Lafawnda - necropsy report

[wonderrodent]

First of all thank you guys for your kind words when Fawndy died.
I am posting the result because maybe others can somehow benefit from it.

1) She had a mammary tumor (which was obvious but it wasn't very big and I am glad she developed it very late. Spaying probably helped)
2) Chronic rhinitis (doesn't surprise me because she and Punzy have had the sniffles since the day I got them. I tried every med out there but nothing really helped)
3) Chronic bronchiolitis (her lungs were always clear but it doesn't surprise me that eventually her lungs were affected). The mycoplasma report is still pending
4) She had a PT! This came as a surprise since she didn't have the typical symptoms. I am not familiar with PT but I always watch out for the symptoms I read about.
However, now thinking back, I realize she did exhibit signs that I should have recognized as a PT. But since she had hind-end degeneration and was very heavy it was harder to determine. For example she was restless like she can't decide where she wanted to go. She would walk a few steps to the left with her front paws, then to the right, left, right. She never seemed confused, though, just indecisive.
She would constantly try to scratch her face (especially the right side of her face) with her hind-leg but of course she couldn't and she would wipe her face a lot. I was trying to help her scratching but I felt like I was never able to do it right. She probably felt the pressure of the PT.
She nipped me twice a little (which she had never done before). I thought she was frustrated because she couldn't groom herself.
She always loved food. She got really excited when I came in with the food but then in the last few weeks she wasn't that excited anymore and it would take her a long time to finish (if she even finished it)
She was still able to hold food in her front paws but she wouldn't lift them up. Again, I thought this was due to her weight and hind-end d. Maybe it was that and PT.

I feel horrible but I have to say that for having had a PT she probably couldn't have a "better" passing - if you know what I mean. She went really fast, I was with her - comforting her. I am thinking that if I had treated her with prednisone I could have kept her alive for a few more weeks but since there is no cure, I probably would have had to watch her slowly declining - that would have been even more heartbreaking.
It's about quality of life.

Does anyone know if the pituitary gland sits behind the right eye?

Thanks for reading (sorry it's so long)!

[mamarat2]

Hey Astrid.  The pituitary gland sits immediately under the brain in the rats' anatomy (just about the under the center of the brain).  Which when looking from the front would positioned right between the eyes, but about a 1/4 inch into the head or so.

[wonderrodent]

Thanks Jen!
Do you know if rats with a head tilt due to PT lean their head to the right or left?

[mamarat2]

Nope, no idea.  I'm guessing it would be the result of whichever side of the head (ears) is receiving the most pressure from the enlarged pituitary. 

[ScoutGotBig]

Slightly more to the right, from what I've seen - but it's a 50/50 chance I'd think.  Both boys went right.

[Marybelle]

Neither of my boys had a head tilt, but Jenks would always try to scratch his left side more than his right.  It seems to me Jecht was that way, too, but I was focusing on so many other things with him that I don't remember.  I just remember the scratching.  Unfortunately, the "classic" signs of a PT don't always show, even if you're watching.  It's only in hindsight that you see and go "duh".  I did that with both my boys, and you'd think I'd have been more on the alert for things like that in Jenks after we lost Jecht to a PT.  Many of the PT signs are subtle and easy to miss, that's for sure.