My hairless rats health

Question
Hi, my names is Adrienne Barrios. I have a hairless rat, shes about 2 1/2 years old. She has had alot of health problems in the past, such as blindness, urinary infections, and a sis that was removed. Now she has a large mass, a little bigger than the size of a quarter, on her side. I'm not sure if its cancer or a tumor. But now shes growing another one on the side of her neck. She doesnt seem to be in pain, shes eating, walking, and climbing her cage as if she was younger again. Nothing that concerns me. She sleeps most of the day, so do all my other rats, so I guess thats not a problem. I dont want her to suffer, I dont know if the mass on her neck will block off her breathing ot something. I just dont know what to do. I dont want to put her to sleep because shes not in pain, and I really dont have the money now to pay, and I dont want to waste $400 to take it out and have another problem show up again, or the vet say to me that theres nothing he can do. I also dont want to waste time, Please help me!!!
Thanks!

Answer
Hi

I wont tell you to have them removed as I feel her age and the fact she has not been a healthy rat may put her at risk for surgery.  I will tell you that it can be done though, both tumors can be removed. I doubt they are cancer, but that doesnt mean the tumors wont cause problems.  Chances are the one on her neck will simply dangle down as it gets larger rather than cause problems with her breathing.  

She is an old girl for a hairless rat.  Often they have short life spans than the furred rat mainly because they lack a thymus gland which in turn causes a weaker immune system. How long has she had the mass on her side?

You do NOT have to put her down at all, not as long as she is happy.  Some rats that are blind and cannot walk are still happy to get around the best they can and should still not be put down.  Thats her decision to be honest. Until she stops eating, gets thin and frail and doesnt respond to you or anyone else including her cagemates, I would leave her be.  Keep her warm and well fed and enjoy her.  You can take her to a good exotic vet and see if he would like to try hormone treatment to shrink the tumors, but again, at her age, I would just let her be happy.