# Puggy has a lump :(



## stockhart (Apr 9, 2007)

What could it be? I can't hold her still long enough to examine it properly 
I'm scared it's a tumor 

Here are some photos:


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## Night (Feb 23, 2007)

Intact female rats are extremely prone to mammary tumors, which is why I choose to spay them. From the placement of the lump, I'd say that's what it is. Or, there's a possibility it's an abscess - only a vet will be able to tell you with the help of an aspirate. If it's a tumor, you need to have it removed and, ideally, also have her spayed.


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## stockhart (Apr 9, 2007)

I thought that mammary tumors were more off to the side ? Either way, it doesn't seem to be growing or anything or causing her pain. I'll try to convince my parents to get her to the vets; I don't want another tumor incident x.x

Are rats alright on anaesthetic? Will she recover okay if she has to go through surgery?


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## Stephanie (Mar 25, 2007)

most rats bounce back from surgery really well as long as you have a good vet and there are no underlying problems


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## Night (Feb 23, 2007)

How well she does in surgery and during the recovery period all depends on two things - if your vet is rat-savvy and comfortable doing surgeries on them, and her health.

I've had numerous rats undergo neuters, spays, and tumor removals, and have lost none of them. A couple of the neuters developed abscesses, but they went away with antibiotics. Besides that, I've had no other problems.

Tumors need to be removed the second they're spotted. If you wait or delay the surgery, the tumor's only going to get larger and take up more blood supply. When that happens, it's much harder to remove, more costly, and there's more of a chance the rat either won't make it, or will have a recurring tumor.


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## OnlyOno (Apr 4, 2007)

i would say that it's not a mammary tumor because, well you can clearly see her teats off to the side. mammary tissue runs in a line along both sides of their abdomen.

the best way to tell if it's an abcess or a tumor is to have it aspirated, which doesn't cost much. if it's an abcess, they can clean it out and drain it and stuff, otherwise it's surgery. it COULD also though, be a hernia (piece of intestine poking thru muscle layers of abdomen), although i'm not sure how prone to hernias rats are. even then, although that's much less life-threatening, it will be surgery.

let us know how that turns out!


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## stockhart (Apr 9, 2007)

Oh, okay, I'll start convincing my parents to take her to the vet (more than I already am )! 

I do trust my vet, alot. He has a funny name; Mr Tilly :lol:
But he's booked in to give my dog a hip replacement in a few years time. He's given my dog x-rays which basically saved his life. He fixed my cat up when the stupid thing got into a fight with a dog and had all the skin bitten off his head, and he did an absolutly amazing job! There's barely any scarring or anything. And he was going to attempt to remove a tumor from my hamster, but sadly my hamster died before he could x_x

So I think he'll be more than capable of fixing my rat  I do trust him with her. When we take my dog to the vet next, which should be in a week or two, I'll ask him about it then.

Thanks x!


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## Night (Feb 23, 2007)

Could you get her in sooner? It's really necessary.


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## stockhart (Apr 9, 2007)

I'm not sure; it's probably going to take a while for me to convince them, anyway. The lump's been there for about a month and hasn't gotten any bigger, so I think it will be okay for another week or two.


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## Night (Feb 23, 2007)

...Why hasn't she been to the vet yet, if she's had that lump for a month? I was under the impression you just spotted it.


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## stockhart (Apr 9, 2007)

Well, I started to notice it when she was sitting down and it was less obvious - but I thought it was just.. well, her, as strange as it sounds. 
After a day or two of it looking suspicious I took her out and felt about it, but as I said, I couldn't hold her still long enough. 
The next week I'd been researching mammary tumors (I did have my thoughts set that it is one) and I've been keeping a strong eye on it. But seeing as it hadn't grown or anything, and she was perfectly happy and eating / drinking fine etc. I didn't take her to the vet straight away, as I thought I better wait a little to see if it goes away. It hadn't gone away, and since then I've been asking around rat forums to see if it's a tumor, abcess or whatever. I was going to wait til we take my dog to the vet to ask about it and book an appointment.


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## OnlyOno (Apr 4, 2007)

not all tumors grow at speed of light speeds, night. and not everyone can drop everything to take their loved ones to the vet as soon as they spot something vaguely suspicious, nor does everyone have the money to do so. i'm sure it will be okay for another week. good luck with her!


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## JennieLove (Jan 2, 2007)

My Jay also has a lump similar to that, I belive its an abscess and not a tumor. Im working with it to double check, if it cant be drained within a week then I'm going to have it done at the vets. Here are some pictures of it. LOL, I had to shave the area xD 

I took him to the vets already and its not connected to anything and its close to the surface rather than deep inside. Its getting a bit bigger and its getting closer and closer to the surface everyday. He's had it for about 4 days now.


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## JennieLove (Jan 2, 2007)

I hope everything works out for you and your baby! Im sure it will.


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## stockhart (Apr 9, 2007)

Yes, yes it's just like that ! 
What happens in the process of abscess-draining?


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## Night (Feb 23, 2007)

They poke it with a needle and drain it out. Then the clean and sterilize it


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## stockhart (Apr 9, 2007)

Yowch; poor ratties.
To be honest with you, the lump actually seems to be going down. I took those photos a week or two ago; when my camera recharges, I'll get you some more photos.


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## Night (Feb 23, 2007)

A lump isn't "vaguely" suspicious. Unless the owner has antibiotics on hand, or personally aspirates tumors themselves, the rat needs to be taken to the vet. 

There's no way to tell if it's a tumor or abscess by a simple picture. The only way to tell is via aspiration, since then the vet will look at the contents of the lump under a microscope.

Vet care isn't a luxury, it's a necessity.


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## JennieLove (Jan 2, 2007)

I would never stick a needle in my rat! >.<


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## stockhart (Apr 9, 2007)

heres a recent photo that i just took, you can barely see it:


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## Night (Feb 23, 2007)

Can you get a better quality picture?


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## stockhart (Apr 9, 2007)

I can't, sorry, I only have the camera on my phone.


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## OnlyOno (Apr 4, 2007)

if it's going away then i would say that it was an abcess. they aren't USUALLY life threatening, so i wouldn't be too worried about it if it's receding. this means that the body recognized it and took care of it (admittedly, although it took a month). the problem with abcesses it that they often grow too large and burst before the body can deal with it, causing septicemia and infection. if you can still get her in to a doctor, it would be a good idea (and at this point it would cost you less since they don't have to drain it for you)!


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## stockhart (Apr 9, 2007)

oh ok  i'll see to getting her a check up, then. thanks!


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## ratguy (Apr 15, 2007)

my rat also has a tumor on the side of its neck and an old rat of ours had two that formed to be bigger then her head over time, the vet said they can remove them but they will just end up coming back, so we chose to sadly put her to sleep, im now worried for my other rat that has recently gotten this big one.


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## Night (Feb 23, 2007)

To quote myself from the first page of this thread...

Tumors need to be removed the second they're spotted. If you wait or delay the surgery, the tumor's only going to get larger and take up more blood supply. When that happens, it's much harder to remove, more costly, and there's more of a chance the rat either won't make it, or will have a recurring tumor.

Again, you really need a new vet.


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