A Question about Tumors

Alright so, one of my ratties has had a couple tumors for a few months now. Our trips to the vet ended in the conclusion that she was best to live out her life for as long as she could.

I've noticed recently that the tumor near her back leg is getting uncomfortably large. She still eats like a pig, and her mobility, while a little challenged, is not all effected. She seems to be just as content to live as she always has been.

My question/worry is about the size of them. The back one is about the size of a golf ball, while the one near her front leg is roughly the size of a shooter marble (maybe a little bit bigger).

Do tumors run the risk of bursting? Am I going to wake up one morning to find that my baby has painfully bled out over night? Should I be thinking about saying goodbye soon?

If you have the means, it would be nice to remove them. Eventually the skin will rupture over the tumor, or the inside of the tumor will become necrotic and she will get an infection. It is terribly sad to say goodbye to an otherwise bright and sweet rat just because of a couple of lousy tumors.

I agree with Joanne. If you can afford it, remove them is best but not everyone can afford it unfortunately.
But some rats can live a long time with tumours. Some grow very slow or has a burst of growth and then stops for a while. You will have to take it day by day.

How old is your rattie with the tumors? Why did your trip to the vet end in the conclusion not to remove the tumors? I agree with Jorats and Joanne----removing tumors is the best way to go. Generally it's a surgery that's very safe and easy and rats recover from it quite well. This is why I'm wondering if there are other conditions your rat has that prevent her from having the surgery.