Lollipop has a mammary tumor

[ChrisK]

After getting her red bump diagnosed last on Thursday, we came back from the vet feeling relieved. But a day or two later, I noticed a lump in Lollipop's right underarm area. It seems to have appeared quite suddenly, but doesn't seem to bother her one bit. She's quite lively as usual, and eating up a storm.

After reading some other postings on the rat shack, I thought I'd better bring her in to the vet again -- second time in a week!

The vet (Dr. Liston) took a sample of the lump and looked at it under his microscope. He said it's a mammary tumor, and that there was milk in the sample, so her hormones are doing something there too.. He said there were some strange things going on with some of the cells.

We talked about course of action. He said because of where it's located, he can't be sure he'll be able to get it all out with surgery. But Lollipop is a year and 9 months, and he expects she'll survive the surgery okay.

Frankly, I am totally heart-broken. And I don't know if we should go ahead with the surgery. I've scheduled it, because the vet said that it's best if we're going to do it, to have the surgery in the next few weeks, before the tumor grows much. Lollipop had a growth removed from behind her ear when she was about a year old. If I understand correctly from my research, once a mammary tumor appears, usually others begin to appear. The vet said he could remove the first one, but if he doesn't get it all, or if another one comes along, it's not as effective to continue removing them at that point.

However, he also said that rats tend to live just fine with mammary tumors -- that is, it doesn't seem to cause them any suffering before they die from it. However, he also said we're talking maybe 4-6 months left. Having the surgery could buy her some time. But then, she'd also have the recovery from surgery, etc. to do. I'm wondering if it's better to let it be.

Or if there's anything else I should be doing to verify the diagnosis. Or any other method of treatment that will help her at this time.

I'm so so very sad.

 

[Rachael]

Don't be too sad. Rats are good at being very lumpy sadly. But she isn't that old, I would get it removed and hope it doesn't come back. My vet would agree with yours, it's generally not often worth getting a second or third removed. We did with Pink... second removed... but she got a third and was PTS when it grew too big Only you can decide what to do... and some members may suggest that you get her spayed at the time of removal, but I don't see much purpose at her age and the fact she already has a lump, it's only effective, if it is, when they are young.

 

[LadyGray]

Thanks for all the help you've given me, chris!

My girl has a tumour too :-( I need some help; the vet immediately said 'it needs to be removed'...but she couldn't tell me what kind of tumour it was! surely removing it then could potentially be a bit dramatic?? she's booked in to have it removed on monday at the moment, does this sound ok?? is there a time when removing the lump will do more harm than good? I just can't trusy any vet right now. Poor Ratty :-(

 

[LadyGray]

My girl is one and a half by the way

 

[Rachael]

Thanks for all the help you've given me, chris!

My girl has a tumour too :-( I need some help; the vet immediately said 'it needs to be removed'...but she couldn't tell me what kind of tumour it was! surely removing it then could potentially be a bit dramatic?? she's booked in to have it removed on monday at the moment, does this sound ok?? is there a time when removing the lump will do more harm than good? I just can't trusy any vet right now. Poor Ratty :-(

I would just get it removed. If you really want to know what kind of lump it was the vet can tell you once removed. If it's not an abscess, then I'd get it removed. But if the vet starts to operate and it's an abscess they can also then treat that.

 

[mamarat]

My vet will also spay my girls at the same time of tumor removal. Otherwise they just keep coming back. I'm lucky it has worked with all my girls so far. Lulu was 24 months when I rescued her and she lived to 30 months after her spay and tumor removal.

 

[LadyGray]

Thanks! ok, that's sorted then, wish my Ratty luck!

Some questions about the operation; how long does it take? how do I look after her before and after? how do I stop her from chewing the stitches!?

 

[mamarat]

I have a hospital cage (no levels) that I keep them in for maybe a day or so. I feed regular food, sometimes with baby cereal and soy milk. Your girl will let you know when you can put her back with her friends. Good luck to your sweetie.

 

[ChrisK]

Lollipop is scheduled for surgery one week from tomorrow. Good luck to LadyGray's girlie and Lollipop! fingers crossed ..

