[underwhere759]

I just took my two year old rattie to the vet today, I was informed that the thing protruding from her butt was a benign papaloma that should be removed.
Apparently it would be about 380 dollars to do the surgery because my rat wont hold still and they need anethesia and use lasars for the operation.
Not sure if anyone has any suggestions, but that kind of expense isnt in my price range. As I am a college student supporting myself.
Not sure if this price is way too much? or if they are any solutions

 

[JennieLove]

Have you looked into other rat vets in your area? You might find a place who can do the surgery for less.

 

[Kimmiekins]

From what I've heard, that's not too far off from what some have paid. However, I think calling around other vets and getting prices wouldn't be so bad.

 

[underwhere759]

I think im going to start that tomorrow. Mostly I just feel bad because the vet made me feel really guilty for even saying that I would think about it. She was like well if you love her this is the best thing to do.
I dont plan on going back there even if I could afford the surgery.

They told me it might not grow that fast and be fine. I dont know if anyone has any personal experience with this to share.
Thanks everyone for the quick responses

another thing she said to separate her from the other rat because it might start chewing on the tumor? Wondering if this is true?

 

[Kimmiekins]

No, your other rat won't chew on the tumor. :roll: I'm with you, I wouldn't go back there!

 

[underwhere759]

I am going to call some other places tomorrow. Hopefully i can find a place with a reasonable price. This little tumor is smaller than my pinkie nail so it seems that almost 400 dollars is a little high

 

[Poppyseed]

Price really depends on areas. I know my vet had said when I asked out of curiousity that tumor removals are around $200. I think $200-$400 seems normal. I've heard of people who have WONDERFUL vets that will do this surgery for MUCH less and envy them tremendously lol.

 

[CaptainFlow]

One way you might want to thing about the cost of the surgury is that for that price, you are getting a sterile environment, anesthesia, and a professional specialist. I know rats are much smaller than humans, but if you think about how much HUMAN surguries cost, you're really getting a bargain.

That being said, I totally understand being a college student with few extra dollars lying around. And I have taken a rat to the vet to be euthanized instead of for surgury.. She had a tumor that was interfering with her quality of life and had lived a full and happy three years. It was sad, I still feel a little guilty, but my parents just would not pay for the surgury, and I was unable to pay for it myself.

 

[JadeAmber]

I have been lucky in my vet experience because i found a small animal specialist who happened to be extreamly knowledgable about rats. In fact she spayed my little lady for only 50 dollars and i never spent more than 100 on a tumor removal. Finding someone who specializes in small animals or specifically rats would be your best bet. I've found that vets who do not have this area of expertise and caring are not the best for the job. If anyone in the Western Massachusetts, eastern New York, or Southern Vermont is looking for a vet to take ther babies to Greylock Animal Hostpital is the place to go (Michelle Gorbutt , DVM <-- Awsome woman who will call your little one "Peanut" and remember him/her every time you visit).

It is also important, when making the decision to add a little furry family member to your home, to remember that it does cost money to keep rats healthy and some times that means spending a couple hundred dollars. It is a life after all.

You DO NOT want to just let the tumor go though... eventually it will grow to a size where the majority of nutrients your rat eats will go right to feeding the tumor instead of the rat.

Hope something in there was a help.

 

[underwhere759]

I definitely understand that I am currently combing through the yellow pages trying to find a vet. If anyone is from near Northern Delaware and has a good vet please let me know. I would be willing to pay 100 -200 dollars

 

[chrisstrikeagain]

Well Cynthia Brown is in Tinton Falls, NJ. kinda far but she is very specialized in rats from what i hear. I'll be seein her Tuesday so i'll ask her the price of surgery for you. Ill try to get you an estimate.

 

[JESSU]

Heres where I take my ratty. I took my late gunia pig there too.

Avian & Exotic Animal Medical Center
Dr. Gloria Goodman
4009 Market Street Suite
E Aston, PA 19014
(610) 494-2811

I guess you could go on google maps and see how far away it is from you.

 

[underwhere759]

Thanks for all the responses. I have heard of a non profit organization here called faithful friends that helps with the costs of surgeries and etc. I am going to see if they can help me. for now the tumor hasn't grown much if at all and my lovely millie seems to be just as fat and lazy as usual

 

[twitch]

tumors will grow at different rates and it really all depends on that particular tumor at that particular time. some will grow so slowly that you're rat may have a lump for a year or more and have no issues with it. the problem though becomes, that the larger it gets the harder it is to remove it. the harder it is to remove it the more costly the surgery and the harder a recovery on the rat.

that being said i don't rush out and have lumps removed at the first sign of growth. i watch carefully how much the rat is eating and drinking and general energy levels and of course the rate of growth. this all helps determine if the lump is cancerous. most lumps that happen are benign but not all and the ones that are cancerous, removing the lump is not going to save them. if it turns out to be cancerous then i watch for the quality of life to decline then take them in to be pts when its too poor. if the lump is benign or if its gotten to about the size of a quarter and i have not determined cancer yet then i will have the lump removed.

but i am also a university student, living on my own and raising a young son. i know how tight money can be. it is for this reason that i have used cans. i have a can for our needs minus normal bills and food, and a can for the vet. i buy discount and implement sales as much as possible and i make my own meals as much as i can to make sure i have money to put in the cans. then i don't touch them for anything other then what they are designed for. i have 11 rats and 2 cats and they aren't sick all the time so i'm able to make those few pennies and dollars every so often grow. by the time a rat needs surgery or a cat needs needles i normally have enough to pay it. i would not be able to keep all the animals i do and keep them healthy otherwise. and trust me change adds up! in one can i have almost $50 in change alone and maybe only $10 of that is in loonies or twoonies

 

[DonnaK]

loonies or twoonies

8O One cent and 2 cents? (I'm guessing!) I've never heard that before! :lol:

One thing I wanted to ask... don't tumors suck essential vitamins or whatever from rats? If so, if you waited too long, couldn't you end up with deficiency problems?

(I haven't had to deal with tumors, yet *touches wood*, so I'm a bit ignorant about them, other than what I've read here and what to look out for.)