InsaneJournal

sigh
I called the vet this morning to ask whether there would be any sense in bringing Emil in, but they don't have any results yet on the cultures from the nasal swap, and they would not be able to do anything to help. Meanwhile Emil has been awful. If I wasn't clinging to the small chance that an antibiotic might help yet (though the vet thinks with his rapid decline and his apathy there might be an internal tumor as well), I would have taken him to be put down today.

Instead I'm trying my best to provide sick care, i.e. as he hasn't been eating or drinking, I gave him a little water in his mouth with a syringe this morning, so that at least he won't dehydrate. Thankfully he hasn't yet, at least he peed on me when I petted him -- I think the first time I was relieved to see one of my rats did that. And I carefully wiped down some of the dried snot and crap that had built up around his eyes and nose as he doesn't groom anymore, same for his penis and anus regions. And changed the soiled bedding in his house because he can't use the toilet areas anymore either. I suppose in the end that these all are somewhat useless gestures, but I hope he'll be a little more comfortable if he's slightly cleaner (his fur still looks really awful compared to when he groomed himself of course), and making him drink something can't hurt. And I think he liked being petted and having me groom him. He doesn't react much anymore but still tried to lick me a little in return.