As much as i love all my rats, none of them have touched my heart quite as deeply as Cort has.  My tiny little 200 gram boy has won the hearts of my rat intolerant relatives too, my parents even ask for up dates on him when ever i call.  Cort is a fighter, even with his malabsobtion/late onset mega colon issues, he has remained  happy and active.  he always runs to the door to greet me and has been awesome about all of his treatments.  But i think we are fighting a losing battle at this point.  even though he is eating ( he is on the woody's diet in coordination with my vet) he is losing weight.. his little body just isn't processing nutrients anymore.   he dosen't act sick, he still loves to explore and play, but i don't want him to starve to death,  he is too special in my heart to let him suffer in that way.  I think the kindest thing will be to put him to sleep before he gets to that point.. but I'm struggling with it.  it's one thing to put an animal down who is in pain and lethargic,  but to put one down who still looks up at you bright eyed and full of love..  I know my husband and i are the only ones who can make this decision, and i am sure it's the right thing to do.. what would you do? i hope he understands it's because i love him that i am doing this for him.

It is very hard.. i have lost 2 rats in two weeks and both went in different ways.. Apollo was sick.. his heart started to fail. Shadow on the other hand  was not as easy of a choice to make for the same reason you ask this question. shadow had all the issues in the world including being blind but for
almost a year she lived through it, happy. There comes a time when their bodies physically can not go on.  Shadow could have made it longer but i made the decision to put her to sleep before her body got to the point of wasting away in till she was just skin and bones. My heart couldn't take to see her like that, if he is at the point that he will have a slow painful death than maybe its time. I rather have my animal pass on before they reach a point of pain or suffering but the decision is never easy because you wonder, " am i doing the right thing? Is he ready to go? Did i make the wrong decision?" Your heart will tell you when it is his time to go.