[libby]

About two weeks ago I got a pet rat from a store that I fell in love with. She was incredibly sweet and trusting, and I had to give her a chance. When I bought her, I noticed a lump right on her throat, but I knew if I left her there she would not get the proper medical treatment and would most likely be snake food.

I took her to the vet and had the lump removed, which did have some tissue on it. She had about 8 stitches (from the middle of her belly to right to the tip of her lip) and healed fine and is very happy she can now groom and eat without interference. After only a few days of healing up entirely, and has developed yet another lump on the side of her neck, near where the first one is. It is growing pretty rapidly, as tumors usually do, and I'm taking her into the vet tomorrow to hopefully have it operated on and removed like the first one.

My problem is not the cost of the surgeries, or the aftercare, or anything on my part, but my concern for her quality of life. As we all know, rats do not live very long compared to dogs, cats, etc. It takes about two weeks for her to recover from these surgeries, and I know she is in pain from the large amount of stitching required. I don't want her to go through unneeded pain for a good part of her life.

My question is, what would you guys do if you had a young rat who has had a tumor removal, and will most likely be getting another one very soon. If a third one pops up, would you continue to operate and have her spend half a month healing and in pain, or would you simply make the hard choice to let the tumor grow on its own, and when it starts to impair her daily life and reduces her quality of life, put her to sleep.

I'm really torn on this and all I want is the best for my rat.

 

[lilspaz68]

Are they tumours? abscesses or infected salivary glands (possibility of SDA).
Did you try to treat as if it was an abscess?

How old is your ratgirl? How is her health otherwise and how well did she recover? If her health is good and recovery wasn't bad, and its definitely a tumour, and she's not too old, then go ahead. You'll be extending her life by a long time.

 

[libby]

It was part abcess, but had some tissue on it so the vet believes it was part tumor. She is about 2-3 months old, a hairless female, in great health besides for her problem with the growths.

 

[madonnaswimmer]

In all honesty, I think you are doing the right thing by thinking about euthanasia. I work in a vet clinic, and it's horrifyingly painful when owners put their pets through everything. The "Well, if she were a human we would be trying everything, and I respect all creatures, so we're going to keep trying" excuse doesn't work well when the pet can't understand why it is constantly in pain. It's honestly more painful to watch animals be put through all that than for them to be euthanized earlier than their lifespan shouold last. I am very happy that you are examining her quality of life. If it were my rat, I would euthanize.

 

[lilspaz68]

I would treat as an abscess first (home treatment) with abs thrown in, and if that didn't help then I would consider "keeping her comfortable until she is affected". Hairless rats are prone to cysts, skin conditions, etc...so make sure these are real tumors you are removing. If you can afford it get the 2nd one removed and a pathology done on it so you know what you are really dealing with. Tumours can abscess but its not that common.