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| Has it claimed you? Version 2.1 |
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| Tumors in Pet Rats |
| Sadly, this is more common than you may think. Even Quinn has a tumor. They'll often start small: a lump here, a bump there. "Oh, my rat's just full" you might say (I did.) "Oh just a bit of ruffled fur" you might say (I did). "Gas bubble? Forgettaboutit!" you might say (I did). Then, a couple days later "You've had a while to digest that treat", "That fur is more than ruffled", and "oh man, oh man..." Do not fret! There are treatment options! But first let me lay on you some facts: a lot of female ratties get benign mammary tumors few male rats get tumors, because most tumors are benign mammary tumors benign tumors usually don't feel as attached as malignant ones about 95% of tumors are benign malignant=cancerous, BAD; benign=not so bad Okay, so your rat has a tumor. I'm going to call it a "she/her" now, because it's rare to have a male with a tumor. If you have a good vet, you can go in for surgery. If it's a benign mammary tumor, chances are it won't be attached and surgery will be minor: just a snip, a sew, and you're outta-there! Sometimes more invasive tumors are not so good for surgery (as is the case with Quinn, sadly). It's major surgery, and best if she's a young, happy little gal that can bounce back quickly. If you suspect it to be malignant, tumor may not help as much as you'd like. While she's weak from surgery, if you don't get ALL of the tumor, it could come back, spread to other parts of the body, and be worse than if you'd let it just slowly progress. Also, to both prevent and treat mammary tumors, tamoxifen has been proven to help. In some cases it will get rid of tumors already there, sometimes it will stop growth, sometimes it will slow growth, and very occasionally it will do nothing. Tamoxifen is a substance that blocks the production of estrogen, which fuels mammary tumor growth. What it all comes down to is this: Ask your rattie friends for their opinions, and follow your heart. If Quinn's tumor weren't so attached and she was younger, I'd do it without a second thought. I'd also like to try tamoxifen if it were more available in my area. But if your rat is old and she lived a good life and you cannot treat her, make sure you give her lots of treats, love, and time. You'll be glad you did come time to say good-bye. God bless you. |