Wanda's tumors *ucky photo warning*

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Fidget

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2007
Messages
3,339
Location
Victoria BC
Wanda came April 17 and had increasingly frequent bleeding episodes from the very day she came. July 22 she bled a lot so I took her to the emergency vet who couldn't tell me if it was vaginal or from her pee place. She was given antibiotics. My vet gave her pain meds later. August 7 was her last bleeding, it stopped then just after I had found a swelling on her groin.

She had had a tumor removed before she came to me and didn't heal easily, she almost died. The rescue place said they would not do any more operations on her. Tumors have run rampant in the others she came in with.

I had expected her to die before this, but she hangs on. She is less active but still goes often from cage to cage (they have 2, and it requires climbing) Bright-eyed, no porphyrin, eating well, not showing pain like she did during bleeding episodes (lying flat out). I'm amazed as I believe she is full of tumors and that is what is affecting her belly. I do have pain meds that I am ready to give her if she shows she needs it.

Ok. The swelling has grown, she has got another bump under her neck, one under her left arm and I just found one under her right arm. Her belly has become increasing swollen and hard. I have been bathing her since Sept 10 as she is not keeping herself clean at her rear end. The bump has become gradually purple over the last week. Sept 12 it opened (on the right side in the picture,and if her fur looks ucky ith would be because I'd just bathed her). I started antibiotics and gaver her pain meds:
Wandaowie070912pm9151.jpg


Sept 13 - look like infection
Wandaowie070913am9221.jpg


Today - Sept 14 looks cleaner, but my god, is it ok for her to have that stuff exposed?..
Wandaowie070914amafterbath2.jpg


Her belly today. Not a good pic, I had to aim the camera and hope for the best when I couldn'l look thru the viewfinder - but you can see the huge swellings on both sides, that is not fat, it is feels hard and lumpy in places.:
Wandabelly070914.jpg


There is no point in the vet. Or do you think there is? She is older with a bad family history and a did not fare well in former surgery. She came with the understanding she would just live well til she died. She is chock-full of tumors and terminal. I have antibiotics & pain meds.

My point to posting -
This huge hard belly, especially on her right (left in the picture) - am I being cruel to not help her go yet?
The wound - I think it looks better (I've been flushing with saline) but wonder if I should even be putting her thru this when she has so much else inside?
This belly is hard on the sides. And with the many other small tumors that are visible outside - but her eating well and not acting sick or in pain....

Should I be helping her go or is it still right to just try to make her life good and comfortable? Is there any reason I should take her to the vet since I have the meds already?

My Wanda:
August
070802Wanda1.jpg


Yesterday
070913Wanda.jpg
 
Oh dear. :( I'm sorry, Fidget.
It sounds like you are doing everything you can to keep her happy and comfortable.
Unless anyone can think of something a vet could do for her besides what you are already providing for her, I think your decision on wether or not to let her go should be based on what you are comfortable with. Some people like to wait until the suffering exceeds quality of life. I personally prefer to let my pets go before they begin to really suffer, if I know their condition is terminal.
She has lived longer than you expected. You should be proud of yourself for giving her a last few good months, and whatever your decision, it will surely be the right one.
((Hugs)), and take care. :rose:
 
Wow that looks like Hestia's tumour that wanted to come out. Sadly within a few days the infection set in even though she was on baytril.

If you have metacam at home, I would try her with a low dose and see if you notice a change in her personality. A relaxation of an inner tension, something in her eyes, etc. She may just be enduring pain cheerfully. If so then you could keep her on pain meds until the end. Sniff that ugly open tumour all the time smelling for the first sign of infection, then rush her in and let her go. :(

I am soo sorry Fidget, its a horrible situation to be in. Have you snuck into the room to observe how she acts when you are not there? Does she look miserable then? If not, then keep going, make sure she is on baytril for infection, and enjoy the time you have left.

