[nanashi7]

I've posted before about Athena: http://www.ratforum.com/showthread.php?234098-Clumsy-Rat

Her clumsiness has been...on and off. Nothing consistent. It's always her forearms, where they are stiff. It also seems consistent where it affects her right arm stronger than the left.

Today, I did the wheelbarrow test and cage bar grabbing and she failed utterly. The hand/arm in question isn't in pain, but the fingers won't grip and the arm is stiff.

Can a PT affect one side stronger than the other? I have to possibly PTS two of my rats soon so I want to be sure something is wrong before going to the vet. Moreso, something that the vet can see so it doesn't waste $70.

 

[nanashi7]

I am calling the vet tomorrow. She is flopping towards one side.

 

[nanashi7]

I'm gonna bump this one last time (sorry) to add a video. It's fair useless after 2min when I just put her in a hammock, and there's a weird part where Ophelia escapes and I have to chase her...if there is audio, I apologize in advance for cursing at Opie but she can be a handful and tonight she was extra so and was being quite the butt.

Anyway: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bub0ZIi5ccY&feature=youtu.be

In the video her right (the left side of the frame) is the arm in question. It's almost like it's broken but she doesn't squeak or anything when I touch on it. You can see that she holds it off the ground, and doesn't really move the fingers. You can also see that she "flops" despite clearly putting her paw down and TRYING to use it, while she walks on the top of the cage and the shelf. Earlier she ate a blueberry with the paw so it does move, but it's like something between "move paw" and moving the paw goes haywire. You can also see where she WANTS to climb the bars but won't and again when I hold her up to them she CAN'T (after that point the video is useless I just can't bother to crop it ATM).

Any advice is brill.

 

[erikablanchettexo]

Poor thing . I'm so sorry
I honestly can't give any input as I'm not too experienced with rats but I hope there's something that can be done to help her.

 

[nanashi7]

It's a pituitary tumor. She's on steroids and abs and the vet is looking into cabergoline (galastop). I don't know at this time if I will go for it or pts. She can no longer walk and if the steroids don't help then she will be peacefully put to sleep and not made to suffer it.

 

[mimsy]

Hopefully the steroids help her. Sorry you've had such a rough time with sickies as of late.

 

[nanashi7]

Thanks, owning rats is tough when they hit 1.5yrs