Tia has a tumour... (Sad Update)

[theterrierman]

Zara, I'm so sorry you and Tia are going through this right now. I saw the thread title and immediately hoped it wasn't your girl. I can't offer much in the way of advice, but I'm sending some good vibes your way. I hope everything works out as well as it can.

Andy

[Scooter's Mom]

I had a mouse (Shelley) who developed a tumor. I noticed it the day we moved into our new house... it started so tiny but it grew fast. The vet I took her to agreed that she wasn't in any pain, but when she started to show signs of being in pain it would be time to have her put to sleep. She was such a sweet girl. She ended up passing on her own, before she ever showed any signs of being in pain.

Good luck with Tia. I hope and pray she remains pain free and happy for a long time.

Crystal

[Sevaede]

Oh Zara. I don't even know what to say. ***HUGS*** and good vibes for both you and little Tia Maria.

[luckies4me]

In all honesty, given her age and the location of the tumor I wouldn't recommend removing it if it is indeed cancer. At her age she is already a senior, and not to sound mean, but on her last leg. Putting her under anesthesia would be very risky, and I would hate to see you spend all that money for nothing. I have seen it all too many times. We have done so many tumor removals at the clinic I work at and each rat was put down within a couple of months after the surgery, either due to the tumor coming back or more growing in it's place. Fortunately some died during the surgery. IMO it's just cruel to put an older rat through so much when they are on their way out anyway. I don't mean to sound rude, but I want to be honest with you. Tumors in rats grow very very fast (most of the time), and even if it is removed chances are it will just come back, and when they do they grow even faster and are a lot more painful.

Veterinarians do not know much about rats, as when they go to vet school pocket pets are not a large part of the cirriculum (sp?), so please do your research and try to find one that has studied lab animals. I know that you will. You are a very smart girl.

In all the years I have owned rats I have only had one with a tumor, and she was a rescued PEW lab rat that came from the UofO testing facility. It's stories like this that make me stress the importance of buying from a breeder and not buying from a petstore. I have bred rats for close to 10 years and all have lived past the age of 3, sometimes even 5, and none have suffered the horrible things that petshop rats have. Granted, I've owned plenty of petshop rats too (even myself cannot resist letting a cute blue dumbo baby get eaten by a snake) and all have suffered tremendously with Myco and other illnesses. It's a very sad thing.

And on a happier note, not sure where the vet came up with rats not living as long as this is not true. Due to good breeding rats are now living 3 years plus, and not dying of these dreaded diseases, but dying of old age. We are definitely on the road to giving these little guys a better life.

The best you can do is make her comfortable and happy during this time, whether you opt for surgery or decide to let her live out her last days until you know it's time to say goodbye. Offer her plenty of kisses and cuddles and spoil her with yogies.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that the tumor is not cancerous, or that it is simply a sebaceous cyst and we have nothing to worry about. I feel awful for you. Rats just have a way of leaving their tiny pawprints on your heart. They are such amazing little creatures. My prayers are with you and Tia. I know you will do what you see as best, and you have my support either way. Please keep us updated.

[WELOVESPUPPIES]

My son had a pet hairless rat, Molly, when he was little. She was the coolest gal ever. She developed pneumonia and was taken to the vet as it came on so sudden I thought she was dying and wanted to have her PTS while he was in school. She was bleeding from the nose and everything. When I arrived at the vets, full of tears, they checked her out and said it was pneumonia. They could put her down or I could try antibiotics and an injection of steroids. I figured Molly deserved a chance and so did my son to say goodbye. She got better. A few days later she developed a tiny little pea size lump in about the same area as your Tia. I knew what it was and her age was unknown, as we got her as an adult and she was at least 1.5 years, so we were guessing 2-2.5. I did not take her back to the vet as the vet told me when she had pneumonia that their life expectancy is only about 3 years. I did not want to put her through surgery so we watched and waited for any sign of discomfort. The lump grew fairly rapidly. It was about the size of a quarter, but not perfectly round, and I noticed that it was starting to interfere with walking but she still did not appear to be in pain. I had to make the decision to put her down just previous to the holidays(for anyone who has children will understand, I could not bare to have my little boy wake one morning near Christmas and her be gone). It was a very difficult decision to make but that is what we are here for, to love them while we have them but to make the right decision to let them go when we know it is for the best. IMO I would not put her through the surgery. Molly had been a completely happy healthy girl up until the pneumonia and I often wonder if that was cancer to, maybe in her lungs(?). We bought her about 6 months of time after the pneumonia and then she went to the RB. If I have to do it again I would do the same thing(of course considering the age of the rat first). I wish you much luck and hope that Tia just had a benign tumor.

[Babyboonie]

Zara i'm so sorry to hear about beautiful Tia - like many others, my heart sank when I saw the title of this thread.

Did you manage to get to a vet today? I've got my fingers crossed for Tia, but know that whatever you decide is going to be right for her.

Keep us updated. ((((((hugs))))))

[Miss Z]

Thanks everyone for your kind thoughts and words.

Tia went to the vet on Monday as planned, and I phoned my mum as soon as I could that day (I was on a school trip in the Peak District). The vet gave her a check up and confirmed that it's most likely a mammary tumour. He couldn't put his finger on whether it was malignant or benign, but he did say that at the end of the day it doesn't make much difference treatment wise. Apparently, the tumour had swollen quite a bit during the night, and the vet suspects that there is some sort of infection within it, most likely mastitis. She has a week's worth of antibiotic oral solution, and then it's decision time.

I'm doing my best to reach a decision, and like many of you have mentioned, I'm leaning towards her not having the op. I know that I would feel like I sent her to her death if she just didn't survive the anaesthetic. Then again, if I just let the tumour run its course and then braced myself for the final outcome, I wouldn't be able to stop myself thinking that perhaps the op could have helped. One thing I have decided, though, is that if the mastitis is not stopped by her medication and she starts to experience pain, then I will take action. I couldn't leave her to suffer.

In her self, she has been well today, she was a little lethargic yesterday but I think the antibiotics make her a bit drowsy. She really hates the stuff, poor girl. Today we put some honey on the end of the syringe to encourage her to take it (she's now realised what comes out of the syringe and she won't take it for anyone!) and I made a huge fuss of her when she reluctantly gulped down the last mouthful of the medicine.

I have to be straight - whatever happens, it's the beginning of the end. I just have to decide how much I can prolong the end until it becomes unfair for Tia.

I'll take some pics of her this week and post them, I think it's high time you saw her again.

Thanks again everyone, Tia sends heartfelt kisses!