Lymphoma

Question
Hi sandra
It appears my 1yr 9mth old female rat has lymphoma. She had developed swelling in her cheek and neck which then subsided for the most part but then her chest was swollen and then that went away and then her abdomen looked like it had fluid retention.

I took her to the vet today but i had to see the vet who doesn't specialize in rats becuase my regular vet wasn't in. I thought it was an abscess at first and thought it better to get in and get meds asap.

She does do rat surgeries under the direction of my vet  (who specializes with rats)  who thought it might be congestive heart failure that is causing the fluid retention as she seemed to have an irregular heart beat and suffers from labored breathing but no sneezing or a snotty nose from time to time.

My question is: Is their any meds that can help lymphoma as this is what i think it is, as the swelling keeps moving?  What ae your experiences with lymphoma?

She wasn't sure what to prescribe for congestive heart failure besides theophylline and was going to consult with my regular vet tommorow.

Answer

The use of theophylline is unpredictable in patients with CHF. This creates the necessity for careful monitoring of theophylline plasma levels in CHF patients.
I would not use it and do not think its wise that your vet does, either, esp without testing first.

PLEASE read my website, sandyscrittercity.com and refer to the page on heart disease. There is a description about the signs and symptoms and treatment.  Is your rats limbs blue? Is she gasping? Wheezing? Breathing with her mouth open?  Loss of weight?  Loss of appetite? Lethargic?

Also, rats rarely have lymphoma.  Was any lab work done on this animal? X rays?

If her abdomen is swollen, she may have an infection in her uterus.  The swelling in her check and neck is more or less linked to her teeth, not her lymph glands.