Palliative care
1 - 13 of 13 Posts
i would take it to the vet. they can give pain meds, IV injection or pills, i know that you *can* get home 02, but it's ridiculously costly, and i doubt that they would recommend it for a rat. it's really just a way to give you enough time to say goodbye, for the most part, animlas shouldn't really be put on 02 to stay alive. what kind of a life is that, where they can't move and just be an animal? sedatives they can give, but it will probably just hurt you more to see your baby drugged out, definitely not the same rat you fell in love with. in my opinion, if you know your rat is dying and you can no longer make them comfortable at home, i would take it in to be put down. 
what a downer thread.
what a downer thread.
Sorry
I find putting them down quite hard to get my head round-my patients who are dying get meds n whatnot while they stay home if thets were they want to be-ive never been part of a team that has given meds for the purpose of killing someone but I have been part of a team who have given meds to make someone comfortable in their last days or hours which might also shorten their life-I feel like thats what should be done unless someone can consent to death. So where does that leave me with my pets?
I find putting them down quite hard to get my head round-my patients who are dying get meds n whatnot while they stay home if thets were they want to be-ive never been part of a team that has given meds for the purpose of killing someone but I have been part of a team who have given meds to make someone comfortable in their last days or hours which might also shorten their life-I feel like thats what should be done unless someone can consent to death. So where does that leave me with my pets?
Many of us feel that with our pets one of the kindest things we can do is make the decision to put them to sleep, so that they don't have to suffer in pain anymore. When an animal is no longer itself, and no longer interested in its favorite things you can tell when it is time to help them along. It is never an easy decision to make, by any means, but it really is kinder than letting them suffer through their last few days.
Unlike with humans you cannot get effective pain meds. A vet will not give you opioid analgesics (morphine etc) for your rat....
Unlike with humans you cannot get effective pain meds. A vet will not give you opioid analgesics (morphine etc) for your rat....
Yeah, when I rat is bad enough you really don't want to see them suffer any longer. Putting them down is the best option. You can take them in to be nebulised every once in a while but it's costly. My vet charges $25/ nebulisation and you have to go there to get it. I imagine you could purchase an aquarium style oxygen tank and oxygen as I've seen people refer to useing it on other sites but I donno, it seems more cruel than helpful to me.
Home O2 isn't that expensive, provided you get it from the correct source. You need to rent a small tank from a local welding supply, not a medical supply. A small O2 tank from the welding supply will be ~$6/mo rental, plus less than $10 for the fill. The only difference between medical oxygen and oxygen from the welding supply is the fittings - there's no difference in the oxygen.
Then, you'll need a regulator (like $70 for a two-stage, cheaper for one-stage), and whatever contraption you'd have for the animal to inhale the oxygen.
Then, you'll need a regulator (like $70 for a two-stage, cheaper for one-stage), and whatever contraption you'd have for the animal to inhale the oxygen.
1 - 13 of 13 Posts
Join the discussion
Join now to ask and comment!