what would you do?

[pepperannie]

Well, my one female qwen is just popping with tumors.  It is like every 3rd day I find a new one.  She has one at the side of her peepee, one on her nipple all the way at the top between her front two paws and now 2 on each side down lower.  She is still happy.  She never was one to come out of her cage much just a bit and then she runs back inside.  She is losing her hair and has little scabs on her back and neck.  The vet felt it was her cagemate cleaning her.  I had her at the vet a month ago and she said to watch to see if they grow.  They are not really growing just new ones pop up.
MY PROBLEM is that I leave on Saturday evening for a weeks vacation.  Returning very late on the 26th of August.  My dad goes in for his aortic aneuryism surgery the very next day.  I am worried for Qwen.  I don't want her to suffer and I am afraid they are going to grow really fast now that I am leaving.  Since she is happy and not hindered in movement shall I just continue to love and spoil her or should I consider putting her down before I leave so the rat sitter won't have to make that sort of decision.  Do tumors grow that fast that in a weeks time she will be suffering?  so far they have not grown at a rapid rate just seem to pop up.  I won't be able to get her to a vet until the 28th of August upon my return. 

I am really just looking to see what others would do.  If I would put her down, then her cagemate would be all alone at a strange place due to the rat sitter.  I guess it would be better to keep her around as long as she is not in pain.  I just don't want her suffering.  I am concerned about the hair loss.  Her buddy is fine.  The one vet felt her bad hair was an hormonal issue and maybe because of all the tumors on her mammory glands.  I just don't know.

[Mischief Mistress]

If they just pop up out of nowhere, does that mean they dissappear? Because rats have lymphnodes down by thir genitals. and i know that when I get canker sores, my nodes swell up to no tomorrow, try to fix the cuts on her back to see what happens.

[Pamnangel]

If they haven't been growing fast so far, they're not likely to suddenly start growing faster just because you go on vacation.  As long as they aren't bothering her, I wouldn't worry about them for now.  She'll be fine for a week.

[Bekah]

If they just pop up out of nowhere, does that mean they dissappear? Because rats have lymphnodes down by thir genitals. and i know that when I get canker sores, my nodes swell up to no tomorrow, try to fix the cuts on her back to see what happens.

This.  I freaked out the first time I was feeling for lumps in earnest and discovered my rat's lymph nodes.  I didn't calm down till I had felt them on both sides, and on her sister.  If she's not been feeling well, it could well be that her nodes are a bit swollen from trying to fight an infection or something.

[JR1030]

I'm wondering also if she's got scabby shoulders and back, that sounds like mites.  Any chance you could treat her with Revolution before you leave?  Her cage mate, too.  I don't know what to tell you about the tumors.  I think I agree with the others...if she's not in pain, and she's still getting around and enjoying life, let her be for now.

[pepperannie]

Is there any type of "revolution" kind of medicine you can buy over the counter?  My computer crashed and now I can't access the responses at home so I am trying check at work. 

[JR1030]

I don't think you can get anything over the counter that's safe and effective on rats, but you can order Revolution from Canadavets.com (get the kitten/puppy kind and use on drop on the back of the neck/shoulders).