Her Luck Ran Out

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Lucky rat died today during surgery for a malignant tumor, aged 34.5 months (or around 85 in human years). Even if she had survived she had other tumors growing, so perhaps really it would be providing her but a scant few more months of quality living. It was a series of tragic events that led to her passing; her tumor went from the benign to malignant variety and grew quickly, but of course, she'd kept it hidden from us. Our usual vet was overseas, and the locum - unfamiliar with rodents - didn't feel confident enough to attempt surgery and spaetlese, who provided us the rat in the first place, was interstate. When we made the booking for Lort Smith it was further delayed by another week during the Easter break.

Lucky was so named because she had been earmarked as snake food, was rescued from such an event by spaetlese. Before she made it to us she had escaped her cage and had spent a couple of nights in a house with non-rat friendly cats. Having cheated death twice, she did lose a tip of her tail to a cage accident, but made it through that fine. She had also already gone through one tumor operation. Ever lithe of form, gregarious and curious of nature (yes, even on the rodent scale of things), I like to think that we provided her a happy life. But my parting moment as she looked up at me whilst holding my finger with her front paws is in burned into my memories forever. Farewell, Lucky.

Comments

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Aww, those are delightful names.

Yes, the price of animal care often surprises people. But they're just as complex as a human system (if not more so), so why should it be any different? This particular rat was free, but I think we must have spent several hundred dollars on various medical bills and medicines.

A significant part of me does think that it would be better to spend such monies on the sufferings the developing world. It's always about opportunity costs.