Benny has a purple growth on his arm

Hi everyone,

I've posted in here before and it was always very helpful. Thank you guys so much.

My 2 and a half year old male rat, Benny has a growth on his left front arm, near the side/back. He still walks comfortably and doesn't complain if I touch it. It is squishy but it doesn't move around. It seems to be growing, but slowly. Any idea as to what it might be? I've attached 5 pictures.

Thank you!!!:flowers4U:

That looks like an invasive type of tumour. Just keep an eye on it and pray it continues to grow slowly

Sadly that looks a lot like the tumor my boy ace had. We had his leg amputated due to it. We have no idea what kind it was but it wasnt good.

My poor Benny! Thank you for the replies. I'm going to take him to the vet as soon as I can save the funds. I don't think I could bear to see him through the healing process of getting his leg amputated. His brother was put to sleep last year from advanced stage lung cancer. His last days were so painful, I still cry when I remember it. Benny has had a great life full of love and fun. I want it to be that way until the end.

There wasnt any horrible healing for Ace. He was walking aorund that night and he adapted very well. He didnt even apppear to be in pain. sadly we lost him a few weeks ago his arm was removed in March. I have no idea why we lost him it was very unexpected when he did pass.

I had a rat that would develop similar lump on his wrist. I would do around of Baytril and it would totally go away. It came back 3 times and left each time after 2 weeks of baytril. Still don't know what it was though.

Please post and let us know what the vet thinks...
Good luck to your little man.

I had a rat with a similar tumour. I wanted to amputate but my vet wanted to hold off to see if it was a hematoma or something else that would resolve itself. I had the surgery booked when she passed away 9 days after I found the tumour. Get him to the vet quickly and decide what you want to do, you may not have a large window to act.

I have pred and doxycycline from my rat Winston who passed away. None of it is expired. I also have Bayril tablets from one of my cats, but they are 22.7 mg tablets. Benny weighs 2lb 1 oz last time I checked, which was a few months ago.

I am going to try to treat Benny with 8.5 mg of Baytril twice a day by mixing the crushed pill in some baby food.

If the Baytril doesn't do anything, does anyone suggest I try prednisolone? I have enough to give him a dose once a day for a month.

Finally, does anyone know of good rat vets in Chicago? I don't want to waste my money on a vet who has to look everything up online, I could just do that myself. I just moved here from Michigan.

Thanks!

http://www.ratshackforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=29314&highlight=amputation

That was ace's leg. His lump is just like your boys. pm dsptch911 or velo both are from chicago! i have flyers around here somehwere but I think they are downstairs.

TheoBennyWinston said:

I am going to try to treat Benny with 8.5 mg of Baytril twice a day by mixing the crushed pill in some baby food.

If the Baytril doesn't do anything, does anyone suggest I try prednisolone? I have enough to give him a dose once a day for a month.

Finally, does anyone know of good rat vets in Chicago? I don't want to waste my money on a vet who has to look everything up online, I could just do that myself. I just moved here from Michigan.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

Ness Exotic and Wellness Center in Lisle
630-737-1281
1007 Maple Avenue

Ask for Dr. Golan, if she isn't available see Dr. Ness

DO NOT go to MidWest in Elmwood Park they are too expensive and will guilt you into running every test possible.

Any updates on Benny?

Benny has a vet appointment on Monday, so I will update then. Now he has a large tumor on his chest also, but it's not visible, I can just feel it. He also is beginning to get a cataract in his left eye (the same side as the tumors).

I tried the Baytril just in case it was an infection, but since it was in pill form and it was for cats, it was too big for him to swallow whole (I didn't even try) and when I crushed it and put it in baby food it was too bitter so I stopped after less than one dose (he had about two bites). Anyway, I'll update on Monday.

Good luck!

I hope that you can receive some encouraging news at the vets and that they can remove the tumors and/or treat with medications to help slow or shrink them. Sending healing wishes your way.

TheoBennyWinston said:

Benny has a vet appointment on Monday, so I will update then. Now he has a large tumor on his chest also, but it's not visible, I can just feel it. He also is beginning to get a cataract in his left eye (the same side as the tumors).

I tried the Baytril just in case it was an infection, but since it was in pill form and it was for cats, it was too big for him to swallow whole (I didn't even try) and when I crushed it and put it in baby food it was too bitter so I stopped after less than one dose (he had about two bites). Anyway, I'll update on Monday.

Click to expand...

Good luck Benny, which vet did you decide to go to?

Thank you everyone. I went to animal house of Chicago. The cat tested his growths and they are malignant tumors. I'm not going to do any surgery because he has four tumors that I can feel, and he is two and 8 months... Benny is still looking for affection and loves to be held and petted and he loves his free time running around the apartment, but the tumors are growing so fast! :'( The one on his arm (pictured) is already double the size it was when I first posted this thread, and it's much darker in color. Now I have to make the painful decision of when to put him to sleep. My vet said they will allow me to be in the room when he is gassed, but I won't be able to hold him because he'll be put in a box. Also, I don't know if I should wait until he is in pain and discomfort to do it, or do it soon wmsince he is still happy... I just don't want to! :'(

Not the CAT, the vet! Hahaha

I think the right thing to do is to euthanize him soon, but he was my very first rat and he is the most attached to me/me to him. It's just such a hard decision.