FAO owners of last summer's roan invasion rescues

[fuschia]

I've already PM'd everyone who adopted any of these babies directly from me last summer, but for those of you who adopted any after they went to shiprat's, as I don't know who most of you are I'm posting here.

It's just to make you aware of a possible health issue. Last month I received a message to say one of the boys had sadly died of a suspected heart attack. And on Monday there was a similar death here when Ramson the daddy of all those babies died suddenly. He was only 4 or 5 months older than his children.
I'm just worried that this could possibly happen to others and wanted to warn you all so it won't be quite such a horrible shock if it does.

I've heard that the mummies are still going strong, so that's great news. The only other death that I know of was abscess related. One boy has had an ear infection, which responded well to medication, and one of my boys has been on antibiotics off and on for upper respiratory infections.

[Amzy]

I feel awful for not letting you know (I did let jackie know) that I too had a sudden death a few months ago (I ended up with two more boys than just half-tail)

[dizar]

I have two girls from these litters, so far they have been okay although one did have a mammary tumour at only a few months old, it was removed and she was spayed and they have been well since.
They are both lovely, I shall keep a watchful eye on them.
Thanks for the message Jackie x

[fuschia]

I'm sorry it's happened to you too Amzy. It really seems like there's some dodgy genetic condition been passed down to these poor rats. Maybe the abscess death was also due more to a heart problem? Just goes to show why breeding should be left to people like you, who know what they're doing!

I'm glad your two girls are currently doing well dizar