I need a second opinion.

Question

Little Girl   QUESTION: Hello,my names Alysa. I have one year and two month old rat named Little Girl. During January I noticed a growth developing near her armpit. I left it alone for a week to see what happened, when It continued to grow I took her to my vet.
Now my vet does see exotics and small animals but he does not have many clients with pet rats and does not have much experience handling them.
He diagnosed the growth as a cyst and told me he was not comfortable operating on a rat because of their size and his lack of contact with them.
So I took her home and watched the growth. It finally stopped growing last month but it is the size of a pingpong ball by then.
It does not hinder her at all and does not cause any pain that I can identify.
I'm not very sure my vet diagnosed her right. I've been doing research online and I've come to the conclusion it may be a mammary tumor.
The lump is a little misshapen and feel slightly hard, she has a bold spot and around that spot is a very light black line, almost looks like a very thick swollen dark vein.
I will include two pictures, one is of her on a cage, this is when the growth had appeared and it is hard to see the infected area. The other is of the growth, the picture was taken May 5. If you can offer me any advice it will be very helpful.

ANSWER: It is a mammary tumor indeed.  Check my site, sandyscrittercity.com for info on them too.  let me find a vet for you, although I am worried how vascular it is since you can see a vein in it. I would be leary about the vet that operates on her for sure.  We will keep in touch about this as I am not sure if I would allow this to be removed, which usually I am in full support of.

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QUESTION: Thank you for responding. I actually looked at your site before contacting you. The day after I sent that question a new symptom emerged. The mass has lost fur, in that are is a scab that is trying to pull apart. If you can find a vet I will be very grateful. Since you'll probably need this information to find a vet I live in Jeffersonville Indiana.

Answer
This sounds like the tumor has now abscessed. Here is what I found for you as for vets:

Here is what I have,which is a place that is perfect for exotic pets such as rats.
Your best option is to cross the state line to Kentucky, traveling about 30 minutes as per my driving directions. The facility is called  Crestwood Veterinary Hospital and the vet that will see your rat should be ONLY Dr. Teresa Gregory
phone number is 502-241-4117
Crestwood, KY area


http://www.crestwoodvethospital.com/crestwood-ky-exotic-pet-veterinarian.htm


The sooner you get her in the better. You do not want this infection to spread.