Feeding post op rat

[Arwen]

Hi all.  This is the first post for me on Goosemoose.  I live in South Africa.  I had 3 boys neutored at my vet here and all 3 herniated?  He just pulled off their testicles, not cut and didn't sow - think this had anything to do with it?  he did it via the scrotum.  My on mite is eating very little and still very very sore, his insides came out 2x so he had to go under twice, and then the vet sowed him up really well.  My prob is getting him to take his meds.  Because they all lost a lot of blood I was told to give liver which none ate.  i mushed it with veg and still none ate.  I now "force"feed them with a syrynge and sucked up meds and food, but feel aweful with the little one as he really doesn't want it.  The other 2 are livelier so he is in a cage on his own, to be able to check he is eating and pooping etc, but I am  scared he will get too cold.  Any suggestions???

[LastEchoes]

Ok....Either I'm really confused or you have some horrible vet. What he did sounds...wrong.....So yes,  my guess is all the issues that are happening are due to vet not being experienced. Neuter is a rather simple non invasive(if done right) and 'little blood loss' type of surgery.

As for eating...are they not eating the liver/meds or not eating period?? If they're not eating liver and what not, then don't stress them out too much by force feeding that. Just try mixing meds in baby food or maybe a little bit of honey. As long as they're eating something....

[lilspaz68]

Has your vet ever done a rat neuter before?  It sounds like it was terrible

They usually make an incision and remove the testicles inside of the sac.  The actual scrotal sac shrivels up in time.  There is something they must do with rat neuters (inguinal ring?) that is very important.

Then they usually use internal dissolvable stitches and glue or some other fastening (regular stitches of staple) on the outside layer.

[Addicted2Rats]

That is just AWFUL what your vet did!!!  I hope that you won't go back to him!    As for the one that isn't doing as well as the two others, I don't think that I'd separate him.  That's more stress that he juts doesn't need right now.  They really need to all be together so they can comfort each other.  Like it was already said, don't force the liver if he's not eating it.  Just get some very high-calorie, nutritious food (baby food, Ensure) to feed to all of them.  I'm so sorry that your boys had to go through something like that.  I'm so angry right now hearing how that vet did the neuters!  What freaking school did he go to???

Deb

[Lise]

Sounds like he may have done the traditional procedure for a cat neuter??  From the way you are describing it.  Which isn't appropriate for a rat.

If it is available to you something you can add into their diet after surgery for a little bit is a high calorie recovery formula cat/dog food, such as Royal Canin Recovery or Hill's A/D.

Even though they hate it, syringing the meds in so you know they are getting them is probably best for the time being.

[Addicted2Rats]

A cat neuter is done where there is one incision cut into the scrotal sac and the testes are pulled forward out of the incision area, ligated and cut.  The ligated end is then tucked back into the incision area.  The only thing with cat neuters is that the incision isn't sutured or glued close.  It's left open to heal on its own.  But that's because cats heal so quickly that the incision doesn't really need sutures or glue.  Doing large animal neuters (cattle, horse, pig) is a little more barbaric than cats and dogs but I don't think that it's anything like what that guy did!  I've never heard of a vet *pulling* off the testicles without cutting or suturing.   (shiver)

Deb

[Arwen]

My baby boy died last night from this operation catastrophe.  I am very cut up about it.

[JR1030]

Oh, no...I'm so sorry to hear about that.  I know you must be really devastated. 

[Addicted2Rats]

Oh no!!  I'm sooooo sorry for the loss of your rat.    Did you notify the vet that he had died from the operation?  I'm still pretty irked at the method he chose to neuter him.

Deb

[Arwen]

Yes I did notify the vet about it.  I had phoned another one to find out their procedure (cut it off, tie it off, stitch it up - you know correctly)  and I told him this correct method and i told him I was not happy.  You know when you have a rat that you just know is going to be extra special?  Well this little man was like that.  The other 2 seem ok. It has been a week and I am still watching them and medicating them.

[Poppyseed]

I would get a malpractice lawyer and sue. Don't know if they do that in South Africa. They do that all the time to vets/doctors that do things incorrectly here in America.

Never go to that vet again! He sounds dreadful and I'm sorry you had to go through that. I would demand a refund. Tell them your rat died because of his incompetence! Tell him off! That makes me so mad and I can just imagine how horrible you feel! I'm so sorry, I'm angry for you hun and it hurts me more that your poor ratty had to die because of it.

Here's hoping the other two survive alright ):