my rattie has a tumor :(

Question
QUESTION: i was heartbroken when i just saw that my rat Layla had a small tumor between her front legs. i know that they don't stop growing, and it can be very painful for the rat. i don't want her to suffer, but i am far too fragile of a person to "put her to sleep" which to me is killing her. i cant give her surgery because i don't know any vets, and i don't have 100 dollars, also i think surgery is way to stressful on such a small body.

so i just need help on how i can make her horrific future less miserable for her
thank you

ANSWER: Hi Katie

I am so sorry about your rat.  However, let me help you overcome some of your fears.

First of all, the tumors are not painful for the rat at all unless they start to drag around and get all infected etc... and they may take months and months to get to the point that they begin to take their toll on her body.  That said, these tumors seem to bother the owner much more than they bother the rat.  Rats usually keep doing their thing no matter if they have a lump hanging off the side of their body or not.

Second, surgery using the right vet is far from stressful on the rat, esp when dealing with tumors. If it were something invasive like spaying, I would say yes, its stressful to recover, but the benefits of spaying are great when done young, and the younger the rat, the faster they recover.

Tumors are so superficial they literally peel off the rats body, leaving no deep incision that if not closed, you cant look in and see organs and muscle and all that jazz.  Just a few deep layers of epidermal tissue cut away, pulled tight for closure and in a few weeks, you would never know it was there. The surgery takes a few minutes, they are up and around right after that, even eating and grooming themselves as if nothing even happened. Its more stressful on the owner, again, just like seeing them have a  tumor the size of a golf ball on them.

If you would like to just have a consultation with a vet that treats rats, I would be happy to give you some names once you tell me where your located. How old is she, by the way? I should have asked that first before I started to babble on and on.

If you decide not to remove the tumor, my website has a step by step on what to expect from the tumor and how you can help her. There are other options but it still means seeing a vet. Some vets use steroids to slow the growth of the tumor down. Others may opt to biopsy the tumor and treat it chemically with tamoxifen, which is used to treat breast cancer in women, or lupron, which is used for benign tumors. Both have success rates, but there are others that claim these methods did nothing to slow the tumors growth.  I have used both with success.

Please check out my website for more information on tumors, which sounds like your girl has a mammary tumor, which is more than likely benign but estrogen fueled which is often seen in rats once estrus has ceased, between 14 and 18 months of age, sometimes older.

http://www.sandyscrittercity.com/allabouttumors.htm

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

QUESTION: i got both my rats in march of 08, but i don't know how old they were when i got them, so I'm guessing two years maybe? i live in Ventura, CA and i have been looking through the yellowpages for a vet, but i don't know if they operate on rats since its Sunday and they are all closed. but what do i need to look for in a vet if they say that they do? also would you happen to know what the rate is of such an operation?
i really appreciate all your help:)

Answer
Let me know if these vets are near you!


Dr. Tania White
Hancock Park Veterinary Clinic    
5178 Wilshire Bd
Los Angeles CA 90036
Phone:    323-936-6952
Website: www.hancockparkah.com


Dr. Ann Welton
San Rogue Pet Hospital    
3034 State Street
Santa Barbara CA 93105
Phone:    805-682-2647
Website:www.sanroguepethospital.com



Dr. Michael Rittenberg
Foothill Pet Hospital    
675 Cieneguitas Rd.
 Santa Barbara CA 93110
Phone:    805-967-0119
Website: www.foothillpethospital.com