what kind of lump?

[Courtney]

(sorry for the long post but i guess the more info the better)

my girl cleo seems to have developed a lump between her legs on the left side (right where you'd expect an ovary to be located).

Cleo is 20 months old and has always had very poor health (reoccuring myco infections and a cateract, to name a few) but is such a wonderful girl.  last night i was taking her out for some cuddles and while scratching her big ratty belly i noticed the lump.  it's about the size of a marble and is purple/red-ish in colour.  it's very hard and there aren't any scabs around it.  she lives in extremly clean conditions (i clean their cage even more frequently than i usually do because her cage mate is being treated at the moment for vaginal bleeding, myco), there aren't any sharp areas in the cage, and cleo and isabelle (the cage mate) get along wonderfully, i've never seen them have even a little tiff.  also, while examining the lump i noticed that her vaginal area is very blue in colour.  when isabelle was at the vet for her bleeding the vet also mentioned that she was blue in that area too.  what could this mean?

i have no idea if it's a tumor or abcess (i've been lucky enough to not have experience with either).  once i noticed the lump i have been treating it like an abcess by having her sit on a water bottle full of hot water and covered with a wet wash cloth.  she's such a good girl, she just sits there and doesn't seem to mind at all.  i did this yesterday for 15 minutes and today twice a day for 15 minutes per time.  

so i'm obviously wondering if it's an abcess or tumor.  and i also want to know that if it is an abcess how soon should i see the "head" appear? and what does the blue vaginal area usually indicate?

i would usually just want to just to treat this at home as much as i can but after noticing the blue colouring i think i'll be calling the vet on monday.  does anyone have any ideas on what all of this could be, and is there anything i can do until monday?  should i continue to do warm compresses?

thank you all! (and sorry if my post is a big jumbled)

[killersmom]

I would take her to the vet to be sure.  I just took my rattie killer in, and she has surgery 3 days ago to remove mamory tumors.  A rats mammory glands run from the neck to the groin.  So, it would be very hard to determine without the vet.  Killers tumor was the size of a marble when I had it removed.  It was not so hard, and it moved around when touched (side to side...stayed in the area it was located, but not solidly staying in one spot)  It also didnt seem to bother her to touch it.  An indication the vet said it was a mammory tumor rather then absess.

However, being in the general area you say, I would definately have the vets check it out...  Well wishes to you and your little rattie  

[Pillowy]

I would also recommend for your to take your ratty to the vet. I've never had a rat with a tumor, but my sister once had a female hamster that developed quite a big one.

Also, female rats are more likely than males to develop tumors.