Rabbit tumors?

Question
I have a rabbit that I haven't been able to get into one of my vets yet that all of a sudden started to get bumps around the rib area. It first started out at 2 bumps, 1 on each side but then it keeps increasing so now there are multiple bumps about each of them the size of a dime and raised up about 1/2 a dimes length. The bumps don't seem to be growing in size too much but mostly in number. He is still eating and acting mostly normal, though he seems to be loosing some weight. I know the breeder he came from has had a lot of rabbit babies die in the past, so I was wondering if it could be genetic cancer or tumors. I also noticed a little scab on his lip and he was in a cage with a guinea pig that could of had a pox virus, she had a scab on her lip too and unfortunatly past away before our vet was going to see her the next day. Another thing I've heard of was basal cell tumors? I would just like to know what your opinion is of what it could be possibly? I'm not very hopefull though with how fast it's spreading that it can be cured at the vets although I'm willing to try.  

Answer
Dear Brittany,

Without a biopsy of one of the lesions, it is impossible to know what they are and how to treat them.  They could be fibromas (not likely, given their size), fatty tumors, abscesses, or some type of malignancy.  I hope your vet will sample one of the lumps and send the tissue off for histopathological analysis.  Only then will the vet know how to proceed with treatment.

Good luck,

Dana