Huge round lump on Daisy's neck/chest area

Hi everyone! My rat Daisy will be 2 years old in July and she has been spayed. About 4 weeks ago a round lump appeared overnight on Daisy's neck. I've been waiting it out hoping it's an abscess. For the past few days I've been putting her on a hot water bottle as a compress, and the lump has gotten bigger. It's not hard but it's not necessarily squishy either, it feels a lot like a grape, firm... The lump moves around A LOT under the skin - I can move it pretty far to either side of her neck, lower to her chest and up to her face, it doesn't seem to be attached to anything deep inside... She doesn't seem like she is in pain but I'm afraid it will affect her ability to move around if it gets any bigger...

Is this a tumor or an abscess? Can an abscess get this big??? I would really appreciate any help from someone who has experience identifying. Freaking out cuz I love my honey and the vet in NYC is super expensive The visit alone is $115, and if she needs meds & surgery it could easily be an additional $350 or more...

Thank you all xo

It could be a mammary tumour. It is good to hear it is mobile - that is better for removal.
The easiest way to tell is to have the vet do a Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA). They will draw out some cells and can look at them under the microscope right there. And it will be obvious if it is full of pus. If it were an abscess, it should have come to a head and drained by now.

Thanks so much for your help. I went to see Dr. Gaydos in Vernon NJ and he was awesome. He's pretty sure it's a mammary tumor-- sucks that she still got one even though she's spayed-- but he's pretty confident he can remove it, the only concern we have is the anesthesia but I am very hopeful. He couldn't do the surgery today so we are going back on Tuesday. I'll update everyone then!!

THat's great!!!
She will be fine until Tuesday for sure, and because she is spayed, there is very little chance of the tumor returning once removed. As long as the doctor uses GAS anesthesia, and she has no heart/respiratory problems, everything should be a-okay.

Have you asked your doctor about pain management and stitches afterward?
He sounds knowledgable but you never know until you ask!

Good luck with the surgery! I hope everything goes smoothly.

Please see this thread on things to discuss before surgery
http://www.ratshackforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7691

It is essential that only GAS anesthesia be given (injectable anesthesia usually kills rats)
and that pain meds are given AFTER surgery

Hi everybody!! Thank you so much for all your help and advice!

GREAT news update - Daisy had the tumor removed quickly & easily by Dr. Gaydos this morning Also, she had another small lump on her side that felt super grainy and I was convinced it was a cyst but that turned out to be a tumor too! He removed them both for only $150 total! And apparently just as he finished the last suture, Daisy woke up and jumped right into her carrier!!! So she is feeling pretty good even after having tumor removals and one in a particularly tricky spot, the neck. For a while she wasn't touching solid food but she was happily consuming yogurt, ricotta cheese & soy milk. Now about 8 hours later she is still a bit sluggish, funky and bloody but she's eating her regular solid food and on the mend. Not to mention, the procedures cost at least 1/10th of the price I would have been charged at Avian & Exotic Vets in Manhattan... For two tumors, I'm sure the price would have doubled.

If people are interested in seeing pics of her sutures let me know, they are kinda gross/scary but I know sometimes a reference can help people make sure everything is normal with their own ratty.

Daisy's best friend Pepper is being very helpful and snuggly while Daisy is healing

Wonderful news !

I'm so glad things went well for your girl. Fast healing Daisy!