I have 2 rats, both 2.5 years old. The Agouti had a mammary tumour removed in May, and then again in August. The prognosis wasn't fantastic, as when they were in there for the 2nd op they found more tumours growing but were too vascular to remove safely. They expected the tumours to be large again within 4 weeks.
A few small lumps have appeared but they are not growing quickly and last week she had a small abscess on her tummy which with home care has drained and healed without needing vet treatment.
She is on Metacam to keep her comfortable, she manages fine with a few minor cage adaptations to make her life easier, she can still navigate the two raised shelves and the hammocks.
She has good and bad days and is given cat food, cat milk and soaked rich tea biscuits (she loves all of them) to supplement her rat food as she has been slowly losing weight, obviously cancer related. She has a good quality of life, I monitor her daily to make sure she is not suffering in any way.
Tonight after cleaning the cage out, she tried to jump onto the log cabin house they have and missed and fell off. I'm not sure if this upset her or if it is something to do with the cancer but she freaked out, climbing the cage bars and hanging there on the side of the cage looking terrified.
She settled when I took her out and comforted her but when put back in the cage she freaked out again and ran and hid in a box. After about 15 mins she has settled down again and has gone into the log cabin with her cagemate to have a sleep.
Is this something to do with the cancer or just her being spooked? One of our old dogs had freak outs as a sign of brain cancer shortly before she had to be put to sleep.