Poor Hestia-couple of videos added...stubborn happy gal :'(

The Rat Shack Forum

Help Support The Rat Shack Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

lilspaz68

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2007
Messages
24,427
Location
Toronto, Canada, Earth
Hestia my 25 month old girl who has the spinal nerve degeneration going on also has to contend with 2 small mammary tumours. One is inguinal and the other is typical mammary tumour by the armpit. Both are growing slowly and are not large and don't seem to be causing any problems. Until now of course. A couple of weeks ago I noticed that when I parted Hestia's thickish velveteen fur on her lump that the skin was very dark. A couple of days ago I noticed a thickening in the skin. Last night I found her bleeding from a rupture on the side (not the bottom). I cleaned her up, used betadine and started her on baytril. There is no smell of infection at all. This morning I pulled her out and it had bled badly overnight. :( She has a thick scab clumping her fur together, and I am not sure if I should try to soften the scab like I would an abscess or leave it alone? I would think it would start to bleed again and that would definitely be bad.
This is one squirmy gal, she's sweet but she has much much better things to do then be held or patted!!! :roll:
I am going to keep her on the baytril for infection and maybe a titch of metacam for discomfort.

Has anyone dealt with this? What was the outcome or is this just the beginning of the end for my Lone Wolf? :cry:

last night
Hestiatumourruptured.jpg

Hestiatumourrupturedwet.jpg

Hestiatumourrupturedwet2.jpg


this morning
Hestiatumournextday.jpg

Hestiatumournextday2.jpg
 
Aww, poor girl. It seems she is a tough cookie. I hope you can figure out what to do to help her a bit more than you already have.
 
This is too weird... almost like my Isabelle? But for Isabelle, definitely not a mammary tumour. She had what we all thought (vet included) was a fibrosarcoma. It started in her armpit but also seemed attached to her elbow. One day I felt a scab on it and I decided to hot compress it. It popped, some blood and other gunky came out. I put her on Baytril and kept up with opening the scab and squeezing everything out. It never smelled bad either. The stuff coming out was not typical of an abscess either.
Today, the lump is gone and there's just a small scab that remains.
If I were you, I think I would try to gently open a small hole in the scab, do a gentle squeeze to see what comes out? If there's gunky that comes out easily then squeeze a little more.
 
jorats said:
This is too weird... almost like my Isabelle? But for Isabelle, definitely not a mammary tumour. She had what we all thought (vet included) was a fibrosarcoma. It started in her armpit but also seemed attached to her elbow. One day I felt a scab on it and I decided to hot compress it. It popped, some blood and other gunky came out. I put her on Baytril and kept up with opening the scab and squeezing everything out. It never smelled bad either. The stuff coming out was not typical of an abscess either.
Today, the lump is gone and there's just a small scab that remains.
If I were you, I think I would try to gently open a small hole in the scab, do a gentle squeeze to see what comes out? If there's gunky that comes out easily then squeeze a little more.

There was no gunk last night, but maybe she cleaned it out already before I found her?

I could try that I guess. I am just soo frightened of making her bleed and not being able to stop it. :(
 
Oh ya, that's a good point. If she does start to bleed, you would need to apply lots of pressure. Mmm, this is a touch one. Maybe leave it alone for now?
 
Ya I think I agree with Jorats on this one. If you feel ok with it then try to open up just a touch of it and see if anything comes out. But if you don't feel safe trying that then just leave it alone and keep it clean. Maybe neosporin on it?

Staci
 
lilspaz68 said:
This is one squirmy gal, she's sweet but she has much much better things to do then be held or patted!!!

HAHA this is like Hazel, always on the go.

Aw sorry to hear about that. I hope she gets better.
 
Oh I'm sorry to see Hestia having this problem, I don't have any other suggestions, except maybe to query it with your wonderful vet. Lots of gentle cuddles with your girl........if she'll let you, of course :wink2:
 
Shelley said:
Aw, poor Hestia :( How is she doing today?

Bright eyed. :roll: No smell of infection. She's trying to take care of if herself, so it alway has a bit of blood on it when she's awake. She got her metacam and baytril this morning *gag*, but she liked the PB yogies afterwards (only for the super difficult beasties ;)). Then she went for a toddle around the room like usual. When I caught her teasing the Wildthings outside their cage quite awhile later I put her back. She's sleeping in her hammie right now. :heart:

Thanks for asking! :D
 
Hestia's still hanging in there. Sadly she is constantly licking/chewing on her "scab" now. She's eating and drinking and loves to toddle around on the floor and harrass the other rats from the outside of their cage if I leave the door open...she wasn't called Hestia the Wolf for just any reason. :lol3:

Still no smell of infection although it does smell a bit different...dried blood maybe?
I am watching for any signs that she has had enough, but so far, nope. :roll:
 
Aww! Glad to hear poor widdle Hestia is still hanging in there. I'm sure she is chewing on the scab for a reason. And rats are amazing at knowing just how to heal themselves some times. Kisses to the naughty girl! I can just picture her toddling around your room and the wheels turning in her head..."Hmm who can I pester today?" "Ooo look at that cage...That silly rat fogot to keep its tail inside the cage!" "It's all mine!"

Heehehehehehe!

Staci
 
LOL @ Staci.....

Well I know when I have scabs they get itchy. Maybe the same reason.

She's got a strong character that one. Glad to here she's a little better. Good Luck.
 
Back
Top