# Missy: huge mammary tumor - UPDATE! Pics! :D



## Zhuria (Oct 28, 2007)

*For the update, scroll down past the before pics and down to the after pics *


Hey guys, I haven't been around here lately because my boy Rocket has been completely happy and healthy.

I just got a new rat tonight. Here is her history:

She was brought home by an animal sciences student from UPEI. She is apparently a purebred Sprague Dawley, which doesn't mean much to me, but a quick google tells me it has to do with research (obviously). The student went out west and left the rat and two mice with his parents. I, in my neverending search to find Rocket a friend, heard through the grapevine that they were trying to find the rat a better home (since they had no interest in them at all), or euthanize her. I chatted with the man over the phone and was told that she lives with the mice and treats them like her babies (trust me, I know they're not supposed to mix), and that she has a "cyst or something" on her. They weren't even sure if it was male or female, but I was 99% sure what they were describing was a female with a mammary tumor (after all, if it was male, they'd KNOW, amirite? ) (the mice are also both female)

I thought, what the ****, I'll go look at her and decide.

HOLY **** IS THAT TUMOR BIG.

It's like a small apple. She's a big rat too. Only eight months old.

I'll get pictures tomorrow, but basically it's hanging off one of her front legs and under her. She seems to be very healthy otherwise and fairly happy, she walks around very awkwardly but she can and does deal with it.

When I first saw it I though "oh, ****, she's screwed" but then I picked her up and felt it, and it's really hanging loosely; not attached to her organs or anything. I would think it would be a piss easy surgery to get the thing off.

I was also thinking, if I do take her in, they could spay her at the same time. What do you guys think?

I'm just trying to get a feel for what her odds are, what I SHOULD do, and how much this is going to cost - ballpark. I plan to start fundraising ASAP. I'm optomistic about this.

Tomorrow I'm going to get them off the pine shavings and onto some yesterday's news, then call a bunch of vets. If I have to drive 3 hours to the nearest rodent specialist.. I'll just add gas costs to my fundraiser.

I also took the mice; they're very healthy, happy, and get along wonderfully with the rat. The rat is Missy, and the mice are Minute and Minuet.

Any advice/tips/help/etc. is muchly appreciated.. And wish me luck


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## xampx (Dec 31, 2006)

*Re: New rat - 8 m.o. and has a huge mammary tumor - advice?*

8 months is not a bad age for anaesthetics. 
I would have the tumour removed definitely.

Not sure about the spay. In one way it would be good to have it all done at once, meaning only one anaesthetic and one recovery period, but then again it would be a lot of stress on her.

Over here a spay cost me Â£50 ($100) and a none routine operation (hernia fix) cost me Â£100($200). I guess it would be about the same for tumour removal. A loose tumour should be really quick and easy to remove so it might be cheaper. Who knows.

Is she still in with the mice? Thats really weird that they are happy living together.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

*Re: New rat - 8 m.o. and has a huge mammary tumor - advice?*

If she's healthy and the tumor sounds like it will "shell out" I would definitely go for it! The spay at the same time is best as long as the tumor surgery isn't too involved or takes too long. 

Rats get tumors just too young these days  8 months is a very young age for such a big thing, I wonder if they did something to her at the testing labs?

Sprague Dawley's are wonderful big rats. They usually have a great temperament and make great pets. 

I have taken in some Sprague Dawley boys in a terrible situation and rehomed them. They were sweet boys.


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## Zhuria (Oct 28, 2007)

*Re: New rat - 8 m.o. and has a huge mammary tumor - advice?*

Thank you so much guys! You've confirmed my thoughts. I'm no expert but I did a lot of reading before and after I got Rocket, and when I saw that tumor, I had -hope-.. I'm glad I was right on that front anyway.

My reasons for the spay are a) so she'll have a lesser chance of growing more tumors and b) she'll be able to go in with Rocket after she heals.

Yes, she's still in with the mice, and she treats them just like her babies! When it's time to sleep, she grabs them and tucks them in under her to keep them warm. It's hilarious. The previous owners told me she would probably go into a deep depression without them, so I'm not about to take them out, especially since she can't go in with Rocket. Fortunately, he said he'd take the mice back after everything is (hopefully) fixed up. They're cute buggers but to me they're just decorations and more poop-factories XD

My dad thought maybe they did something to her at the labs as well. I have no idea; all I heard was that she was the runt, and the kid felt sorry for her and took her home, I guess with the mice also in tow.

