# Twinky after surgery (not so nice pics)



## Carina (Jul 28, 2009)

We discovered this big lump on Twinky's chest last Thursday night. I looked all over the forum and everywhere else and found some things on what to do... BUT we didn't have some of the things needed and we didn't want to hurt her in any way, make it worse or try things out and not help her at all anyway.
So Friday morning we went to the Small Animal Hospital with her and they scheduled a surgery for today.
This morning we brought her in and 5 hours later we picked her up again. She's in such a good mood, totally energetic (even after anesthesia) and has now a shaved chest with a big nasty scar. But I'm just so happy everything went well!!! The whole thing cost us $52 (for looking at her Friday) + $416 for the surgery and everything involved. It's a big amount, but I'm glad I did it!!!!!  
Here are some pictures:
Twinky after we discovered the lump:









After the surgery:


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## ratastic (Jul 1, 2007)

It doesn't look too bad, when I opened the thread I was expecting Ratenstein, but the scar isn't that bad. I'm glad she better now.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Oh that was a teeny little mammary tumour  She looks good. Just watch for discomfort and give her pain meds if necessary


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## Carina (Jul 28, 2009)

Yeah, the scar looks worse than in the pictures, but she's doing great!!
The vet gave her this pain medicine that tastes like peanut butter. She LOVES it!!
And Pebbles is jealous, since she can't have any. Poor thing!! 
Twinky is bothered by the stitches though, she pulls her skin up to her mouth
and keeps nibbeling on it. She can't chew through the suture but I'm still worried about it.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Carina said:


> Yeah, the scar looks worse than in the pictures, but she's doing great!!
> The vet gave her this pain medicine that tastes like peanut butter. She LOVES it!!
> And Pebbles is jealous, since she can't have any. Poor thing!!
> Twinky is bothered by the stitches though, she pulls her skin up to her mouth
> and keeps nibbeling on it. She can't chew through the suture but I'm still worried about it.


I wouldn't worry too much, do you want me to doublecheck her pain med dosage to make sure she's getting enough?

I could show you surgery incisions that would make your eyes pop out


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## Carina (Jul 28, 2009)

Yeah, I saw some horrible pictures online. I'm so glad Twinky looks way better than that.
The pain dos is 0.1 every 12 hours. Sometimes we give her a tinsy bit more.


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## toby (May 11, 2009)

good to see Twinky is ok.


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## Twila (Nov 9, 2009)

Carina said:


> Yeah, I saw some horrible pictures online. I'm so glad Twinky looks way better than that.
> The pain dos is 0.1 every 12 hours. Sometimes we give her a tinsy bit more.


Bad, bad idea, a lot of pain relief medications are metabolized through the kidneys and increasing such a small dose by any amount can seriously overdose her. I know you really want to help her and make her feel better, but her calculated dose is meant to do just that. If you feel that amount is not enough and she still seems to be painful, ask your vet for a second type of pain relief to use with the first one, they will prescribe one that is metabolized through a different route, therefore not stressing any one organ.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Twila said:


> Carina said:
> 
> 
> > Yeah, I saw some horrible pictures online. I'm so glad Twinky looks way better than that.
> ...


What pain med did they give you? and how much does she weigh. If its metacam they have recently upped the recommended dosages and it is tolerated very well by rats, so don't panic.


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## Carina (Jul 28, 2009)

She weighs 300 gramm.
The pain med is called Torbutrol.
Don't worry, she feels so good already, I won't give her any more than suggested!


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## steffiez (Nov 24, 2009)

Aww! Glad to see she's o.k and healthy 
I just recently found a lump on one of my babies and i'm so scared. I'm going to be taking her to the vet pretty soon though, so I hope everything goes well with her too. I'm just afraid about the anesthesia part


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## Carina (Jul 28, 2009)

Steffiez said:


> Aww! Glad to see she's o.k and healthy
> I just recently found a lump on one of my babies and i'm so scared. I'm going to be taking her to the vet pretty soon though, so I hope everything goes well with her too. I'm just afraid about the anesthesia part


Aww, I'm sorry to hear!!!  I hope everything goes well!!!!!
The vet told me, Twinky will be fine about the anesthesia part, because she's still young (little under 1 year). She told me it's a little tougher with older rats. How old is your rat with the lump?


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## steffiez (Nov 24, 2009)

Thanks 
She's about a year old.
I got her in February when she was about three months so she's barely a year. She was my first rat, and I love her soo much. She seriously has the most funniest/cutest personality ever. I'm crossing my fingers it goes well in the mean time of trying to get some more money for the surgery.


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## Carina (Jul 28, 2009)

yeah, surgery is pretty expensive! in fact, i was a little shocked. *haha*

i'm sure your rat will be fine, since she's still so young! 
right after we brought twinky home, she acted like nothing ever happened to her!! 
she was up and running right after! crazy!! even the vet was surprised, because she told
me it might take 1-2 weeks that she might not be her old self.

friday or saturday we will take her again to get her stitches removed.


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## steffiez (Nov 24, 2009)

Aw, o.k thanks.

How much did everything cost?


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## Carina (Jul 28, 2009)

The first time we brought her in it cost $52 just to look at her.
The vet told us we could pay another $150 and she would find out what exactly the lump is.
But she told us, there's really no need to, since we should get it removed anyway.
And the surgery all together cost $416 (anesthesia, removing lump, stitches, pain med for after, etc.)


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

Carina said:


> And the surgery all together cost $416 (anesthesia, removing lump, stitches, pain med for after, etc.)


I think that would have gave me a heart attack lol. That's around £250 I think. Vet bills do seem to be more expensive over there than here in the UK though.


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## steffiez (Nov 24, 2009)

Carina said:


> The first time we brought her in it cost $52 just to look at her.
> The vet told us we could pay another $150 and she would find out what exactly the lump is.
> But she told us, there's really no need to, since we should get it removed anyway.
> And the surgery all together cost $416 (anesthesia, removing lump, stitches, pain med for after, etc.)


Alright thanks. 
I'll be calling a vet when I get home for an estimate.


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