's just an idea - I hope it helps

 

[Nenn]

Re: Bleeding from rear end

Thank you for the links. Yeah it seems like pyometra.

When I first called the vet I explained the situation, and that it was an emergency case. She said that there is still all times booked.
Tried other vets around here but noone else treats rats cos of the lack of knowledge.
So thursday it is. :<

 

[OnlyOno]

Re: Bleeding from rear end

i'd say because of your description of the discharge, pyometra as well. but just you that it's out there, i've had several hamsters die of blood loss from a type of repro tract cancer that i've heard is common in hamsters and guinea pigs. just throwing it out there, although i'm not sure how common it is in rats. of course, those cases involved large quantities of very bright red blood.

 

[lilspaz68]

Re: Bleeding from rear end

Definitely some type of uterine infection. Some older girls and sick girls stop cleaning themselves and develop them. It does sound like an open pyometra to me, with the discharge type/colour. She needs abs asap.

 

[Nenn]

Re: Bleeding from rear end

Ok im happy to say that, I got the time for the vet for today!
Have to go to another city and its one of the most expensive vets i know :<
But I dont want my baby to suffer .
If it happens to be pyometra, is it contagious to the other girls?
I figure its not... but i just wanna be sure.

I doubt is repro tract cancer, since the blood is not red. Its murky greem sometimes reddish. Looks a bit like oil...

6 hours till its piippas appointment at the vet...

 

[ration1802]

Re: Bleeding from rear end

Well done, I'm sure she'll thank you

Let us know how she gets on

Good luck

 

[Nenn]

Re: Bleeding from rear end

Well, The doctor suspected womb infection.. pyometra. The doctor said that we should try the antibiotics. and she gave baytril. If the bleeding wont stop we have to go visit her again. She didnt recomend surgery for piippa, since shes very old, and probably would not survive.
I just hope Piippa will be ok.
Luckily she hasnt lost her appetite, and she does drink aswell.

 

[rattusnorvegicus]

Re: Bleeding from rear end

some feedback:

All rats have very bad eyesight.
The greenish-blackish stuff couldve just been some different kinda food you gave to her.
The blood is discharge and it is probably ok and it makes more sense since she is a girl rat ... ask your vet.
Maybe it's a respritory attack.

good luck and keep us updated

 

[ration1802]

Re: Bleeding from rear end

some feedback:

All rats have very bad eyesight.
The greenish-blackish stuff couldve just been some different kinda food you gave to her.
The blood is discharge and it is probably ok and it makes more sense since she is a girl rat ... ask your vet.
Maybe it's a respritory attack.

good luck and keep us updated

No rat should have any discharge 'down there'. At all. Any discharge, red, white, green, yellow - should be checked by a vet ASAP.

In this case, food would not have been a cause as we're not talking about poo. We're talking about lady bits.

Nenn, best of luck with Piippa. All our fingers and toes are crossed for you over here

 

[Nenn]

Re: Bleeding from rear end

In my knowledge rats dont have actually very bad eyesight. Only Pink eyed ones.
The greenish blackish stuff was discharge from her .. rear end. Not cos of the food i give them. Infection.
Blood discharges are not ok ... female rats dont menstruate and she is not pregnant.

shes on baytril now. And will hopefully help. We have another vet check up at 13th january.

Thanks for the feedback though

 

[Nenn]

Re: Bleeding from rear end

Thank you ration , and everyone else

 

[ration1802]

Re: Bleeding from rear end

In my knowledge rats dont have actually very bad eyesight. Only Pink eyed ones.

From what I've picked up from here and there, no rat has GOOD eyesight, so to speak. Pink eyed have worse eyesight than black eyed (not sure which catagory ruby falls into). They rely a lot on their other senses to get the job done

Just thought I'd add to the mix (again)

 

[Nenn]

Re: Bleeding from rear end

In my knowledge rats dont have actually very bad eyesight. Only Pink eyed ones.

From what I've picked up from here and there, no rat has GOOD eyesight, so to speak. Pink eyed have worse eyesight than black eyed (not sure which catagory ruby falls into). They rely a lot on their other senses to get the job done

Just thought I'd add to the mix (again)

Yeah. But its not very bad! The eye sight that is.
Also Piippa has gone blind, according to the vet. And like you said , they rely on their other senses, its not that bad for piippa The blindness is due her age I thought she would be 2,7 years max.. but the doctor suggested 3,5 or so by the look of piippa :> .. off topic again

 

[ration1802]

Re: Bleeding from rear end

Yeah. But its not very bad! The eye sight that is.
Also Piippa has gone blind, according to the vet. And like you said , they rely on their other senses, its not that bad for piippa The blindness is due her age I thought she would be 2,7 years max.. but the doctor suggested 3,5 or so by the look of piippa :> .. off topic again

Oh, yeah doh!

And Piippa is an old lady Well done for her!

I've had a rat that's recently lost an eye, and I really can't tell the difference in her behaviour - it goes to show how much they really use their eyes. How does Piippa cope blind? Is it just a case of keeping things the same in her cage..or..?

I know, off topic if you'd like you could always PM me the answer?

 

[Nenn]

Re: Bleeding from rear end

I dont mind the topic going off topic

Well, I pretty much gotta use the same arrangement in her cage. And not too high shelves. and make sure she cant fall from too high. Otherwise its same as any other little furball

I noticed the VERY bad eyesight, probably blindness cos of her behaviour, she was very carefull of where to go, and didnt quite notice me waving my fingers near her Also.. when i rearranged the girls cage, she kind of jumped where the hammock used to be... but wasnt there anymore cos i had changed it to the other place. She didnt get hurt. The fall wasnt that high. Also she did that quite many times with different hammocks, and other stuff. That suggested she was not seeing well.

 

[ration1802]

Re: Bleeding from rear end

Ah, ok. Thanks. It's good to know what to look out for (as my poor one eyed rat now has problems with her other eye!) I may try rearranging her cage a couple of times a week just to see if she will notice and adapt to the change. If not - I know she's having sight problems.

Good luck with Piippa (again, but you can't have enough good luck) and keep us updated

 

[Nenn]

Re: Bleeding from rear end

Thank you

All the best for your little rattie

 

[lilspaz68]

Re: Bleeding from rear end

I have my fingers crossed the baytril does the trick with her pyo. She has a better chance with an open (discharge seen) pyo than a closed one

Back to the vision thing.

PEW's have terrible vision,
Ruby's can have terrible to slightly better vision
Black-eyes have better vision, but they really don't see very well at all, and as mentioned, rely on their other senses a lot.

Here's an example of what a rat sees...
http://www.ratbehavior.org/RatCam.htm

 

[rattusnorvegicus]

Re: Bleeding from rear end

a bloody discharge from 'there' signals the start of a birthing process.
-reference from RATS! by Debbie Ducommun.

i am probably wrong about this. just giving you a little information. take her to the vet straight away because these sickness signs sound very unusual. :?

good luck