Vet appointment Friday

[Bronwyn]

It's good that it's not attached to anything critical! And that she's in good health. I completely understand your dilemma, as you know, lol. As Godmother told me, go with your heart.

 

[lindsayfawn]

So it's been a few days now since I took Raina to the vet and I'm still on the fence of what to do...though I'm kind of leaning towards not doing the surgery. My reasons being that the vet said she's very healthy besides the lump, she's still very active with running and pinning her sisters down, eating, drinking and just being a rat. She's in no pain from what I can tell either, if she was then I'd have the surgery done.
I've been reading up on the mammary tumors and surgery and it says that even though you get it removed it will most likely come back. So is it worth to put her through the surgery and have another one come back or even have complications in the surgery or let her live out her life the way she is?
I don't know what to do...I don't want to be a bad rat mom and make the wrong decision.

 

[SQ]

It is true that she may get another mammary tumor in a different place.
Mammary tumors can grow very, very large and interfer with the rattie girl's quality of life.

Some people have their vets spay their girls when they have a mammary tumor removed to decrease the chances of another one.

 

[Bronwyn]

The same debate went through my mind, as you know. And that's the main reason I chose not to - the vets felt the surgery would put Brie through too much only to gain an extra few months in theory, a lot of which may not give her the best quality of life. Though I decided not to I watch her each day with that lump hanging off her and wonder if I did the right thing. It's hard.

 

[user 78]

While I can understand your dilemma, don't not do it just because surgeries can be risky. *Any* surgery is risky, whether for a human, cat, dog, or rat. If your vet is experienced, there's not a whole lot to worry about. Sure, we all chew our fingernails off, eat entirely too much chocolate, and annoy the receptionist every 30min, but I know my vet's fully capable of handling anything that may happen. My vet's assured me that she'll stop a surgery if she even suspects that something is not going as planned.

See, as that tumor gets larger, it has every possibility of attaching itself to vital organs. It can invade to such a point that it's impossible to remove later on. It could also attach so firmly to her organs that it obstructs those parts of her. Some tumors also develop blood vessels all through them as they grow larger, which makes it almost impossible to remove them later on. Some tumors get so entrenched in the body that they just start sucking all of the nutrients from the rat, making it difficult to keep them hearty and healthy, and keep their quality of life. At some point, it will begin to hinder her movement. If it gets large enough, it will start dragging the ground and an open sore can form.

She's in perfect health right now. There's nothing saying that when the tumor gets too big that she will be. She could have the same problem as several other older rats, where a chronic resp issue won't go away enough for you to be comfortable with surgery. In dozens of cases, spays have stopped the tumors from reappearing, or at the very least caused any new tumors to develop much later in life and were extremely slow growing. Even when the rat has already developed tumors, it's done a world of good.

 

[jorats]

Keep in mind, a few extra months, is years to a rat.

 

[SQ]

... and mammary tumors are on the surface, next to the skin so fairly easy for the vet to remove, especially when they are small.

 

[lindsayfawn]

Thank you for all the advice...I think that's what I needed to get a kick in the ass and just say do it. So She has an appointment on the 6th at Southpaw with Krista Foreman. I saw her before and I guess she's the one that does all the surgeries so I think it will go well.
Wish us luck.

 

[jorats]

Have you asked the vet about doing a spay at the same time?

 

[jorats]

Have you asked the vet about doing a spay at the same time? It will help reduce the chance of a recurrence.

 

[lindsayfawn]

I forgot to ask about that, I'll have to call again or ask when I get there. Is it worth getting her spayed where she is a year and a half( I'm assuming)? I got her as an older rat from the pet store because someone returned her.
I want to do what's best for her..it's all new to me so trying to do the best I can and read up as much as I can...I'm nervous about her having surgery with a lot of what if's going in my mind...I'm sure I'm over worrying lol but I can't help it

 

[jorats]

All females that enter my home are spayed regardless of the age. We've only had about 5 females out of 60+ have a tumour recur with a spay. I don't know if I would do a tumour removal without a spay. The chances of a recurrence is great since she's already got one. The spay might very well stop any other growth.

 

[lindsayfawn]

Is it a lot more stress for them to go through having those two things done at the same time? After she has the operation can she go back in the FN with the others or should she have her own place for a few days?

 

[SQ]

I usually keep rats separate, with a hot water bottle they can get away from, until the next morning. Then it is back with their friends.

Some vets say to keep them separate for days or weeks but not a good idea as being away from their friends is stressful. Other rats don't usually bother their incisions so it is safe for them to be back in with ends the day after surgery.

 

[jorats]

My vet does both procedures at the same time. There's no extra stress on our girls.
When your girl comes home, keep her in her own little cage for just that day. Keeping her warm and fed is important.

 

[user 78]

There would be more stress doing a procedure twice [removal then the spay at a later date] than doing both at once. Rats are very sensitive to being put under, and the more often you do it, the more risk there is for your kiddo. Nothing to worry about with the one or two procedures that the majority of people do over a rat's life, but just something to be aware of.

I never separate my rats unless they're obviously being bullied about or picked on, which rarely happens after surgery here. I have smaller groups than most, though, so that may have something to do with it. As long as the surgery rat is awake and can move about, I don't worry about it.

 

[Godmother]

Sounds like everything is saying Go for it.

javakittie said

we all chew our fingernails off, eat entirely too much chocolate, and annoy the receptionist every 30min

Glad I'm not the only one! The first time one of my godrats got spayed I went insane with anxiety. It's getting easier now, but I can never relax until I see them doing OK.

 

[jorats]

I never separate my rats unless they're obviously being bullied about or picked on, which rarely happens after surgery here. I have smaller groups than most, though, so that may have something to do with it. As long as the surgery rat is awake and can move about, I don't worry about it.

I keep forgetting about this... Ya, if I had smaller numbers, then I wouldn't separate either.

 

[user 78]

In a colony of 7+, I could see where even regular interaction could become bothersome to a groggy, ouchy rat. But with just the 2 other girls, no one seems to really mind it a whole lot.

 

[lindsayfawn]

so having just the four rats, inlcuding Raina, should she be fine in the Fn? Or still put her in her own place for that day? I have three classes that day so I have to drop her off and go to class then pick her up after two of my classes before my night one so I won't be able to watch her closely as I'd like. I'm hoping that the classes aren't full class 'cause it's first day of classes for them.