Hope's tumor (video added)

[Petunia]

Hope is still very bright eyed and active, but that armpit tumor, it worries me.

I've tried to get photos of it but they just don't show what I am seeing

it's all pink right under the skin, bordering on red....and is very warm to the touch. (warmer than the rest of her body)

I've given her infants ibuprofen when it got a raw spot on it, but that healed up and she doesn't appear to have any pain.
should I just assume she must have some pain, even though I don't see any of the signs?

She is very hungry most of the time so I give her as much food as she wants with plenty of supplements to the lab blocks and Regal Rat (veggies and cereals mainly)

I've never had a rat with tumors this big who continued to be otherwise so darn healthy looking.
I should relax I guess and just be grateful that she's done so well for so long, but I can't help worrying that it's bothering her more than it seems to be.

she does lose her balance now sometimes, because both of her tumors are on the same side of her body (that huge lump on her back and the armpit tumor) and she can't always fit into spots she tries to get in, but otherwise, she's pretty much the same as always

about the only other difference is that when she's out for play time, she eats, checks things out, and then finds a quiet out of the way spot to nap. Or just hang out, sometimes she doesn't sleep, just hides in a cozy spot.
well I don't know, is she hiding, or just hanging out?

 

[jorats]

I really don't think that rats experience that much pain with a tumour. They are weakened but not dramatically. Even rats with tumours as large as they are still seem happy and lively.

 

[Joanne]

I would just keep an eye on things. If she seems bright and happy and is eating well, that is all good. I think if she were in a lot of pain, she would just not interact with you or the other rats, and she wouldn't be eating. So, as long as she's willing, go with it!

 

[hopefloats]

I would just watch as well. You know when it is that time because your heart instantly start breaking. Cherish what she is giving you.

 

[Dahlas]

what the others have said....animals let you know when they have had enough.

 

[Petunia]

thanks guys

it's kind of shocking to see the size of those tumors and her just going about her business like they're not even there, except that she has to basically walk on her tip toes to keep the armpit tumor from dragging too much.

I'll get another video soon so you can see how she gets around. She can still climb into most hammocks and she still shoves the boys around, esp Owen. It seems those two have a little "thing" going, he climbs all over her and grooms her, and for her part, she grudgingly lets him. Secretly I think she loves it but she's always been a bossy girl so she pushes up against him to let him know she's still the one in charge.

I know this is stupid and a bit nuts, but my dad had cancer (two cancers really) and the one that eventually killed him, did so by basically starving him to death. At one point, the chemo made his blood glucose plummet to the single digits (basically dead) but the docs knew this was a possibility and they were able to bring it back up quickly and save him.
About a year later, after going downhill and being in a lot of pain and distress, he told me that he wished he had died that time when his blood sugar dropped so low...he said it was very peaceful, he just drifted off. He kept going for us, and because he hoped that someday he'd get back to feeling good, or at least ok, but instead he was sick that whole time.
I felt so bad that he'd suffered so long, without ever getting any better.
When I see Hope like this, I worry, is she suffering too, even though it doesn't look like she is?
(My dad hid most of his pain from us, I was pretty surprised when he told me he'd wished he died a year earlier, he never let on how bad things were. I mean, we knew he was sick, but he wasn't a complainer, and he just did as much as he could and focused on everyone else, not himself)

Hope is like that, not a complainer. She does what she wants to do, as far as she can. But in the back of my mind, I hear my dad telling me how much he'd wished he'd died sooner.

I guess I am having a hard time believing she is really as ok as she looks.

I've got to get another video of her so you guys can tell me if she still looks like she's ok

she just ate some infant cereal with sweet potatoes and a tiny touch of molasses, so she's napping now.

 

[mamarat]

You can usually see by the look in their eyes when they are in pain and had enough. They aren't themselves in a lot of little ways that you would see, being her mom. It sounds to me like your Hope is still enjoying her food and even being groomed by her annoying boyfriend. lol

 

[Petunia]

this video is from an intro session wiht my new boy Vincent but it shows how Hope gets around on a flat surface anyway

I'm having some technical difficulties with my camera LOL it goes in and out of focus, I don't know why so the video is kinda weird

the video is kinda long and boring but you only need to see the first 30 seconds or so to see Hope:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ygc9bNl20Ks


and yes, a cat does walk into the room (Nell)
most of my rats aren't bothered by the cats, but sometimes Brenna puffs up when she smells them.

 

[mamarat]

I can't see the video. It says it's private and have to log in?

 

[Petunia]

sorry I thought I changed that but apparently if you don't click save changes, it wont :roll: :giggle:



http://youtu.be/Ygc9bNl20Ks

 

[Petunia]

Hope was helped on her way to the Bridge on Thursday.
I can only imagine what a joyful reunion she had with her best buddy Cookie and with Paige, who adored her so

 

[mamarat]

I'm so sorry, Petunia. RIP little one.

 

[Joanne]

RIP Hope, play hard now that you're free of your baggage...

 

[crumbilina]

:hugs: I'm so sorry Althea.

Those tumours are terrible. You can never really tell, they just keep going...
It's so hard.

RIP Hope, no more tumour to weigh you down. Play hard with Cookie and Paige

 

[MissGuardian]

I´m so sorry :sad3: :hugs: