I really need help

[angiee-w]

My dad is making me put Percy to sleep tomorrow morning, he thinks he has no quality left in him. He has a nasal tumour which is getting bigger. He has a really awful smell which was presumed was the tumour.

Tonight he's been acting differently, he keeps weeing a lot and his sneezes/ breathing sound worse than normal. He shakes his head a lot but he runs around the room happily but i'm absolutely heartbroken

I can't stop crying so i hope i have worded this ok? What should i do? I really need help with this situation

[Ceslater]

it's a terribley difficult one, it tends to be a toss up for me as to quality of life, long term prognosis and level of pain amongst other things. certain illnesses i am inclined to PTS at an earlier stage than others...ZGT are one i pts sooner rather than later.
only you can make that final call, have you tried writing down the pros and cons? it sounds very simplistic to a truly horrible and complex decision but i do find when i am struggling to make a decision it can sometimes help, atleast in terms of making the decision. in terms of dealing with the grief, i really don't know. i do know we are here for you, i am thinking of you. x

[angiee-w]

He's still eating and is aware of his surroundings

Just now he went through the tip pot and got himself something

I really don't know what to do because i know he will only get worse, i just want him to die here

[ErnieG!]

Well, surely as it's your pet you should make the choice? Not your dad?
Unless there is a situation I'm unaware of.
I know it's a horrible situation, but the best thing for them is to not let them suffer longer than they should

[angiee-w]

I know, we've been fighting ever since i got in from work

I don't want him to suffer, i absolutely love him to bits but i can't tell if he is suffering enough for that option???

What happens if its not his time?

[ErnieG!]

I think my cut off point is when, they have panic attacks, their not eating, or wanting to eat, not interested in moving, cleaning generally looking sorry for themselves and not having quality of life.
From what you've said it sounds like the tumor is becoming a problem, but personally not one enough for me to PTS

Hope this helps

Btw, is he your pet?

[angiee-w]

He's still moving around but he does stop and rest for a bit then gets up and go again.. I don't feel its his time yet, i feel so sick and sunken about this situation. This is what makes me feel like i shouldn't own them
But i admit his breathing is noisier than it had been

Yeah, he's my boy. All my rats belong to me

[ErnieG!]

Well in that case, I think you need to tell your dad to back off, I don't mean to sound pushy, but he really has no place, you know him better than anyone else and you'll know when his time is to go, and as you've said it doesn't seem like it is his time when he could have a little more time with you

Don't ever doubt you shouldn't own them, I'm sure your an amazing owner!

[angiee-w]

I carry a lot of guilt for letting my parents tell the vet to put Molly to sleep. But deep down i knew it was her time but the fact it wasn't my decision made me feel i let her down and i don't want to make the same mistake by letting them have the last say when its me who has always payed for their care

If i let him sleep now i will always feel i shouldn't keep rats knowing he still has a little left in him. To me its premature. Hes washing himself on my bed

I hope i'm making sense i'm trying to type as i cry

[Rootigger]

I recently had to have one of my girls Clover put to sleep. It's never easy but I knew in my heart it was time. She had a pituitary tumour and I had tried everything I possibly could to help her, I was on first name terms with all the vets at the surgery I was in there so much and although she was a little fighter, she eventually stopped responding to treatment and went downhill. It is never easy but knowing I'd tried everything I possibly could really helped me to make the decision. Despite longing to hold onto her for longer I knew it would be selfish of me to do so and to be honest, she was poorly enough that she wasn't really herself any more, if you know what I mean. In a way I had already lost her.

I always wish for my babies to go peacefully in their sleep but sadly that hasn't been the case for me. About 6 months ago, I lost another of my girls Lily. She died at home in my arms at 2am and it was the most heartbreaking thing I've ever been through. I decided I couldn't bear to go through that again, knowing it was only a matter of time for Clover. It was not easy to have my Clover pts, I opted to stay with her and don't regret it but it wasn't easy. In fact I'm welling up now thinking about it.

So I really feel for you and know what it's like to be in this situation. If you feel in your heart that Percy is still himself, is still enjoying life and isn't suffering then hold on to him for as long as that's the case. If you fell it's premature, most likely it is. Don't let someone else pressure you into making a decision, it has to be your decision and more importantly it has to be the right decision for Percy.

Hugs

[NickyE]

aw angie hun, don't get yourself upset. It's always too soon for us if it's 1 month or 3+ years.

I think you know when. I always think it's when they're struggling to eat and to wash, although that's not always it.

I'm thinking of you both. I really don't know what to say, 'cos I always do exactly the same to myself. But I'm sure you'll knowf when it is time and he'll either let you know or just make the step himself xxx

[annc]

I had a very similar decision to make this weekend. Bella had a Zymbal's gland tumour. She was still active, but the tumour was getting very large and her teeth were slightly displaced. She started sneezing over the weekend, and I felt, as someone said here "Better a day too soon than a day too late." I know I left it a day too late with my first heart rat, Ratara, hoping her respiratory distress after removal of an eye and tumour would subside with medication. I also had to make the decision on Monday to let my 34-month-old Ronald go - he had severe hind leg degeneration, then developed a flare-up of his chest problems.

My thoughts are very much with you - it sounds as if your situation is very much like my beautiful Bella.

[Ceslater]

when i am really struggling with whether to let one of my boys go, i ask my vets opinion. i trust her opinion, i know she is straight with me, i also know she will tell me if she feels it's too soon.

[angiee-w]

This is him- I'm not sure if you can notice his lump??


He's sleeping in this picture, but his breathing is loud. I don't know i really don't know whats best for him because he still washes himself, still eats and drinks and hes still naughty in the sense he tips the treat pot over and takes what he wants
I'm calling the vet tomorrow to get another opinion because i can't decide alone and hes not the type that takes putting to sleep lightly
Putting him to sleep is an option because i know he won't get any better and seeing him suffering will absolutely break my heart and i wouldn't keep him a live for me because i won't let him suffer but whats hurting is feeling very strongly that its not his time yet

I spend every second i get with my rats and i know everything about them. I know when something isn't right and when they need professional help, i know my parents love these rats just as much as me but they don't share that bond i have with them. Percys brother only responds to me, one of my girls still poos on him when he picks her up so i feel like i should know if i should let Percy sleep
Deep down i knew it was Mollys time but i can't and struggle to feel it with Percy, i do accept his days are numbered though.

I will always feel i could do more for them but the only thing that somewhat eases this hurt is knowing he knew nothing but love in his life. This is the only bad thing about having pets
I feel like i'm rambling on a bit now, sorry i can't really seem to find my words but thank you everyone for your support

[Sarah_B]

when i am really struggling with whether to let one of my boys go, i ask my vets opinion. i trust her opinion, i know she is straight with me, i also know she will tell me if she feels it's too soon.

Same here. My vet is great - she always tells me when she thinks it's time and I always agree with her. With all the ones I've lost, it's been pretty obvious that it was their time. A few may have been kept alive for a few more days with a new cockatail of drugs, but I always feel that there's no point trying to keep them going just because I don't want them to go. They will just get back to that point in a day or two. Most of mine have died from respiratory problems though so were obviously in constant distress.

One of my boys had a PT and was treated with steroids - he lasted a good two months more but it got to the point where he wouldn't move or eat and was covered in porhyrin. It was obviously his time.

What I'm really trying to say is that you know him best - you'll know when he's given up.