My Sparrow has developed an incredibly nasty tumour on her left front leg. I discovered it last Tuesday and in just over a week it has more than doubled its size. When I felt it, I just knew it wasn't operable as it is very attached to the back of the leg and is a big nasty hard ball where you can barely feel where it starts and stops on her leg. I got her in to my vet today to see if there was any options for her, and we really only had 3...
1) remove the tumour (extremely unlikely)
2) remove tumour and front leg with it
3) tumour would've infiltrated the shoulder muscle and be completely inoperable, and I literally would have to have her pts in 3 weeks.
My vet called and because of how fast its growing (I watch it grow day by day) he decided to remove it tomorrow afternoon, after the clinic closes (on his own time). Sparrow will be his and my first rat to have to have a front leg amputated. He said this is a very horrible tumour, and it might have already spread to the bone of the leg.
This girl is a scrapper, tough, not cuddly. She lives to run, and she loves me for letting her do it LOL. If anyone can get through this ordeal (not just the surgery, and recovery but the figuring out how to eat with only 1 front paw, etc.) she is the one!
2 days ago
Good side
Bad side
You can see her paw is limp and the swelling on top of her arm. She actually uses her forearm for balance now because of how the arm is being pushed out by the tumour.
This morning
Tomorrow I will be pacing, watching my cell phone and jumping when it does ring. I will know as soon as I hear my vet's voice.
