Add to the list: Lev is a rat killer

[tcpip]

Returned home from an excellent Pendragon session to discover poor Nomad rat (the guy on the right) was gasping for breath. Went through an emergency checklist to deal with such issues; air humidification (i.e,. small steamy room), decongestant (eucalyptus oil), and even the application of a bronchodilator (salbutamol). None of these worked and, short of putting him in an oxygen tent, there was nothing else that could be feasibly done, except euthanasia; you don't want to keep a rat in this condition, it's extremely distressing. Remembering primary school chemistry, I made up a quick combination of bicarbonate of soda and vinegar to create a CO2-rich environment under a blanket (which is a recommended method). He passed out quickly, and I then suffocated my little friend.

Thus ends the short (1.5 yrs) life of Nomad, perhaps the most misnamed of our rodent collection. He was certainly not prone to wandering or wilderness. There was a point in his life some months ago where he'd seem to have lost a lost of his vim and strength, and instead showed great preference to creature comforts, probably due to a stroke, another affliction that rats are prone to. He was certainly was certainly affected significantly from mycoplasma. Despite this he certainly charmed us, and appreciated the affections given to him taking good care at grooming his human servants - even to the afternoon of his demise.

I adhere to utilitarian situational ethics, bounded by universalistic moral reasoning of reciprocity. On this basis it is not just a pet rat that I do not wish such suffering upon, but all living creatures. Because of this I am a supporter of voluntary euthanasia and, indeed, even non-voluntary euthanasia (e.g., post-birth abortion), under some very specific circumstances (e.g., a near-lethal case of epidermolysis bullosa, anencephaly, etc), where both have verified conditions by medical professions. Call it the Socratic with in me; it is not life, but the good life that should be sought, and sometimes no life is better an undignified and tortured forced existence. After all, we were all born, never asked.

Comments

[17catherines]

I am sorry for your loss.

[caseopaya.livejournal.com]

It was better that way, you could see how hard Nomad was struggling. It was awful to watch him gasp for breath like he was :(

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

"The question is not, Can they reason? nor, Can they talk? but, Can they suffer?"

- Jeremy Benthem

[niamh-sage.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry for your loss. :( It sounds like he had a peaceful passing though, under the circumstances.

Thanks for linking to the rat article, that's useful information to have on hand.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

When covered in his favoured blanket, albeit falling under due to CO2, he didn't struggle. It was quick and painless.

[fluffyblanket.livejournal.com]

Poor little fellow ! Ahimsa paramo dharma , but to let him suffer would have been worse .

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

"Dharma himsa tathaiva cha".

I have heard an argument, from a Hindu perspective, that at least some rats are reincarnated people who have a specific duty to complete that they did not during their human life. Thus their intelligence, association with people, and short lifespans.

It's makes for a rather neat mythology.

[fluffyblanket.livejournal.com]

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[zenicurean.livejournal.com]

My condolences. You did the right thing here for poor lil' Nomad.

[carlowe.livejournal.com]

Sad for you and him.

[damien-wise.livejournal.com]

Really sorry to hear it.
Always sad when a loved pet and companion passes away.
It's something that's been on my mind lately, since my sister's chooks were all killed by a fox a few days ago...I'll miss "The girls," as they were known.

As for your opinion in care and euthanasia, I've thought that for some time.
It's a bit unusual for people to go as far as discussing non-voluntary euthanasia, but you made a good argument in favour of it. I've seen a couple of friends go through having a baby who struggled for six months, even with the best of medical science and all sorts of machines keeping her alive. There was no quality of life for the baby, no chance of improvement (communication, hearing, voluntary movement, unassisted breathing, unassisted eating, high brain function), and only pain for the baby and parents. Cases like hers make you wonder where to draw the line for medical intervention, and what is most caring for the individual.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

The keyphrase of "no chance for improvement" stands out in that description.

I've argued the matter with Barnaby Schwartz from The Age on "active intervention" in these cases. He was somewhat horrified with the idea of post-birth abortion (as explored by Alberto Giubilini and Francesca Minerva in the Journal of Medical Ethics some six months ago), but did accept that "letting nature take its course" could be acceptable under some circumstances. He was thoroughly stumped however when the question was raised about the pain and suffering that an infant could go through, in some cases, if an inactive policy was taken.

These are not easy ethical questions but reality can be like that....

[saithkar.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear about your loss, my ex girlfriend had rats and I found them to be both cute and characterful, quite the opposite of the bad press they have received over the years.

[mr-figgy.livejournal.com]

I can only imagine how harrowing that must have been. It was hard enough for me to suggest the euthanasia of a hedgehog who needed it, to the veterinarian who had just told me there wasn't much else to do; then again, that was the first time I ever found myself in such a situation. Isn't it difficult, those situations where the right thing to do never feels like a right thing to do?

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Yes, it is difficult, because we can imagine the alternatives, or recall them from the past. With creatures such as rats whose physical state can decline extremely quickly, it is very evident. How easy it was to think of young Nomad a few days prior happily curled up on his blanket, graciously accepting scritches, and returning with bruxing and licking. But those days had passed and would never return.

[mr-figgy.livejournal.com]

True.

[leo-sosnine.livejournal.com]

Absolutely agree on euthanasia subject

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I find the "pro-life under any circumstances" position untenable. Ultimately it must rely on a metaphysical proposition of inviolable sanctity of life. Obviously under normal circumstances most people are "pro-life". It is when those circumstances are not normal that more nuanced views are required.

[leo-sosnine.livejournal.com]

I have a simple position here. If life is perceived as good by a person and this person wants that to be continued, then it's a bad decision to take this person's life. But if life is perceived as bad and the person doesn't want to keep it up, than it's a good decision to stop this pointless suffering. If we aren't able to learn person's opinion on the subject (no last will, person can't speak, unconscious) then close friends can make some guesses what person's will would be and enforce it. Ultimately I justify a suicide, if such a decision is made in clear mind and on a rational basis.

I have buried some relatives, I have buried several pets (dogs mostly), some of them suffered from cancer. About 10 years ago I had different opinion (pro-life under any circumstances), but after all of that I changed. It's interesting that for pets social consensus allows euthanasia and in many pet clinics it is offered to poison slowly dying and suffering pet just to make it quick and stop pointless suffering.

Pro-life position, as I see it, is often dictated by strong religious beliefs, or under influence of those who have such beliefs. "Suffering cleanses the soul" and so on.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

If we aren't able to learn person's opinion on the subject (no last will, person can't speak, unconscious) then close friends can make some guesses what person's will would be and enforce it.

That is a hard one because everyone thinks they're a stakeholder. Sometimes, also, there is are public finance problems.

"Suffering cleanses the soul" and so on.

The problem often is they want us to suffer as well!

[mireille21.livejournal.com]

Ditto on the euthanasia.
Sorry for your loss, but well done you for knowing how to help him on with the least amount of pain.

[lederhosen.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear it. As you'd know from my LJ, Dog-Or the Wonder Spaniel is quite elderly, and I expect one of these days we're going to have to make the same call. But for the time being, although he's old and somewhat frail, I think he's still reasonably happy, and I hope he stays that way a while yet.

[txxxpxx.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

[(Anonymous)]

Vale Nomad,

You may no longer physically exist,
but you leave many delightful memories,

Your meme (indeed, none will) will not survive the future Armageddon caused by the clash of Andromeda & The Milky Way.
None can expect immortality.

Cheers,
Colin.