Another girl with PT! is it something I'm doing?

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DrEllie

Active Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2013
Messages
40
Location
Pickering, Ontario, Canada
Hi all,
I have another girl with PT, I lost 2 girls last month one to a very fast Progressing PT. Now our girl whose on the younger side of 2 has what I'm pretty certain is a PT. We will be going to the vet tommorow to try and treat it. I'm starting to feel like it's my fault...like I'm exposing them to something. We didn't have them spayed, and I know that can be a huge contributor. Is this normal, to have them all get tumors so close together...and they both seem to be quick onset and fast progression?
 
We had 5 here just last week, 3 had died. I currently have a boy and a girl with PT right now, both siblings from different litters. I think it is genes not what you are doing but it sucks either way. I thought my vet was going to think i was mad with saying how many we had with pt at the moment but he didnt.
 
Not to be insensitive...But I have a question if someone doesn't mind answering. What is PT?
i'm so sorry to ask a question on your post. And I don't want to take and helpful answers away from you.
 
rats en folie said:
Not to be insensitive...But I have a question if someone doesn't mind answering. What is PT?
i'm so sorry to ask a question on your post. And I don't want to take and helpful answers away from you.
Click to expand...

Pituitary tumor


Are you rats related? It is hereditary - I lost a father and three of his sons to it.
 
dspch911 said:
Pituitary tumor


Are you rats related? It is hereditary - I lost a father and three of his sons to it.
Click to expand...

No, none are related. 1 was a feeder, and two others were from a rescue originally from different places. That's why I was asking, the "coincidence" is killing me. I have 3 young ones that all came from the same litter, here's hoping it doesn't run in there genes too .
 
hopefloats said:
We had 5 here just last week, 3 had died. I currently have a boy and a girl with PT right now, both siblings from different litters. I think it is genes not what you are doing but it sucks either way. I thought my vet was going to think i was mad with saying how many we had with pt at the moment but he didnt.
Click to expand...


Thanks for your reply hopefloats. I'm sorry for you loss, poor little babes. It helps me to know that this is fairly common, at least it's nothing I'm directly doing. My 3 girls were the first I've ever had and though I had heard of tumor growth I didn't realize it was almost imminent as they aged. Did you spay or neuter? Right now were trying to figure out if spaying our three youngest will stop this, or if its going to happen regardless of what we do.
 
rats en folie said:
Not to be insensitive...But I have a question if someone doesn't mind answering. What is PT?
i'm so sorry to ask a question on your post. And I don't want to take and helpful answers away from you.
Click to expand...

No worries it's not insensitive, I didn't really know until one of my babies got it. Better to ask questions and be in the know than be caught of guard
 
Spaying can definitely reduce the incidence of PT for sure, so its a good way to go for your young'un's.

its possible that the genetics in your area run to PT...which just plain sucks. Most rats feeders and petstore are often from the same mill or BYB or they are all related somewhat in an area.
 
We are a rescue so spaying isnt always an option we try to spay them but funds get eaten by tumor removals. Zeus was intact, turtle was spayed but she was handicapped and had curved spine, mable was intact, Gloria was intact, Geogoria was intact, Irish neuter maled related to turtle, Maggie intact female related to Irish and turtle. We havent had any real spayed females develop it. We have went all these years with no pt, then we hd all these cases since March of this year. it has been non stop. I beat myself up tryign to figure out what I was doing. Sadlly it is the genes..
 
So very sorry to read about the PTs you have been dealing with, with your babies.

My :heart: rat & I fought her PT for about 5 months before it took her life.
Also one of her daughters passed away from the same - but they both went through it differently. I still have 6 of her babies , now approaching the 2 year mark. One of her sons Luke & his sister Sarah are each having a mammary tumor removed on 12/26 .
 
If you can afford it- Ive had great success treating PT with cabergoline dosed daily - gotten from 9 -22 months with this drug -
I place all my females 2 or older on it as well any anyone who gets a tumor . the one that got 22 months on it - passed away of nature causes at around 5 yrs of age
i strongly believe that daily dosing is key- as a starting dose w . just took the 0.6mg /kg dose and divided it in 3.
so 0.2mg/kg daily . if at any point symtpms return we double the dose- and remssion happens-
like they treat PT in people - often the tumor starts to get immune to the drug - raising the dose is done-
its an extremely safe drug . Which is why my vet ( he's a ways away- but after seeing each of my rats once) he has no issue w/ calling in the cabergoline RX when ever I say I need it . I get it compounded from Diamonback drugs in AZ- they seem to be the cheapest . We get 2 rats worth of 3 months medication at a time.
I took have found it to be genetic, as we got almost all our rats via rescue or animal control- ive dealt with this alot !
in fact the only ones that havent gotten PT were 2 we had spayed at 4 weeks old and 2 we got from a very ethical breeder in VA. - we also had them spayed early .
before that we were spaying but all the rats were older when we got them. our first 2 we didnt spay on the advice of a vet that didn't know any better -


I will only get babies now- spay them asap and ones that I know have good genes .
The vet that has the most exp treating this in MD is Dr Rhody in Laurel - Dr Hutchison in PA is excellent as well.

Hoping that those who can, do try this safe effective treatment .
OH - make sure that when you get it compounded that you have them make the 0.2mg/kg dose- as either 0.05ml or 0.1ml- that way its easy to double if needed.
If anyone in the MD/DC area ever needs a weeks worth to try - let me know via email- jdabravin@aol - that buys you the times to get the meds yourself and an idea if its going to work .
Best wishes to you all - and hugs , tickles to your little angels
 
RE s Luke & his sister Sarah are each having a mammary tumor removed on 12/26 . Best wishes for a speedy recovery - remember to get pain meds and place them on at least baytril for 6 weeks post OP - also think about adding cabergoline for life - now that they have had a mammary tumor
best J
 
You must be in Canada- whch I am surprised the cost is still so high

I pay around $90 for 6 mnths worth one rat - double for 2 .
If the vet Rxs enough its less - the biggest cost here is the compounding fee
Guess I am so used to the dogs vetting being so high - this seems affordable
Plus we do save on most rat vetting because we compound our meds - I buy online

Sorry if its not affrddable in Canada- Its super cheap in UK - maybe some members there can help with that - buying and shipping ?
J
 
lilspaz68 said:
Spaying can definitely reduce the incidence of PT for sure, so its a good way to go for your young'un's.

its possible that the genetics in your area run to PT...which just plain sucks. Most rats feeders and petstore are often from the same mill or BYB or they are all related somewhat in an area.
Click to expand...
We will be spaying for sure now.[emoji4]
 

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