skittles lump

Question

skittles lump   QUESTION: hi tamarah,
my mouse skittles has a lump a bit smaller than a marble on her side, behind her front leg.
i don't know what to do, but we have been giving her herbal medication that helped cure a lump on both my horse's belly, and my dogs side.
but im still not sure...
it dosn't seem to bother her at all but i'm still worried.
pls reply,
thanks,
belle :)

ANSWER: Hi Belle,

It's hard to tell what a lump is without the help of a veterinarian, as it can be an abscess, injury, tumor, or even just accumulated fluid from an injury (edema).  However, this particular spot is very characteristic of a mammary tumor, and although placement alone isn't really enough to be positive, if I had to guess from a photograph, that would be my bet.

The good news is that tumors in mice are not nearly as scary as they sound!  They do not usually spread, they don't hurt, and they don't bug her at all - they just look funny.  Some tumors grow very quickly, some grow slowly, and some seem to just appear and stay there without changing much at all.  The important thing is to look at how quickly it is growing, if at all - a fast growth may become uncomfortable as it starts to impede the movement in her leg and rub against things as she moves.  If this becomes the case, you may want to consult a veterinarian who works with pocket pets to see if there is anything you can do to help her feel more comfortable or slow the growth.  If it's not growing quickly or getting in her way, there really isn't much to do except go about things as normal.  Like I said, tumors don't hurt or really spread, they just look a little odd!

With regards to the herbal medicine, since I don't know what it is or what dosage you are using, I can't guess if it is helping or potentially harmful.  Do you know what is in it and how much?  This may be worth asking your vet as well, to be sure anything you give her is safe and given in the right amount.  It is a lot easier to accidentally overdose a tiny little mouse (even with natural substances) than it would be to give too much to a big animal like a dog or a horse, especially since many herbal remedies do not list their concentrations and are frequently potent extracts.  Again, that isn't to say it might not help, as there is no way for me to know without knowing what it is, but it's certainly worth asking a veterinarian if you can.

Please let me know if I can help with anything else!
-Tam

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: hi again
we've been told to use silicon,
and to give her 2 drops a day, 1 at night, 1 in the morning.
can tumors harm them?\make them sick?
the lump is fim but moveable...
it hasn't grown alot, it kinda just apeared...
thankyou so much for your help,
pls reply soon...ish
thanks again
belle and skittles
:)

Answer
Hello again,

I am not familiar with using this to treat lumps, and would only do so if advised by a practicing veterinarian familiar with mice.  Tumors do not hurt, make mice sick, or otherwise cause discomfort - they just look lumpy.  It's good that it is not still growing quickly.  Tumors can be strange things, but as long as it is not impairing her movement, she will be okay.  Remember, though, that a vet is the only one who can be SURE it is a tumor and not an abscess that could possibly be treated and made to go away.

You're absolutely welcome!  I hope Skittles is doing well.  :)
-Tam