Happy Friday!

We talk about Sushi a lot on this blog, for obvious reasons. But since it's Friday, let's also remember that we're also lucky enough to have one very healthy, robust, and sweet rat.

Saké

Lumpy Sushi

The other sad development with Sushi over the past few weeks is that she has developed not one, but two tumors. One is a relatively slow growing one under right front leg but the other one is behind her left front leg (behind it, but not under it like on the other side). I swear this one on the left grows while you are looking at it, and every day it seems more substantial.

The big pushed out area on the right behind her front leg is a tumor.

So, what are we doing? If she didn't have all her respiratory issues, we'd take her to the vet and see about getting them removed. But with her breathing problems, I'm not sure she can handle anesthetic and frankly, I'm not willing to put her through much more suffering in her life. She has overcome so much and still maintains her sweet, inquisitive, willing nature. Unless this seems to cause her any pain or discomfort (none yet that we can tell), we're just going to let her be.

I hate it though. She is one of the sweetest creatures I've ever met and I hate that she can't seem to catch a break.

Dinner Time

Sushi examines her dinner.

We've worked hard over the past few weeks to makes sure that Sushi is eating, despite how sick she has been at times. She is still getting soaked monkey chow every morning and crushed lab blocks mixed with baby cereal each night. However, we've started mixing baby food into her evening mixture, in an effort to give her some variety. Simply adding a couple of spoonfuls of peas or squash really makes a difference - she dives into her food and there is rarely anything left by morning. 

Interested in the camera, but not interested enough to leave her food...

An Update on Sushi

Sushi has had a rough couple of months. She is still on ciproflaxin and prednisone twice a day and still has some respiratory issues. Every couple of weeks it seems like she really goes downhill, but then after a few days of staying quiet and mainly just eating and sleeping she bounces back. And when she bounces back, she does it with energy. Every time I find myself thinking that maybe this is enough to put her through, she scrambles to the front of the cage to see me, or dives into her food up to her chest. Even when she's sick, she doesn't seem to lose her appetite for life.

As long as she's still fighting, we'll fight with her.

Sushi takes her medicine.

We're Back!

Saké

Saké entertained herself this morning by playing in a towel. This picture was taken before she rolled herself up completely like a cocoon.

Saké

I also really love Sushi's little worm-like tail on the far right of the picture.

Sleepy