Lumps inRats

[hogmother]

Can anyone help me please, my daughter has two female rats about 14 months old. One of them has a lump on her side just behind her front paw. We first noticed it a week or so ago but as she was not distressed in any way we decided to keep an eye on it. Today we noticed it is the size of a large marble she is still happy and eating and playing normally. We think she is a russian blue if this is relevant? Any help or advice would be appreciated

[garner]

Hi hogmother could be a cyst, but I would advise a vet visit to find out for sure.Good luck, hope i'ts nothing serious.g.

[hogmother]

Thanks that was our opinion as well but thanks anyway.

[edukes]

I've had dozens of pet rats in my life, benign tumours are very common, but some of the time it can be cancerous.this is down to inbreeding sometimes they are able to cut out. sometimes not.
don't wish to be the bearer of doom, just giving all the information. get to the vets and they can hopefully tell you it's nothing to worry about

[hogmother]

Thanks for your advice both of you. I am now quite certain it is a mammary tumour and am hoping desperately that it is benign as she is showing no other symptoms. We have got a vets appointment on friday so will let you know the outcome.

[hogmother]

Again thanks for your help. We have taken Maddie to the vet and she is having it removed on monday as it is growing quickly.

[Therema]

I lost both my wee babies to tumours, hope yours are ok sorry for being a bit negative

[hogmother]

Yes we know the risks at the moment we are trying to stay positive as my daughter is very upset. I expect to have proplems getting her to school tomorrow as I think she will want to come to the vets with us. Hopefully it is a benign tumour and will not re-occur. It is not attached to anything which is supposed to be a good sign here is hoping it is.

[Therema]

Hi hogmother i was just wondering if you have good news about your daughters pet, i hope so T

[hogmother]

We picked Maddie up from the vets and she seems to be recovering well, the nurse seemed to think that she might develop more lumps and hinted she might only have a few months left, but she needs to have her stiches out next thursday so I will speak to the vet again. We did not send the lump away as it waas an extra �50(the op cost �100) as we had decided that we would rather not know for our daughters sake so she can relax and enjoy any time left with her. At the moment she is still alone in a smaller cage next to her cage mate so they can smell and see each other, and we atre hoping she does not take her stiches out.Thanks for asking

[hogmother]

Maddie is now running around her cage fine, she has managed to get a couple of stiches out but the wound looks fine. She is eating and drinking well and rushes up to the front of the cage if she thinks she is going to get a treat. We are thinking of putting her back in with Midnight as they are spending alot of time trying to get to each other through the bars of the cages, putting it off as I am worried that midnight might help her take the rest of the stiches out.

[hogmother]

Maddie has had her stiches out now and is back in her normal cage with midnight, they are playing happily together and she seems none the worse from her trips to the vet. Her wound is healing nicely and without any sign of infection, so hopefully that will be all and no more lumps will appear.