Possible Tumor/Abscess?

[Asheka]

So, I had the boys out today while cleaning the cage. While I was sitting with them on my bed afterwards and was petting Trouble I noticed something. He's lost weight, though nothing drastic just becoming obvious, and while I can begin to feel his hips a little, the one side is much more pronounced than the other. He wouldn't let me touch it too exploratory, but something doesn't feel right. I can barely feel his other hip bone and this one seems to be bumped up. I am worried it is a growth of some kind. It's not large by any means, and is rounded feeling and pretty solid though I didn't put much pressure on it for fear of hurting him.
Trouble turned two last month and is showing his age. He still motors around in little spurts from time to time, but is sleeping much more and eating quite low to the ground. I also noticed he's beginning to lose perfect balance and uses his back legs for scratching quite slowly because of this. He's becoming an old man and I fear anything that might keep him from passing peacefully when the time comes. He's not ready, nor am I, but he will be my first oldie ever since these will be my first long term rats since finding the Shack and learning so much.

 

[hopefloats]

I am in the same boat with new to oldies. I think it seems like their weight shifts down a bit. they get odd shaped? I dont know I am judging off of dopey, he isnt as around and porkly but he appears healthy most days anyway LOL

Is there a way to get a picture of it? if you can. It is hard to imagine it might help a bit.

 

[Asheka]

I was trying earlier but it's really not visibly noticeable, just to the touch...plus something might be wrong with my memory card in my camera...Wouldn't recognize in my computer today except to "safe remove" it...

 

[hopefloats]

it is a pea shaped lump or more of a even with the whole side type lump? if you know what i mean LOL

 

[Asheka]

lol I do....It's bigger than pea shaped but I'd say pretty isolated to around where his hip bone would be, which is why I'm so unsure...it's more rounded though so definitely not just his bone...

 

[jorats]

It could be with the onset of HED, that his hips become uneven and might protrude more on one side. But if you feel a mass, something you can grab, then that's not normal. Could be anything from abscess to harmless cyst or worse case, a tumour. I'd keep an eye on it for now.

 

[hopefloats]

ahh interesting little tidbit!

 

[Asheka]

Very interesting, thank you Jo! I'm too new to oldies so will probably panic at everything. So far it's not exactly "grabbable" but if I could explain it in a hypothesis way, it feels almost like his one hip is either swollen or built up some cartiledge(sp?) around itself maybe? If that makes any sense.
I will be keeping close watch for sure!

 

[hopefloats]

Very interesting, thank you Jo! I'm too new to oldies so will probably panic at everything. So far it's not exactly "grabbable" but if I could explain it in a hypothesis way, it feels almost like his one hip is either swollen or built up some cartiledge(sp?) around itself maybe? If that makes any sense.
I will be keeping close watch for sure!

How about we trade off? every other day? then we would have all areas covered LOL or you can do the back half and I will cover the front half of rats?