Anyone had experience tumor-like masses located on the face?

[bentzrl]

Greetings. I am asking to any rat owners who had experience with tumor-like masses located on the face of their rats. Currently my 2 yr old hairless dumboeared rat has a mass located on the bottom eyelid.
It's a hard mass that grows about medium rate.

She had 1 removed already that was located near the corner of her eye. The mass was small, but become red due to irritation thus removed. It was relatively a deep tissue mass that makes me wonder it could possibly be a type of Sarcoma.

I am going to take her back to my vet, this week but I was hoping to gain some info on what needs to be checked out, especially for a biopsy.

Plus, I wonder what might be the possible outcome of her future since it may affect her right eye.

She's overall health except for her overgrown teeth which I trim ever other week.

If anybody can give me tips, back stories based on their experience with a similar condition, or questions to ask my vet I appreciate it!

This is the best picture that I can find. It's rather hard to see since it's barely surfacing:

 

[jorats]

Hairless do get eye bumps and lumps due to debris because they don't have anything to protect the eyes.
But the roots of the teeth do go by the eyes and even over the eyes and this could result in abscesses all around there.
When my hairless had bumps close to the eye, I would apply polysporin eye/ear drops to see if it helped, most times it did. This was on my vet's recommendation as well.

 

[Bronwyn]

This likely won't be too helpful but my mouse developed an abscess underneath her eye. With injections it went from a rather grotesque sight to completely gone. Just to give you a little hope. : / I was only 12 then, I can't recall what she was given but I can ask.

 

[Melissa's ZOO]

Poor girl. I have a hairless and the only eye issues I have with her is they seem to be dry a lot I rub liquid tears on her eyes and it seems to be good till the next day. So It is a ritual.

I would try Jo's idea before going with surgery.

You are in the US so you have to have a prescription for the eye drops, it is not over the counter like in Canada. Which is ridiculous. :?

 

[bentzrl]

Hairless do get eye bumps and lumps due to debris because they don't have anything to protect the eyes.
But the roots of the teeth do go by the eyes and even over the eyes and this could result in abscesses all around there.
When my hairless had bumps close to the eye, I would apply polysporin eye/ear drops to see if it helped, most times it did. This was on my vet's recommendation as well.

That's very interesting. Since Mazzy is my first hairless rat, I've never encountered this health condition before. It makes since considering the only other health issue she has is due to her teeth.

Hrm, I am currently giving her triple antibiotic ointment that contains: neomycin and polymyxin B sulfates and bacitracin zinc opthalmic ointment when she had her first surgery.

The mass that my vet removed was rather soft and gummy from what I remembered. I dunno if that helps.

But back to the ointment- will that do or should I strictly use polysporin?

I know she's enjoying me putting the ointment for her! She'll even churr like a happy girl!

I have also been giving her Ensure once a day just to keep her calories up due to her old age. I worry about weightloss for any of the rats, but with Mazzy's case I worry too much. She's my special girl! :heart:

 

[mamarat]

Your girl is gorgeous. With hairless and double rexes sometimes they get ingrown hairs and that will make a bump with pus in it.

 

[bentzrl]

I think it may be official that the bump is some type of growth. Mazzy has scratched the hell out of tonight and all it did was bled all over her face with no signs of infection.
I wish I had a camera so I can show how inflamed it looks. (it's currently being borrowed)

I'll be taking her to the vet to see what the heck is going on! On top of that Eva and Lilly has a bad case of the sniffles. :cry4:

Rats making me poor, but I love them so much! :wallbang:

 

[jorats]

They'll keep us in the poor house. :cry4:

 

[bentzrl]

Allright, I've taken Mazzy to the vet since the mass grew into a size of 1 cm. It looks like a cherry eye, but on her cheek! Oh, the poor old girl.
Good news, is that my vet says he can remove a good chunk of it. He would like to remove all of it, but that depends if its rooted. If it's not, then he'll debunk as much as he can.
I'm issuing a biopsy as well, because I want to know what the heck it is!

Pockets looking so empty....but I love the rats so much! :love4:

 

[mamarat]

Good luck to your sweetie. :hugs:

 

[jorats]

Good luck and let us know what the biopsy comes up with.

