Advice: Slowing mammary tumor growth

[crumbilina]

Ok, I know that this has been discussed many times, but I have not really found a straight answer to my question through searches, so I decided to write a post >.<

Yoshi has, unfortunately, developed another mammary tumour in the same location as the one that she had removed back in June. I was unable to spay her at the time of the initial tumour removal because Dr. G was scared that since the tumour was so large, it would cause too much stress on her little body. I was told I could bring her back for the spay but time passed so quickly, and I didn't *kicks herself*.

It was on Monday that I first discovered the tumour. It was NOT there on Sunday, that I am almost 99% sure of. On Monday when I saw it, it was about the size of a dime. Two days later (today) it is the size of a quarter *cries*. Looks like it might be fast growing.

When I discovered it Monday, I immediately cut sugar from her diet and lowered the protein as much as I could. She is currently fed HT 2014 with new Oxbow mixed in (which, come to think of it, might be a source of sugar I should look into eliminating). She gets no more puffs, I have switched those treats for little bits of plain rice cakes which have no sugar, and she loves them so thats what she gets.

Normally, I would just put a call in to Dr. G and get an appointment for a tumour removal but I think that is out of the question. She has had this ongoing URI/nasal congestion that we just can't shake. As a result, I know that there is absolutely no hope of having the surgery.

So, what I was wondering, does anyone have any suggestions about slowing the growth of the tumour? I have reduced the sugar and protein and it has still doubled in size in the past 2 days. My knowledge of mammary tumour growth pretty much ends at reducing sugar and protein. Although, these 2 things may be the only things that can be done... I just thought that I would ask on the slight chance that someone may know something that could work.

Post anything! I'm open to any suggestions!

You'll be helping my sweet little girlie!

 

[jorats]

I'm so sorry that is has come back so fast. How old is Yoshi? Do you know if your vet took out a lot of the mammary gland when he did the tumour removal? I'm thinking this might be malignant which would explain how fast it has come back and how fast it's growing. If that's the case, there's nothing you can do to stop it.
Also, when cutting back on the sugar, it's also the fat that needs to be cut back and even then, we don't really know how well that works. You might want to try boosting her immune system with maybe echinacea and also, you could try shark cartilage and coriolus. Some people swear by those supplements.

 

[crumbilina]

I'm so sorry that is has come back so fast. How old is Yoshi? Do you know if your vet took out a lot of the mammary gland when he did the tumour removal? I'm thinking this might be malignant which would explain how fast it has come back and how fast it's growing. If that's the case, there's nothing you can do to stop it.
Also, when cutting back on the sugar, it's also the fat that needs to be cut back and even then, we don't really know how well that works. You might want to try boosting her immune system with maybe echinacea and also, you could try shark cartilage and coriolus. Some people swear by those supplements.

>.< Sorry, I should have included her age! She will be 2 in October... although she might be 2 now. Her estimated birthday is mid October, although we could have been wrong in guessing.

I spoke with the vet after the surgery, he said that the tumour was very easy to remove (aside from it's size) because it wasn't attached and was pretty superficial. Other then that, I am not too certain about the mammary gland itself. I could call and ask. I am sure that he would tell me anything he could remember or anything that is in the surgical/vet records.

I think that I have fat covered with the changes I have made. Her food is good, although I think that I will remove the oxbow for now. And her treats come one time in the morning and one time at night and it is a small bit of plain rice cake. The side of the bag says that the rice cakes have 0g of fat and 0g of sugar so I think that they are ok. I could be wrong but I hope not, she loves the new treat.

Do you by chance know the amount I would give of the echinacea, shark cartilage or coriolus? Would I give all of them or is only 1 or 2 of them best? I assume that I can find these in the health food section at the grocery store.

I sure hope that it isn't malignant, but, it might be. I can't believe how crazy fast it is growing.

After talking to Shelagh, I am also going to treat it as an abscess with warm compresses since it was, at one time an incision site. It won't hurt her, so I have nothing to lose - haha except maybe a finger... neh she wouldn't bite

 

[jorats]

I don't know exactly how much of that stuff to give. But you might find it on the forum. I believe we had someone do it.
If the tumour wasn't attached to anything, then he might not felt he needed to remove much of the mammary tissue. Also, most cancers are attached to something...
I'm going to cross my fingers it's an abscess.

 

[crumbilina]

While researching the supplements to give them, I stumbled upon the issues regarding shark cartilage. The whole endangered thing.

