my other rat

[mustang_grl143]

I posted last week upset because I found a lump on my rat and I took it to the vet well noe I found one on my other rat it is just really strange it is in the same spot. Oh my poor babys  I guess I only get a few more monthes with both of them

[Nellybird]

What did the vet say? If they're girls and it's a mammary tumor, it's easily operable.

[Suebee]

I've had rats live for a very long time with benign mammary tumors. My first, Nicodemus, had a tumor on his left hind leg for over a year and a half. He lived to be about 2.5 years old (I never knew his birthday).

Currently, Rimmer is sporting some extra baggage in the same place, and he's doing fine at 2 years, 8 months. I discovered the lump at grape-siz about 8 months ago. Now it's about the size of a tangerine. He's still eating great, and though he waddles a little to compensate for the lump, he's doing way better than Nicky ever did with his lump.

Where are the lumps located on your rats? Though benign mammary tumors are easily operable, they often regrow rather quickly, so depending on the location, you may be able to leave them alone.

[ratchick24]

yes, i once had a female rattie with a mammary tumor on her tummy, and she lived for a year and a half after i noticed it at cranberry size....it grew to peach sized, then she finally left me at 2 and a half.....she was such a sweetie.....

[Jodi]

It's also possible you are dealing with a cyst. I've had some ratties develop cysts that required veterinary care (one had ruptured, drained, and the skin necrotized very rapidly. The vet debrided the dead skin and closed up the wound with skin glue, and provided a course of antibiotics), others I've managed to drain, clean out, and treat myself successfully, and even a couple of lumps that disappeared on their own (the rats were on Baytril for resp. symptoms anyway... I believe these lumps were probably small cysts or perhaps swollen glands (?) that simply abated on their own with the antibiotic treatment).

Don't worry, Honey... get the lumps checked by a good, qualified vet who knows and cares about ratties. Whether the lumps are cysts, tumors, or something else, it's entirely likely they can be successfully removed/treated and that your ratties will be just fine!