[briarbeauty]

my older girl, delilah, is a hairless rat who i got about 3 years ago.. she had mycoplasma when i got her and became so attached i didn't want to return her. recently i noticed a lump on her belly that appeared to be creating a sore. i work at a vet clinic and brought her in. it appears she had an ulcer from a tumor and my options were to have it removed or maybe try a steroid injection to get the tumor to go down. since i live on a small wage, and could not afford to have her operated on, i chose to try the steroids. well the ulcer went away but two more tumors popped up. one large tumor near her rectum. my vet said since it seems to be spreading it wouldn't be any good to put her under to remove tumors that will come back.. but the tumor near her tail is getting bigger (about the size of a walnut) and it now starting to ulcer. it looks like the skin is getting eaten away and its greyish with a puss looking color around the edge and its slowly getting bigger everyday. it's not sensitive or ruptured/leaking fluids. and it is hard all around.

she is on antibiotics for the myco and my vet said that will help fight infection. she isn't in pain or uncomfortable and i was was wondering if there is something i can put on it so it won't rupture.. or if i should let it go and just monitor it or if there were other homeopathic treatments i can do to keep her comfortable.

she's my little girl and i appreciate any advice anyone is willing to give!

 

[lilspaz68]

Those inguinal tumours (near the groin area) are just awful. I just lost an old girl whose tumour ulcerated and got infected within 24 hours AND she was on meds at the time too. Watch for infection most of all and if she looks like she could be suffering soon, have her pts. I am also dealing with another girl who has even more tumours and I watch her carefully for signs of discomfort. I am so sorry about your girl.

 

[tungstenrat]

I can fully appreciate how you feel about your baby Briar. If she is on her meds and in no pain that is something to be grateful for. My baby Topaz had a sizeable tumor bound up in her intestines and to her liver and bladder (according to the vet) and it was a very heartbreaking time for all involved. With the vet's advice it was agreed that the best thing for her was to not let her suffer. We knew she wasn't going to survive the surgery as there were too many complications and way too many questionable scenarios involving her survival. All that and getting used to the idea that Topaz wasn't going to be around any more was a bit much. What we ended up doing for two weeks was spoiling her absolutely rotten. We made sure that she wanted for nothing and practically gave her the run of the pantry.

If you are faced with the inevitable task of letting your baby go I guess the only thing you can really do is make sure they're comfortable, not in pain and given all the attention they deserve. It is a very hard time, and if nothing can be done, set your date with the vet and give your baby one **** of a sending off party. For me, Topaz is over the rainbow bridge with her former cage-mate Spot and in my mind they're stealing yogi drops from everyone who got nominated for a Darwin Award.

If it's within your power to do something for her, what's to stop you?

 

[Poppyseed]

Wow! That's awesome that she is three years old but sad she is suffering right now D: The only thing I have heard of that MIGHT work is co-enzyme Q10. It's a very powerful antioxident that will kill free radicals in her body (possibly even to the point of her tumors swelling down?). But I'm not sure if it will help at all, but worth a shot. I would suggest putting her under if she seems to be suffering and just watching her closely.

I hope she's not suffering D: It's horrible when that happens but at least you know she's an old rat that lived a happy long life.