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Can a cyst on a rabbits chin become a tumour in the throat?

22 9:50:26

Question
Dear Ms. Krempels,

I'd like to begin by thanking you for the amazing work you've done with rabbits. Your articles have helped me so much over the years.

As for my question, I'll start with a little background: A few weeks ago, I had my rabbit euthanized because he never recovered from surgery that removed a huge tumour from his throat (he never started eating again on his own; he was also approximately 12 years old). A question has been weighing on my mind since we found the tumour. I know I could ask my vets this question, and I do plan on talking with them eventually, but right now the idea of contacting them feels kind of traumatic, after all my rabbit and I went through, so I thought I'd ask you instead. I understand of course that you can't tell me anything definite about my rabbit; but, if you could, I'd like to know your opinion about whether what I'm about to ask is even possible.

Last October, I found a small lump on my rabbit's chin. The vet examined it: it wasn't weeping or bloody or anything, my rabbit didn't act particularly sensitive about it when we touched it, and it wasn't attached to the bones or teeth (it was just in the skin). In all other ways, my rabbit seemed just fine. We had a cell sample tested and it came back with no infection, just inflamed skin. The vet wasn't too concerned, but said to keep an eye on it because if it grew it might need to be removed. The vet said maybe a sharp piece of hay jabbed him in the chin, causing inflammation, or maybe an infection that walled off into a cyst. The bump went away within a week and never reappeared and the area was never examined by a vet again (in a specific way, I mean; he had regular vet appointments).

First question: Do you think this bump was a cyst and it became the tumour? They weren't in the exact same place, but pretty close (the bump was under his chin, kind of close to the front; the tumour was in the back of his mouth and down his throat).

Second question: Do you think I caused the cyst (and, therefore, the tumour) by grooming him -- by pulling his fur too roughly? (More background: My rabbit would get small knots on his chin because he drank from a crock and his water was spiked with a tiny amount of plain apple juice, as advised by a vet because he consistently didn't drink enough water; also, he wouldn't use a bottle. I would gently groom the fur under his chin, separate the knots, but once while I was doing this, a week or so before I noticed the lump, my rabbit pulled away from me sharply and a small knot of fur was roughly pulled from his skin. I examined the area at the time and saw no broken skin or bleeding or injury at all.)

Whatever your response, even if you can't give me any answer, I appreciate your taking the time to read my message.

Sincerely,

Nicole

Answer
Dear Nicole,

First, please let me ease your mind about the grooming.  There is close to a ZERO chance that you had anything to do with causing the cyst or tumor by grooming your bunny.  These things happen, and though we all have a tendency to try to find causality (and those of us who are bunny moms always seem to want to blame ourselves somehow), sometimes there's no cause-and-effect link between things like this.

Same with the cyst.  If it was biopsied and came back negative, there's no reason to think it became malignant.  I suppose there is a *remote* chance that if it was caused by a foreign body that it could have migrated and become a larger cyst or abscess.  But this doesn't seem very likely. Only an analysis of the tumor itself would tell us its nature and whether it could be related to the original, small cyst.

I am sorry about the loss of your friend.  If it's any consolation, I know you know that 12 years is a ripe age for a bunny, and that you must be a great bunny mom to have helped him reach that.  He had 12 years of love and spoiling, which is more than most bunnies can even dream of having.  I wish we could control everything about their health and bodies, but we just can't.  All we can do is our best, and you did that for him for all his life.  

I hope you will have only happy memories once the pain has started to fade.

Take care,

Dana