Ratty friend

[Oakmaiden]

I think my ratty friend has a tumour - she has a big lump which has developed on the underside of her neck. I don't really know what to do about it...?

Very .
Put a PM for Pixie of Catalan and Mad Rat Lady

How quickly has this lump appeared. If it's quick, it's more likely to be an abscess. Is the area warm? Anything leaking from it. is it painful?
If it's an abscess you need to see a Rat savvy vet ASAP , the infection can finish them off and you;d need to find out why it's there.
Injury? Bite? Teeth?

If it's slower and firm, possibly lumpy, it's more likely to be a tumour. Rats and mice are very prone.

Our guinea pigs got solid smooth fatty lumps in the flabby chin areas. Didn't cause any problems.

your rat needs a vet to make the diagnosis.
Good Luck

Sorry to hear about your ratty friend :( We lost one of our girls to a tumour in August and it was a stressful couple of months.

First thing: Do you have a vet who knows about rats? If not, you need to find one. It can be difficult depending on where you are. I can highly recommend this FB group:
www.facebook.com/groups/121707247908142/?fref=ts
It's a Brighton based breeder and whilst most people are SE based, there are people from all over on there and somebody may know of a rodentologist or good vet near you.

How big is the lump? How quickly has it formed? Is it possible that it has been there a while and you may have not realised? (As was the case with us unfortunately).

Your options will depend on a variety of things really. The age of the rat is a big one, location of the lump is the other big one. Health of the rat is another factor, if you have a permanently snuffly rat for example, then an op may cause as much trouble in other ways as it solves. Cost is another factor, I think we spent a couple of hundred on Ruby over the space of two months, that was for one op, check ups and PTS.

You won't know for certain what it is without testing, to test usually means putting them under anaesthetic. That's if the vet feels it's even necessary. Sometimes they may advise just leaving small lumps and keeping a close eye on them.

ratguide.com/health/neoplasia/zymbals_gland_tumor.php
Our little boy had one of these and was PTS last Saturday. I hope your little girl will be okay.

My 2.5 year old rat has had 2 separate tumour removal ops, she is still going 6 months on, although she is quite ill now, hers are cancerous and it's all about comfort and quality of life. How old is your rat?

I agree you should find a rat savvy vet and see if they think it is worth operating, as rats need to be on a heating mat during and after operations for a day or so as the anaesthetic stops their temperature regulation and they can get hypothermia and die.
Each operation cost me about £130 with our knowledgable and experienced vet, inclusive of medications and follow up appointments. It is not cheap but it was worth it for my rattie.