The recommendation was to try Flexicose (http://www.flexicose.com/Flexicose.html) or FlexicosePlus (http://www.flexicose.com/Flexicose_Plus.html) because it is made from cow cartilage instead of endangered sharks.
I wonder if that would be good as a substitute.
*goes back to research*

 

[jorats]

Yes, I remember that about shark cartilage when I was doing my research a while back. I have no idea if the cow one would work the same.

 

[MomRat]

Is the chemical insert spay alternative available in your area? Some people have reported slowed growth in tumors with those on the forums, I recall...

 

[victoria]

After talking to Shelagh, I am also going to treat it as an abscess with warm compresses since it was, at one time an incision site. It won't hurt her, so I have nothing to lose - haha except maybe a finger... neh she wouldn't bite

I was thinking the same thing. That sounds awful fast for a tumour to grow in just a matter of days, although not impossible. I hope it comes to a head soon and you can breathe a sigh of relief.

 

[crumbilina]

Is the chemical insert spay alternative available in your area? Some people have reported slowed growth in tumors with those on the forums, I recall...

Unfortunately, I think that this still requires sedation which is the problem with surgery in the first place. Good idea though, just not applicable here :?

Victoria: I really really really hope that it is just an abscess. I can deal with stinky bacteria, as long as I don't have to deal with a tumour
*fingers crossed*

In the meantime, crazy supplements is what she will get, because you never know if one might work >.<

 

[victoria]

Is the chemical insert spay alternative available in your area? Some people have reported slowed growth in tumors with those on the forums, I recall...

Unfortunately, I think that this still requires sedation which is the problem with surgery in the first place. Good idea though, just not applicable here :?

Victoria: I really really really hope that it is just an abscess. I can deal with stinky bacteria, as long as I don't have to deal with a tumour
*fingers crossed*

In the meantime, crazy supplements is what she will get, because you never know if one might work >.<

The sedation for implants is not the same as for surgery - it's probably the equivalent given to take an x-ray or examine teeth. They just give them a little gas so they don't jerk and get hurt when then implant is put in. I've always gotten them back within 5 minutes of them being taken to the back by the vet a little groggy and ready to go. The really tricky thing is to find a vet that does it.

 

[crumbilina]

Is the chemical insert spay alternative available in your area? Some people have reported slowed growth in tumors with those on the forums, I recall...

Unfortunately, I think that this still requires sedation which is the problem with surgery in the first place. Good idea though, just not applicable here :?

Victoria: I really really really hope that it is just an abscess. I can deal with stinky bacteria, as long as I don't have to deal with a tumour
*fingers crossed*

In the meantime, crazy supplements is what she will get, because you never know if one might work >.<

The sedation for implants is not the same as for surgery - it's probably the equivalent given to take an x-ray or examine teeth. They just give them a little gas so they don't jerk and get hurt when then implant is put in. I've always gotten them back within 5 minutes of them being taken to the back by the vet a little groggy and ready to go. The really tricky thing is to find a vet that does it.

I'm sure that Dr. G will look into it (I have asked him before), but not this fast... Good to know for the future though, perhaps I will have to get him moving on his research... hummm

 

[crumbilina]

*sigh*

After giving her another go over tonight... I found another small - smaller then a pea - sized lump under her front arm :-/

Can abscesses come up in more then one spot? The new lump is under the arm that has the lump behind it.
I dont wanna think about the alternative

I want to get all my girls spayed now... just a matter of time and money

 

[victoria]

:hugs: I'm sorry. It could still be that it's two abscesses or a lump and an abscess.

 

[jorats]

This sucks.

 

[crumbilina]

I can only learn from this. From here on in, spays all around! Or as many as I can afford... I think I will have to start with the youngest and work my way up to the oldest. Or should I do the other way around? Who benefits more... I'm going to have to research this a bit.

But, for now, I'll shower Yoshi with all the scratches and kisses and cuddles that I can. We'll see what happens. Ill still give her warm baths/compresses, because you never know...

 

[MomRat]

I know that, in dogs, it was proven that spaying before the second heat made a HUUUUGE difference in mammary tumors, research wise. Before the first is even better, but you get into that whole - they are so tiny - it might be dangerous - idea where vets are nervous to spay reeealy young. I can only assume that with rats it is similar - and I know I have heard more people say their girlie rats had tumors post spay, when the spay was later in life and was usually after a tumor had popped up. Our vet hasn't had a lot of experience with people willing to spay rattie girls, and is really interested to see if spaying early(our girls were done at 4? months or so) prevents the mammary tumors she has seen so many of.

tldr, start with the young ones.