 

[bentzrl]

After waiting for my vet to recover from a back injury (he's in his 50s/60s) Mazzy's tumor was finally removed and tested.

Here are some before and after pictures from my duck taped camera:

After:

This week she has been able to open her eye up more and more, so she's improved quite abit.
I was baffled by her quick recovery since the day after of her surgery, because all she wanted to do was run around despite having a swollen face!

However, the test results came back today. Just as the vet and I feared, it's spindal cell sarcoma and yes it is malignant.

I guess it is to be expected.

My vet did say to monitor the surgery site in case the mass grows back and he could remove the surface growth. But I need to take into consideration of Mazzy's overall health, quality of life, age, and costs.

Mazzy appears to be doing well, except her throat is swollen. It may be just trapped fluids from the surgery. I'll just monitor and have her run around to see if it'll go down until Monday. Then back to the vet office!

I just hope it isn't related to the tumor.

*sad sigh* Lady luck hates rats.

 

[jorats]

Oh man, that's sad. Hopefully it won't return, we've had a few malignancy not return after removal. She's a fighter, can't keep her down. She's look much better!

 

[mamarat]

Hopefully it won't come back. Poor sweetie. :hugs:

 

[bentzrl]

Thanks, I appreciate the support.

I think Mazzy is the one who keeps me cheery, because she acts like nothing has happened to her. It would be a very sad day when she would stop hopping around.

The swolleness in the neck has went down, but I've noticed that she won't eat hard foods. So, I've been giving her mashed potatos and oats which she LOVES. Plus, ensure.

Hopefully my vet will be in his office today and can take a look at her.

*sigh* I love my monkey looking rat. :tumkiss:

 

[Dewi]

My rat Yogi has the exact same thing growing under his eye and tests showed that it is a squamous cell carinoma. With Yogi the growth was removed, but has now grown back within 3 weeks. I was wondering what you intend on doing if the growth returns? Leave it to grow or have it cut away as it gets too bit? I'm not sure what to do about Yogi, which is why I ask.

 

[bentzrl]

Yesterday my partner took Mazzy to the vet to have her neck checked out since it has become swollen not long after the surgery.

The vet is uncertain what is causing the inflammation since it is not an abscess. He took a sample to view it under a microsope which only concluded it wasn't cancer cells causing this symptom.
It's not a swollen gland or organ, because it's now hard and moved to her jaw.

I was given metacam to help with inflammation, so I'm glad for that. I'm also still giving her antibiotics to see if it'll at least keep infection away.

The frustrating part is nobody knows what it is. But it's causing swelling in her throat and tongue. She can't eat hard food now, so I've been giving her mashed potatos and oats.

Does anybody have other ideas of soft foods to give her that other rats like?

This morning I let her fill up on light whip cream. I think she can eat that ALL day!

Any good advice is welcome.
:help:

 

[bentzrl]

My rat Yogi has the exact same thing growing under his eye and tests showed that it is a squamous cell carinoma. With Yogi the growth was removed, but has now grown back within 3 weeks. I was wondering what you intend on doing if the growth returns? Leave it to grow or have it cut away as it gets too bit? I'm not sure what to do about Yogi, which is why I ask.

Poor Yogi. Is he a hairless rat too? I am debating it, because Mazzy has already had 2 masses removed and she's over 2 years old. However, with her current condition (abnormal swelling) that I won't push her into surgery again unless the swelling subsides and she is well enough to eat solid foods.

What my vet advised to do was remove the surface mass if it would grow back which I would probably do if she was healthy. But I wouldn't proceed further then 3 tumor removals.

I dunno how old your Yogie is, but if he's relatively young and is healthy/good weight I would remove the mass.

 

[Jherek]

Aww poor old girl, I hope she gets better <3

 

[Dewi]

Thanks for your reply bentzrl.

Well Yogi is a regular grey hooded ratbag and about 2.5 yo. Other than his eye he's fit and healthy, good lungs and active. I decided to book him in on Monday (hopefully) to see if the mass can get debulked. I hope I haven't left it for too long as the mass is growing pretty quickly.

I hope your Mazzy has many more months with you. The poor sweetie.