May 30, 2006

Roo & Neiko hang in there

I haven't mentioned the girls lately...I guess I've been sort of afraid I'd jinx them if I do. The tumors are continuing to grow, and both Roo and Neiko are a little slower and quieter than they were in their prime...but they are both pretty old now, too.

I'll be honest, I'm a little surprised that they are still with us, especially Roo. Her tumor is enormous...the pictures I've posted of her are strategically posed to hide it, because any reasonable person would see it and be shocked that we haven't done anything. I think that in size the tumor probably has more mass than she does now.

But she's bright-eyed and alert (often the first one to wake up when I get home in the evening) and she has a great appetite.

roo-dish.jpg

A couple of weeks ago I thought I saw a bad sign, a dark scab on the underside of her tumor. That has been the beginning of the end for some of our other rats, when the skin starts to ulcerate and bleed we've had to let them go. With a very heavy heart I called Victor in to look, then as he picked her up I had a brainstorm...I'd given the rats red grapes earlier in the day. Sure enough, the scab was just a grape skin she'd sat on.

Tonight, though, the scab really is a scab. She's oblivious to it, and I hope she can stay that way for a long while.

Posted by Abita at May 30, 2006 09:12 PM
Comments

I lit a candle for them both at http://www.gratefulness.org/ and asked St Anthony to help them.

Posted by: Eanna at May 30, 2006 10:10 PM

Thank you, Eanna. We appreciate it very much.

Posted by: abita at May 31, 2006 08:34 PM

Hugs to Roo and Neiko... sure hope they are ok. fingers crossed..

Posted by: Colleen at May 31, 2006 10:49 PM

Thank you, Eanna. I'm very touched by your wishes.

Posted by: Victor at June 1, 2006 02:49 PM

Our little Aeowen has several small tumors now on her belly, but I'm don't want to take her in because they don't seem to be bothering her at all and everytime I take a rat to the doc for anything other than a regular check-up or a cold, they seem to pass away on me.

Aeowen says that is fine by her, but we are keeping an eye on her anyway.

Posted by: Poi Mom Jane at June 9, 2006 11:15 PM