tumor surgery

Question
QUESTION: My pet rat Suzy Q has had two surgeries to remove two separate tumors. Now they have both grown back, one is very hard to the touch near her anus/right leg  and one exotic vet I saw wouldn't remove it. The other tumor is soft and squuishy appears to be in mammary tissue under right arm. It has gotten very big, I didn't have money to remove it, but now I do. She is a runt sized rat and almost three years old, I am worried if the tumor under her arm might be ttoo big now to risk surgery. And what about the other one? She is still very active, bright eyed and happy but soon she won't be able to walk from the tumors. I would appreciate any thoughts, my rats are my best friends and I don't know how to make this judgement call.
Thanks,
Katie


ANSWER: I doubt the vet you saw was a certified exotic vet or he would not have said NO to surgery,

Go private and let me know  the name of the Vet...I can bet my left arm that this vet is just a vet that sees rats but has no formal certification.

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

QUESTION: I asked specifically and they said he was a certified exotic. Either way, I am trying my best here. But anyway, that doesn't really answer my question. Do you think there is such thing as a tumor too big and attached to muscle to remove? Will she heal if the tumor has covered a very large surface?

Answer
If the Vet is skilled and has the proper implements needed for surgery on small mammals, it doesnt matter how large the tumor is.  See my  website, sandyscrittercity.com and refer to the page on tumors to see how large some of these get and are removed with success.