Rat bulge, please help!!?

Question

My rat has a large, round bulge between her tummy and her tail. I think it could be a tumor. It's very akward when the rat walks. Also, the rats eye is a little pink latley.

It's kind of scary because she was never like this before. Does anyone know what could of happened, or has seen this on their pet before?

THANKS!

Answer 1

Yes, your right, it may be a tumour. To get the proper diagnosis, you best option is the go to the vet to get her checked out. Sadly, tumours are very common in rats and cannot be curred. They can be both be painful and cause discomfort.

Benign are generally harmless, being quite soft to touch. It is possible to put one`s finger around the tumour and touch the fingers together, as the tumour will not be attached to any underlying bodily tissues. Benign tumours can, however, grow very large and painful if untreated. The tumour can be surgically removedby a vet and, on most occasions, the rat will make a full recovery. However, having suffered from a tumour once, it is quite possible that a rat will develop further tumours. If the rat is elderly, it is kindest not to subject stressful surgery. If the tumours cause it discomfort, it may be kindest to have it put to sleep.

Maglignant tumours are faster growing than benign tumours. They are hard to touch and are attached to underlying bodily tissues. They can occur basically anywhere on a afflicted rat, the most common areas being the flanks, stomach, throat and under the armpits. They are, of course, cancerous and have a terrible debilitating effect on the rat. There is no kindness in having such tumour removed, as the cancer will spread and will have already affected other parts of the rat`s body anyway. The rat will suffer a good deal of discmfort, so it is best to have it put to sleep. Quite often, tumours are genetic origin, so if you have a bloodline that is prone to tumour, it is best to discontinue the line.

I am very sorry about you rat! It could be something else like an abcess if the rats have been fighting, but I am quite sure it must be a tumour. However I still advise you see your vet. Do not worry, rats can still live along time even with tumours. Good luck!