 

[mamarat]

Good luck to your sweetie.

 

[jorats]

Chris, I'm guessing your vet is not all that experienced with mammary tumours because once he's in there, I'm sure he'll be quite surprised at how easily removed they are. The turnout of the biopsy is pretty typical. My vet has removed a few tumours with milk in them as well. If your girl is in good health and you can afford it, I'd definitely get it removed.
Also... if not removed, it's more like 2 to 3 months before that tumour becomes so big, it's bigger than the rat itself.
Good luck to all the rats going in for surgery.

 

[ChrisK]

Thanks Jorats. I just noticed this evening that our other little girlie also has a lump in the same place. We've now got an appointment at the vet to bring her in this Friday morning to have it checked. I'm expecting she will also need the same surgery. Skittles' lump seems bigger than Lollipop's. Could this just be a coincedence -- them both suddenly getting lumps at the same time? I'm baffled by it. I hope we'll get Skittles in time.

 

[jorats]

It's not a coincidence, it's because they are females I'm afraid. If you can afford it, I'd get both girls spayed at the same time of the removal. This will greatly reduce the chance of another one popping up.

 

[AmyMeowCat]

First of all goodluck to all three babies going in. Much love to you all.

Secondly, speaking as someone who left the tumors be, my recommendation is, if you can, get them removed. I watched both my little Sakura and Yuki suffer and it broke my heart. At first Sakura's wasn't too big, but by the end, it was bigger than her and she couldn't move. She fought it for months, she had a super strong spirit. I would have had them removed, but was given bad info at the time and couldn't have afforded it een if I had known the truth. With Yuki hers wasn't too bad then BOOM over a weekend it tripled and she could bearly moved and was suffering greatly. With both of them I had to make the heartbreak decision to pts. It's so hard to watch them go through that, let alone what you yourself go through. So like I said. If you can, I agree with everone else, get it removed.

 

[jorats]

it's generally not often worth getting a second or third removed. We did with Pink... second removed... but she got a third and was PTS when it grew too big Only you can decide what to do... and some members may suggest that you get her spayed at the time of removal, but I don't see much purpose at her age and the fact she already has a lump, it's only effective, if it is, when they are young.

Rachael, you need to stop spreading misinformation. I don't know about your neck of the woods but here, if a rat gets a tumour you can pretty much bet your booty they'll have multiples. And to not have them removed is a death sentence. Why bother removing the first one at all?
But... a spay would take care of the multiples if the tissue has not become hypoplastic.
We've had over 60 rats spayed here... all at different ages, many at over 18 months of age and they've all benefited.
It's also our experience that a spay does lower the risk of a recurrence. In fact, my vet will not do a tumour removal without a spay now. She tells us there's no point in removing the tumour if you don't prevent new ones.

 

[LadyGray]

I wonder if I could ask to get her spayed at the same time last minute? how much does it generally cost? i'm so worried for her, I really need to take her sister in with her, really, otherwise they'll both be alone for the day. It's got me worrying about the future as well - I can't find anywhere to foster rats at the moment for when one of my current girls goes :-( if anyone is bristol/cardiff and can help, pm me!

 

[jorats]

If the vet won't spay, then at least get the removal. It will buy her much more time then without a removal.
A spay for me is very expensive. But I've seen some with vets having good prices.

 

[LadyGray]

Thanks. Oh, we got her booked in yesterday - she's having it removed on monday. My main concern was whether we should check to see what exactly the lump is first/what kind of tumour it is just to be sure - just in case something else less drastic could be done. Apparently you can send samples off to a lab but it's costly. Have had bad experiences with Vets and am very sceptical! she was very insistent that it be removed asap, and from what you guys are saying, she's knows what she's doing, so that's a relief.

 

[mamarat]

Like my vet says it's a lot easier on rattie removing a smaller lump. And the recovery is faster too. Good luck.

 

[jorats]

Honestly, I wouldn't send it away to a lab. It's almost always a benign mammary tumour.
It really is best to have it removed when it's still small enough.
Good luck!