tumor in rabbit

Question
We have a lop ear house rabbit (8 1/2) years old.  We have discovered a oval hard tumor (size larger that that of a very large grape)that is hard to move under her right front leg attached to her chest.  I took her to a vet - he said it was a tumor but couldn't tell me anything else but to watch if it grew (therefore malignant) or that he could perform risky surgery and remove it then send it to the lab to find out what type it is.  I am hesitate about a risky surgery (he said because of putting her under) also because of her age.  I think the tumor may be growing.  I don't want her to be in pain.  Not sure where to go from here...  Thanks for any advice.  

Answer
Dear Darlene,

The fact that the mass is not moving with the skin is not a good sign, and it could be a cancer.  I would try to get your bunny to a rabbit-experienced vet:

www.rabbit.org/vets

for a second opinion.  A needle biopsy might be sufficient to determine what type of cancer--if it's cancer--this is, and hence, what your treatment options are.

Radiation therapies can help.  But at this point, we've found that chemotherapy seems to do more harm than good.  The drugs are just not developed for rabbits, and the dosages used are too high to allow control of cancer without really harming the patient.

If she's not acting as if she's in pain, you have a bit of time.  But I would not let this go.  If it's a sarcoma, it could grow quickly and become painful.  And if you catch it early, it's possible that the mass could be removed, and with radiation therapy, she could go into remission.  All of these things should be discussed with a rabbit-savvy vet.

Hope this helps.

Dana