Lump on face... Izzie. *Back from vet May 11th Update Pics*

[Rachael]

Poor Izzie. Her group of 5 girls ("Nancys") are not really human rats, Mae and Bramble are nibblers and hate handling, but Izzie, Nancy, and Maggie are all quite sweet girls. They don't like handling, but they don't wriggle or protest. This morning Izzie didn't come out the tube for any breakfast. And they always sleep all together in that iglooo... for one not to isn't right. I decided to pull her out the cage, took the tube down and brought her out. While I was about to check her breathing my mum noticed the problem... lump underneath her ear. I don't know if it is a Zymbals Gland Tumour or an Abscess. It's hard, obviously.... no pus discharge or smell. She is constantly boggling, so she must be sore. About to give her some pain medicine, just noticed it and she is going in a cage herself just so we can watch her very closely and keep giving pain medicine. I don't know what to do. I've never had a ZGT and as far as abscesses under the ear go... Pip had one appear on the day she passed. I know ZGT is not good.... I just want to know what we should do.

 

[SQ]

If you feel you need to seperate her into another cage to watch her, you will need to keep a friend with her as being seperated causes rats a great deal of stress.
Hope it is just an abscess.
I would get a vet apt asap as a vet can do a fine needle asperation to see what it is.

Here is a thread re this topic:
viewtopic.php?f=20&t=9731&hilit=Zymbals+Gland+Tumour

 

[Joanne]

I would put her back in with her buddies if possible.
A trip to the vet seems in order. Here's hoping it's just an abscess...

 

[lilspaz68]

Check the lump very carefully for a scab on or near the swelling...I have had a few of those frights myself.

 

[Rachael]

It has what looks like a scab but it isn't avtually open anywhere. We planned the vets tonight but not possible until tomorrow at 6.10pm.
She doesn't want to be with her cage. They aren't really, really close girls... she wants to be separate. I wonder if being with them meant them trying to groom her and sleep with was sore because she was sleeping separate from them.

 

[Rachael]

:cry:

 

[DarkBlade]

I wish you luck and good news or "not-so-bad" news at your vet appointment.

 

[Rachael]

Thank you

 

[Rachael]

What treatment should we be asking for at the vets tomorrow?

 

[jorats]

You could ask the vet to lance it and see if it's only an abscess.

 

[Rachael]

We like our vets but the one we are seeing tomorrow is good with handling them and really nice... but not a rat expert for sure. He would probably just say "baytril"... I'm not sure we would trust him with lancing it either incase a tumour. He will give us the treatment we ask for, though.

 

[jorats]

Baytril would work if it's an abscess but lancing it is no different than what you'd do with a cat or dog so any vet could do it.

 

[Rachael]

Would she need a steroid injection for anti inflammatory? As for pain relief we have that all here.

 

[Rachael]

Vet in an hour. Any injections to ask for!?!?

 

[lilspaz68]

no...too bad you cannot get an FNA done (fine needle aspiration) to determine if its an abscess or a tumor or a cyst.

 

[Rachael]

She is to go on Baytril, the vet wasn't the one we expected and thinks it looks like an abcsess that will burst itself. If not, she believs it to be removeable.... seeing the vet we like most on Tuesday night.

 

[Rachael]

Bad news. Izzie is back home with her sisters, good news... but I think it's a ZGT. It did have a brown scab on it, not as though it'd been open - I think ulcerating. Now, it's grown, very scabby and the scab is completely back. Much like the cancerous lump on Leons' back (RIP). :'(

 

[lj]

:hugs:

 

[mamarat]

If it's a ZG tumour once it starts to bleed it will just keep opening and bleeding and it could be painful. I'm so sorry.

 

[Rachael]

Yes I'm not even going to try and nurse or treat it if that happens. She is on Baytril, pain medicine..... but when it's time we will not wait, she'll go asap.