So THAT'S why she's so **** big - her breed? I had no idea. She's friggin' huge, tumor or no tumor. And yes, her temperament is great - she's understandably shy right now, but I was able to pick her up last night when I went to get her, and she was great. The previous owners were looking at me with amazement, because apparently she hasn't been touched since the son took off out west. They seemed impressed with me, and I was actually impressed by them too. They didn't like the idea of a rat, thought the tumor was gross, and weren't supposed to be responsible for it in the first place - and yet they fed her, cleaned the cage regularly, gave her treats, and did their best to find a better home for her - or get her humanely euthanized because of the tumor. It's refreshing to see that. Not many people around here are too keen on the idea of a pet rat.. I can't even count the number of times I've had to explain that rats have been domesticated for many decades.

Aaand now I'm rambling. XD I'm just so relieved, honestly. I promised Missy I'd do my best for her and I'm glad her odds sound good.

Time to call some vets, take some pictures and start making some money  Thanks guys!

Edit to add: I will keep you all posted, of course!


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

*Re: New rat - 8 m.o. and has a huge mammary tumor - advice?*

Actually rats have been domesticated for hundreds of years not just decades 

I am glad you got her


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## phaidraft (Apr 9, 2008)

*Re: New rat - 8 m.o. and has a huge mammary tumor - advice?*

I'm glad you got her too and are going to take care of her! That's too funny about the mice. Can't wait to hear an update.


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## Zhuria (Oct 28, 2007)

*Re: New rat - 8 m.o. and has a huge mammary tumor - advice?*

I thought so, Spaz, and I have told people "centuries", but I didn't want to say that on here and be wrong XD Centuries is so much more convincing.

I'm so glad I got her too.. She really is a sweety but she's so timid. The mice are clingy little buggers. It took me a good 5 minutes to get one of them to let go of the wheel, then the cage bars, then my FINGER.. Jeeez 

I got some pics just now. I didn't want to upset her by trying to take her out and pose her so I just let her do her thing and got some candids. She's so beautiful!




























And the meece:



















Wish I could tell them apart..


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## kaylaface (Sep 6, 2007)

*Re: New rat - 8 m.o. and has a huge mammary tumor - advice?*

Wow that looks like it's akward. 0_0 It's good that your going to help her out. ^_^


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

*Re: New rat - 8 m.o. and has a huge mammary tumor - advice?*

OMG she is gorgeous!!! Even with her partner. LOL

What a lovely face and expression. I just adore PEW's...they have stolen my heart too many times.  I don't think I have ever had a "bad" PEW.

Lucky girl to find you!!!


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## Zhuria (Oct 28, 2007)

*Re: New rat - 8 m.o. and has a huge mammary tumor - advice?*

Ugh, great. The vet won't do the spay and the tumor removal at the same time. So I'm just getting the tumor taken off, which is going to cost a whopping 200$. I don't know what to do right now.. My parents are beyond upset and I STILL have to solve the problem of "I can't put my two f***ing rats together" so I'm considering a 75$ neuter.. Again, yay. Money I don't have.

This sucks. I'm going to go hug my ratties


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

*Re: New rat - 8 m.o. and has a huge mammary tumor - advice?*

Yeah that sounds like the best course of action...too bad about the spay but I neuter all my boys so they can live with my many girls without worries.


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## Zhuria (Oct 28, 2007)

*Re: New rat - 8 m.o. and has a huge mammary tumor - advice?*

Missy and Rocket are off to the vet's today for surgery!

My family asked my mom last night "what's this about a rat needing surgery?" she replied, "well, it's like this - one of them's losing a boob and the other's losing his nuts."

