My rat has a tumor!?!?

Question

In the past day or so my rat just developed this lump on his belly. I'm guessing its a tumor but I've never had a rat develop one before. He's not even a year old! Is this normal? Is this costly to fix? Please help!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3052/2638433364_5645d16fb6.jpg?v=0

Answer 1

Jesus, that prolly IS a tumor. My mousie had one on his right side. The vet said he couldn't do anything for him (a*****e). It just grew and grew, and soon enough my mousie couldn't even walk right. You could see he was in pain, and it felt so painful to watch him like that and not being able to do anything for him. Eventually he died. He wasn't a complete year old either. Pretty please go to the vet. Don't wait any longer.

Answer 2

I used to have 2 rats. One day we noticed a lump on one's belly, then the other one got one too. the first one ended up passing within a week, and the other one shortly after. it was so sad and heartbreaking. i suggest seeing a vet as soon as possible to see if hey can do anything.

good luck!

irishdancer195

Answer 3

ik how people say this soooooo many times at yahoo but go to the vets and ask them what to do, if he needs an operation, do it, i would for my rats no matter if it costs three billion pounds! thats how much i love them!

Answer 4

That looks like a tumor. Go to the vet! Tumor removal surgeries are pretty simple but can cost up to 300 dollars. I would do it, especially with a rat that young. He still has a long life ahead of him. I discovered a tumor on my rat and she passed away just 3 weeks later. Of course she was much older.

First off, check to see if its canceroud. Usually, if its cancer it will feel hard and attached. Benign tumors (noncancerous) are usually softer and can be sort of moved around under the skin. If its benign it will be a lot easier to remove.

Answer 5

I had a female rat that developed a tumor.  She was fine for a while and then it got too big for her to walk (and she was really old).  I eventually realized that she was unhappy and it was hard to see her that way and I took her to the vet to be euthanized.  It was a difficult decision, but humane.  Good luck with this situation, I hope it is something else, but rats are prone to tumors.

Answer 6

hmmmm....only a year? it's common for rodents such as rats and mice to develop this type of growth.

it actually looks like a girl, but thats from the angle.

it could be just an awkward growth. if you are extremly worried, take him in. if you arn't, then let it grow, and if it gets bigger, then you have yourself a tumor. if it gos away, don't worry...yet...

if you want it removed, surgery is very risky and often results in the death of a small rodent. but it can be fine too, but not all the time.

wait it out. see what happens to the lump.

good luck

Answer 7

My neighbors rat also has a tomur on its belly

Answer 8

Either a very large abscess, a cyst, or a tumor. Definitely get him in to the vet. A small animal vet should be able to treat it if it's an abscess or remove it if it's a cyst or tumor.

If he passes, you certainly should get his cagemate another male friend so he isn't lonely. If introduced slowly and gradually on neutral ground, it shouldn't be a concern with them fighting. Plenty of people introduce new cagemates to males successfully.

But we'll worry about the best way to do that if this little guy doesn't make it. Right now, I don't see why he wouldn't if treated by an experienced small animal vet.

Answer 9

That is a mammary tumor and will just get worse. They usually are not life-threatening, but are very uncomfortable. The best way to help her is to have her spayed. This will cure this tumor and prevent all future tumors.

Good luck!

Answer 10

it could very well be a tumor, since rats are very prone to them.

i have a question for you though:  Do you use wood shavings for bedding?

if so, have your vet check to see if the lump is an absess or infection (same thing essenscially).  This happened to one of my rats:  i used pine shavings for bedding, but apparently, a sliver of wood went into his neck, causing an infection/absess.  This happened when he was barely a year old, and i was telling myself that it couldnt be a tumor at so young an age.  But it sure felt like one.  A couple of days after discovering the lump, it dissapeared, but in place of it, was a big ugly, rotten flesh looking scab, and all the fur around it was falling out.  What happened was the absess burst, and it smelled like rotting flesh and it was all pus filled, and yuck.  I had to take my ratty in ASAP since he could've died within the day if i didnt take him in to the vet and got the 'scab' removed, and the area cleaned and bandaged, and he was on 2 different types of antibiotics for 2 weeks.  But he is alive today, and he's 5 years old!!!!!!  (yeah, he's an old f**t now, and amazingly yet unfortunately, he did devolope only 1 tumor recently, on his belly.  A vet recently cheked him out, and took x-rays, and found only that one tumor.  At least he's lived a very pampered life, and he is much loved, and will be greatly missed when he does pass on.)

either way, take him to your vet, and if you do use wood shavings, ask your vet about the absess thing i told you bout.  Compared to a tumor, that is the best case scenario.