Older girl with mammary tumour: surgery or not? Advice pls

[Godmother]

My Lexi has two mammary tumours. I don't really know how old she is, but I am pretty sure that she is well over two. I had her spayed last year, but it was obviously too late to help prevent tumours.

My dilemma is that I hear that older rats often develop PT after anaesthesia. I don't want her to drag a tumour around, and it is growing quite fast, but I don't want to lose her.

Anybody got enough experience with this decision to weigh in on it for me?

 

[lilspaz68]

My Lexi has two mammary tumours. I don't really know how old she is, but I am pretty sure that she is well over two. I had her spayed last year, but it was obviously too late to help prevent tumours.

My dilemma is that I hear that older rats often develop PT after anaesthesia. I don't want her to drag a tumour around, and it is growing quite fast, but I don't want to lose her.

Anybody got enough experience with this decision to weigh in on it for me?

What is her health and her body condition like?

 

[Aida]

How is your babie's quality of life? :sad3:
(can she eat/move/etc.)

 

[crumbilina]

How is her health otherwise?
Has she had a previous mammary tumour? In the same place?

My Yoshi had a mammary tumor removed then it regrew in the same spot quickly. She was 2 at the time and I decided to not go with surgery simply because it regrew in the exact same place and was multiple lobed and grew very quickly. She also had a URI that she just couldn't shake. I felt that her health wasn't good enough to have her go through surgery and I was certain that the lump would regrow once I removed it again.

IF the lump was in a different spot and felt different (there were a few other abnormal bumps around it) and she didn't have a URI I would have done the surgery.

 

[SQ]

Lexi has slowed down and isn't as active as she was.
She has developed hed but gets around ok, at this point she walks a bit funny but is still very mobile.
Other then that, Lexi is in good shape.

These are her first tumours and they are next to one another.
One is growing quite fast and is starting to protude from her side a bit.

 

[lilspaz68]

Lexi has slowed down and isn't as active as she was.
She has developed hed but gets around ok, at this point she walks a bit funny but is still very mobile.
Other then that, Lexi is in good shape.

These are her first tumours and they are next to one another.
One is growing quite fast and is starting to protude from her side a bit.

For an older rat, if they aren't really active, healthy and only just starting to age, then I wouldn't do a removal...its only my opinion though.
Monkey getting her removal at 29 months was a good example...and Truffle would've been another story like that if she hadn't passed under the anesthetic unexpectedly.

An older rat slowing down dramatically, with HED (early onset too...could she be older than you think?), are more likely to not heal as well or fast, and you might not want to put them through the stresses of surgery.

An older rat that has NO clue its older, still bouncing, active, running, solid body condition except for where the tumour might be leeching nutrients but not an aging thing, is a much better option for an elective.

How big are the tumours right now and where are they located?

 

[SQ]

Is it true that older rats often develop PT after anaesthesia ?
Does anyone know what the risks are of this happening?

Lexi's tumors are fairly small, as tumours go. They can be felt and one is now large enough to be seen.
I think they are on her side, towards her front leg.

 

[victoria]

I wouldn't do it either if she's over two and is doing ok. She may do wonderfully but it may make her susceptible to illness while she's recovering or aggravate a pituitary tumour already forming.

I have an older rat that had a big tumour when I adopted her and it does impede her mobility but she is not strong enough for surgery. I am giving her Lupron and Melatonin instead to try to slow the growth (so far it seems to have stopped growing) and she doesn't seem to have any ill effects related to the two.

 

[Joanne]

It's a tough call. I was trying to remember how old Jazzy was when she had her tumours removed - I think the first time it was 2 years 2 months, and the second time was 2 years 5 months. But, she was very active and didn't seem that old. After the second surgery the HED started to set in and when the tumour regrew for the third time, I elected not to do surgery. She never did have any signs of a PT however.

 

[Godmother]

It would not surprise me if Lexi was 2 1/2 years old, because she has walked with splayed back legs for a long time. She stopped wheel running more than six months ago. Her appetite and spirits are still good, and I am so afraid of making her worse. I think that Maddy would feel lost without her. I plan to take her to the vet next week to discuss this and to get his opinion.Looks like the consensus here is to be cautious.

Thanks for the input.