XD


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## Zhuria (Oct 28, 2007)

*Re: New rat - 8 m.o. and has a huge mammary tumor - advice?*

The surgeries went WONDERFULLY. They both have been doing 100% since they got home, with the exception of a bit of back-end grogginess with Rocket - he's fine now  He actually seemed worse than Missy - I don't know if she feels she has a new lease on life or what (which she definitely does!), but she's running around like she never had the tumor in the first place! I'm so happy for her. Despite having sutures 3/4 the length of her body she doesn't seem to be in pain and is happy, happy, HAPPY! Even with the mice evicted  (her previous owner SWORE she'd die of depression if she didn't have her miiiice! XD) I am keeping them out because a) the vet told me to and b) she has a lot more room to move around in her small cage without all the mice's toys.

Those of you who neuter often - how long until it's safe for boy to be with girl? I read 3 weeks somewhere but I want to see what you guys do. I value all of your opinions and tips so much 

Anxious for pics? Here you go 













































"Look! I can stand up now and not be dragging 1/3 of my weight under one arm! <333"









"Look at my sexy bodeh!"


And Rocket, with his sheepish face:









"I have no nuts, but I are doing great!"


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## CeilingofStars (Apr 21, 2008)

AWWWWWWWWWWW so adorable! Can you imagine what a relief your baby girl must feel? It's wonderful.


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## Brizzle (Mar 26, 2008)

Aw, that poor girl!
You're such an awesome rat mommy for doing that for her!


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## RoRo (Mar 10, 2008)

My family asked my mom last night "what's this about a rat needing surgery?" she replied, "well, it's like this - one of them's losing a boob and the other's losing his nuts."

XD

::dies laughing hysterically before she can says the girly rat looks much better now::


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## Rattiegma (Jan 23, 2008)

Yay! I'm so happy for all 3 of you!! She seems soooo happy! She is one lucky rat, and you are one wonderful rattie mom. 

Definitely keep us updated on her! And I wish them both a wonderful, stitch-pulling/biting recovery.


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## KayRatz (Apr 5, 2007)

This story is extremely touching, and I am so glad you got rid of that nasty tumor!


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## Zhuria (Oct 28, 2007)

Thank you so much for the kind words! It started out that I just needed a cagemate for Rocket. But when I drove out there and saw her, I knew what I had to do immediately. It was like instinct. Of course, I also knew my parents were going to kill me, but they always give in to me XD

Also, for the record, the neuter was 70$ and the tumor removal was 200$. With tax it came to 300$. I'm in major debt to my parents now XD (but I am lucky I have parents who would help me in such a scenario. They both love animals, but they do find it hard to justify spending the money)


Edit to add: Forgot to mention how WELL they are healing! They've been cleaning the wounds, but no biting. Missy's cut looks great. I'm so ecstatic!


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## kenRakuu (Mar 29, 2008)

three weeks is safest to let you know, other wise she could still get pregnant.


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## Zhuria (Oct 28, 2007)

Thank you! Three weeks it is ^_^ *marks on calendar*


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## kaylaface (Sep 6, 2007)

Oh I'm so glad that everything went well.


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## Zhuria (Oct 28, 2007)

Another update!

Missy's veryveryverylong incision is pretty much completely healed! She got her stitches taken out last Thursday, and I think that was the first time she showed pain. But afterwards, she licked up the blood, came home, and after I came back from a 3-4 day trip (grandfather in hospital 3 hours away - it was serious but he made it) she is pretty much done healing! I'm amazed. She looks so great!

I just have to work on socializing her more. She sometimes has little anxiety attacks when you pick her up, and she will pee or poop on you. She dropped 6 big turds on the vet's assistant, hahaha.

One moore week and she can move in with Rocket  He's also healed and doing great, but that was to be expected!

I'm going to make a new thread though, concerning Missy's weight. She's a fatty.


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## kaylaface (Sep 6, 2007)

Zhuria said:


> Another update!
> 
> Missy's veryveryverylong incision is pretty much completely healed! She got her stitches taken out last Thursday, and I think that was the first time she showed pain. But afterwards, she licked up the blood, came home, and after I came back from a 3-4 day trip (grandfather in hospital 3 hours away - it was serious but he made it) she is pretty much done healing! I'm amazed. She looks so great!
> 
> ...


Thats so awesome that you helped her out like that. I'm sure she'll drop some of the weight without that nasty tumor weighing her down.  This story just makes me so happy lol.


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