((hugs))
 
Oh Fidget... I'm so sorry. Even though we knew Wanda was like this, it's still so hard to see it. :(
The open wound, looks clean and it's walled off from her "insides" so no need to worry too much about that one.
The hard mass is the one to worry about.
And like the rest have already said, you will know when the time has come for her to go. But if she doesn't show too much discomfort or pain, I see no reason to have her pts prematurely.
I'm sure you already knew all this and you are really looking for our support here... you are doing right by Wanda. :grouphug2:
 
Oh Fidget, I'm so sorry. Poor Wanda, poor you. All I can say is Summer did not show signs of pain either, but she had no bone structure left in that side of her face. And the vet said she must have been in awful pain. I know that doesn't help much, but I will always wonder.
 
Thankyou all, I really do need the input.
Yeah Jo, I guess I do need support, I'm in turmoil, that's why I want other's clearer (not emotionally involved) opinions of what they would do for her at this point.

lilspaz, she's getting baytril & novo-trimel. She smelled just before it opened, (so I started bathing her (and after, - you can see infection in Sept 13 photo - but it seems clean now.
She really is not acting sick, no off-kilter walk, no stretching out, pooping & peeing normally, no porphyrin even.

I usually know when it's time, I usually see some sign they feel in distress or are tired in a big way. I've never put one down who was acting so normal, with her acting ok and eating heartily and still being interactive it seems wrong to take her life.

But my worry is exactly like you said Mamarat, that there is more going on inside with that hard swollen middle than all the outside tumors and is it cruel to keep her going when she's terminal and logic says she must be suffering? Normally I'd wait for a sign, but I'm afraid with Wanda as she is.
Like you ratamataz, I'd prefer to not make her endure suffering when there is no healing possible.
 
One of our first rats had a tumor like Wanda. It stayed clean until one day...That was when we decided to help her to Rainbow Bridge. If things are good enjoy the time.

Ann
 
Ok, nobody's gonna say let her live or put her down.
Thankyou moon & LA. But especially raindrop for sharing your experience.
 
Fidget said:
Ok, nobody's gonna say let her live or put her down.
In the end, it is your decision. We know you take exceptional care of your ratties and we are comfortable that you will know when.
 
Fidget, I am really sorry you are going through such a dilema. I understand how you must feel. I have been in this situation before and I am again, right now. I have 2 girls, GG & Ruby that have large mammary tumors. Ruby has a tumor on the abdomen off to the side a bit, but her belly is quite large and I can now start to see around the nipple area where it is starting to turn a light purplish color. So I guess it may be a matter of time that the tumor bursts. That 's what I'm concerned about. My girl too, is eating & drinking and jumping up the ramps, ect. It's hard to really know when they should be pts. I'm holding off. I had to male PEW's and one named Stewart had an abcess in the abdomen that eventually got so infected I had no choice but to put him to sleep. His cagemate Squeek also had a tumor. It is true when they say "you will know when it's time." Hugs to ya. I'll write again, getting late now.
Julie
 
Damn damn tumors, eh?
lil,spaz, this is the first burst tumor I've ever encountered, did the wounds heal on your girls? Are they still with you? Wanda's doesn't seem worse but doesn't seem to be any more healed than the picture on the 14th.

jujubeespmud, Wanda's turned purple too before it opened, do you think Ruby only has the one or do you think her swollen belly indicates more? I hope both your girls will be ok and Ruby will heal better when it opens than Wanda is doing -
Wanda is not fat in the least, both side-swellings here are hard ill-defined lumps so I expect she is full of tumors and that is why her wound is not healing better:
Wandabelly0709181a-1.jpg


She is still eating fine, but is not going between cages as she was before, however I notice she has a helluva time getting thru the small door in the small cage she likes to be in. Her sisters spend a lot of time with her there tho so that is ok.
She has started to breathe heavily, no noise and she does not seem to have trouble getting air, but you can see her whole body moving when she breathes. I guess the tumors are affecting her lungs or heart. I was up with her all last night, I wish she'd just drift off to sleep forever :cry:

Would prednisone be any help to her comfort at this point or would it just draw things out cruelly?
 
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