lump behind rabbits neck

Question
QUESTION: Today when I caddle him to grooming, I
can feel that on the left side on the neck, there is a marble like
lump.
It is not prominent at his sitting position. But when at the craddling
position, the lump can be felt by the index finger.  It feels like a
marble, round and will move around when I use my finger to press around
it.  

Will be bringing him to the vet but meanwhile what is your professional
advice?

Please advise if this is cancer?  

pls advise asap

ANSWER: Hi Angela,

without a vet to diagnose it, nobody can be certain as to what it is exactly.

It could be a number of things - an abscess, an accumulation of fat, a tumor, a larvae.  You need to get him to the vet in order to have this properly diagnosed, so that he can get effective treatment for whatever it is.

Lee

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

QUESTION: today I brought my rabbit to see a few vets...all told me different things.  one said it is a fatty tumor, one said is a swell lymph nodes, one told me to KIV if it gets bigger than need operation and the 4th one said she doesn't find anything suspicions.  

I am very sure that there is a lump rolling about on my rabbit's left shoulder.  But at the clinics, I just could not locate it, maybe I was nervous.  but when I got home, i found it rite away....

Is it a good approach to "watch and see"?  I mean, wouldn't it be better if such lumps are picked up earlier and better chance of recovery?  Why wait till it gets bigger?  I am rather frustrated with the vets here really; they don't really understand rabbits.

is there a remedy u can advise if it is a fatty tumor?  thks  

Answer
Hi,

well, as long as he appears otherwise healthy, a wait-and-see approach may be okay. With rabbits, you really don't want to do surgery if it isn't required.  They are much touchier under the gas and if your vets aren't regular rabbit vets with excellent success rates for operations, he could easily die on the table.  If it's not for something that requires surgery, he's dead for no good reason.

I'd monitor his health.  As long as his energy remains normal, his appetite stays normal, and he's active and otherwise happy and normal, it could be okay for now.  I'd monitor the lump.  If it's just a fatty lump the body may re-absorb it.  There really is nothing you can do.  I would not advise squeezing it in the off-chance it is a bot fly larvae, which would release toxins into your rabbit and really put him in serious trouble.  If you can inspect your rabbit's body and see if there is an open little hole/wound somewhere (bot fly larvae need oxygen) that would confirm a bot fly larvae.  Don't attempt to remove or crush.  The vet would need to remove it surgically so that pieces/toxins aren't left in your rabbit.

Otherwise, if it gets bigger, then I'd take him back.  If his health noticeably takes a downturn, and/or he's lethargic, or not eating, I'd get him back in.  

Lee