Penny needs help - link to xray pic added

[Lina]

:sad3: Last night the rats were out and about and I saw a bit of blood around Penny’s vagina, I held her up and felt her tummy and it was lumpy. Damm!!! Damm!!! Damm!!! I put her in her own cage overnight with paper towels to see if she was peeing blood. There was nothing in the morning, rung the vet at 8 and we were there by 8.30. She stayed for the morning to get xrays taken as the vet was a bit unsure just by feeling it just what it was. I was rung at lunch time it was not good news, The best news would have been a blader infection. The x-rays showed a mass up against her spine but not involving it. It is about 4x3x3 cm big. Everything is in front of it. Her colon, intestines. It would be major major surgery to get to it and find a way through all her organs and a huge wound, the vet says. I saw the x-rays when I went to pick her up. While the tumour is looks to have a clean edge at one end, the end down by her bladder and other tiny organs is not clear and it could be entwine with them. I have her at home with me now with some lactulose to help her poo as it may be hard for her to do so at the moment since her intestines are being squashed. Has anyone had this happen, Has any rat made it through this type of surgery before? I don’t want to lose my little girl yet but I may have only a couple of days with her before I need to put her to sleep. I don’t want her to be in pain but it seem to hurt her when the vet was trying to feel the lump. It has grown so fast, I am sure it wasn't there a week ago

Boy it was hard at work today :sad3:

 

[eagle]

:hugs:

 

[lj]

So sorry Lina. :hugs: I haven't had this type of surgery done on any of mine.

 

[Maple]

I'm so sorry Lina. I have had tumors come up extremely fast but they were "easy removal". I have also had slow growing turmors that were attached to the bone with not such a good outcome. If your little girl is still young, the surgery might be the way to go. I always leave the final decision to my vet in cases like this. I just feel she would have more knowledge of the outcome than I.
The two of you are in my thoughts. :hugs:

 

[Dahlas]

Oh I am very sorry.....

 

[jorats]

Oh no.... :sad3:
Poor sweet Penny...

 

[lilspaz68]

You can hope for a tumor that is not entwined with organs, and it will grow but won't impede anything. Tumors like this can go on for awhile, so you might have more than days. You could give pain meds like metacam for any discomfort or anti-inflammatory effect. How is she acting beyond this awful diagnosis?

No I think that's a surgery I wouldn't perform on a rat...too much involvement.

 

[Godmother]

I am so sorry. Those awful tumours can come on so fast. I hope that you can keep her out of pain for a bit more quality time with you.

 

[LA]

Aw Lina I'm so sorry!!

 

[SQ]

:hugs:

so very sorry.
tumors can grow so very fast.
Hope you can keep her painfree and with you a bit longer. I wouldn't put one of my rats through that surgery as it doesn't sound like there is much chance at a good outcome.
Wondering if a soft diet might help her pass food more easily .... ie mushy lab blocks, baby cereal etc.

 

[Moon]

I'm sorry Lina.

When my Lucille was diagnosed with something similar, the vet recommended that I lube up her food with fish oil to help keep things moving along.

 

[SQ]

Olive oil in the food might help too ....

 

[Lina]

Thank you everyone. Penny is still happy at the moment, but I will be watching her very closely. The vet gave me something to help her poo but yes I will give her softer foods as well. Thank you for those ideas.
I took Penny to a friends place this morning to break the news as my firiends 8 year old daugher adores Penny. She wasn't upset while I was there but I imagine she will be later :sad3:

 

[mamarat]

I had an exploratory done on my Lady and she had a tumor on her colon. She sent her home with metacam and Lady had another month with me. I am so sorry, Lina.

 

[Lina]

I was at the vets today with Ruby, she has a URI and now on baytril as the doxy didn't seem to be helping much, I asked if I was allowed to have Pennys xrays, I'm not but she gave to to me anyway and I will take them back next week. I have scaned them and here is the link if case someone doesn't like looking at stuff like that.
Its not too clear, the vet said sorry its looks like it got left in the fixer too long, and not as clear as it could be. The xray I saw last week was lovely and clear, The middle picture is the best and the white splotch by her back legs is the tumor
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d37/L ... n0002a.jpg
Penny still seems to to quite happy, eating well and keeping busy :heart:

 

[jorats]

It's hard to see it... but very interesting, thanks Lina.
I'm glad she's still acting happy. mamarat had a couple of rats with internal tumour and both lived quite a few months before it was time.