maybe a sick rat

Question
My rat is 1 and 1/2 years old she has a medium size bump on the left side above the left leg(mammary gland) i have now noticed another, on the same side and location but in the front, her eyes and nose are leaking abnormal amounts of porphyrin and what now has me worried is she has a mucous looking discharge coming from the vaginal area she is a bit over weight but still craves attention and eats well she does not have the same energy as she did a month ago and seems to sleep alot more i'm unsure what to do? is it time to say good bye? I have a 4 yr old and she LOVES her rat i don't want her to watch her friend slowly die can you help me figure out what the right thing to do is. Thanks Tera

Answer
The tumors and the other symptoms may be related or they could be totally unrelated.. I can't tell you for sure. With the vaginal discharge, I would suggest a uterine infection, although it could be due to a number of things.. the porph can be fairly normal for rats as they age.. it really depends on her, and can vary a lot. A year and a half isn't old, I would say she probably has at least another 6 months to a year on her if she is otherwise healthy and happy; and I would recommend taking her to a vet to have her checked out.. although vet care for our little friends is expensive, it'll tell you what you need to know and really guide you in the right direction. There's nothing worse than putting down your pet only to regret it or worry you didn't do enough for her. Regardless, if she has an infection, medication is needed and you can only obtain that through a vet. The tumors can be removed depending on their severity, I've had it done. I hope this helps some. :/ Try to stay positive, she may be just fine!