First EVER rat surgery tomorrow- Success!!

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bruxxy

bruxxy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2007
Messages
668
Location
Toronto
So tomorrow I'm taking in Vesper, my 14 month girl, to get a lump removed. This is the first ever surgery for any of my rats oddly enough...even though I have had so many.

I'm freaking out!!!

Its a small lump so its not going to be major, and my vet is fantastic but I can help but feel sick to my stomach and I have all these terrible thoughts of her dying on the table. I know its irrational and I just need to relax but I know I'll probably be up all night thinking about her.

So I wanted to ask those of you who have experience with lumps. Is it really bad that she is getting lumps already?? Could this be the first of many? I've never had a rat who got lumps so early...infact I have only had 5 rats that had lumps and it was towards the end of their lives.

I'm really afraid that she may be prone to this.

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bruxxy said:
So tomorrow I'm taking in Vesper, my 14 month girl, to get a lump removed. This is the first ever surgery for any of my rats oddly enough...even though I have had so many.

I'm freaking out!!!

Its a small lump so its not going to be major, and my vet is fantastic but I can help but feel sick to my stomach and I have all these terrible thoughts of her dying on the table. I know its irrational and I just need to relax but I know I'll probably be up all night thinking about her.

So I wanted to ask those of you who have experience with lumps. Is it really bad that she is getting lumps already?? Could this be the first of many? I've never had a rat who got lumps so early...infact I have only had 5 rats that had lumps and it was towards the end of their lives.

I'm really afraid that she may be prone to this.

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It seems tumours are showing up earlier than they used to. Too much bad breeding going on :(
14 months is pretty early but I have had several show up at 15 months (Selene who lived another 10 months whose did regrow but not until she was 24 months old), Rafiki whose never regrew, etc) Don't automatically think that she will get more.

The first surgery is the worst. Dr Munn is amazing you are right. She has only lost 2 small domestics on her table (neither were a rat) in all her time as a vet (both had pre-existing conditions). Vesper is very healthy and young and the tumour is small...it won't take long at all and she'll be home.
Don't worry about fasting (no need for rats)...drop her off in a small carrier with food...they usually do surgeries between 11 am - 2 pm. and just remember make sure you bring home a little metacam, and you will be soo amazed at how fast rats heal from surgery.

Don't forget I am just a PM and then a 10 mins walk away okay?

I will be at Dr Munn's around 6 tomorrow myself LOL
 
*sigh of relief* That makes me feel so much better :hugs: thanks shelagh!

So what are you going in for anyways? I'll probably see you there since thats around the time I'm picking her up :)
 
bruxxy said:
*sigh of relief* That makes me feel so much better :hugs: thanks shelagh!

So what are you going in for anyways? I'll probably see you there since thats around the time I'm picking her up :)
Click to expand...

Just meds. Then I am off to pickup or get young girls off a woman to rehome.
I think she is bringing the girls to me at Doc Munn's but I am not sure LOL
 
Good luck with Vesper! She's a pretty ratty girl, by the way.

The surgery just might be harder on you than on her. Several of us are very nervous during a rat's surgery, even though the odds are greatly in her favour. Hang in there.
 
Good luck to your girl!!! The smaller the lump the better for removal. It is a possibility that she will get more, especially without a spay. :(
But you never know!! She might fool us all and only have that one silly lump. :joy:
 
violet was about 12 months when she had her lump removed, it was fast growing and i was concerned that if it wasn't removed she would only have about a month at best left to her. there was some fluid build up at the operation site that i had to drain but 16 months later she's now 28 months old, fat and happy happy happy. we've never had another problem with lumps with her again.

i had another lump taken from spider at 25 months of age. it was quite large and had begun to speed up in growth. she died at 30 months from completely unrelated illness but we didn't have to worry about tumors again during hr lifetime. her's was a bit odd though. she had a small tumor that had created a very large abcess on top of it.

the other rat i had a tumor removal on was babydoll at 14months of age (looked back through old pictures and figured out her age, i can't believe how fast the time flew by!). she made it through the operation fine but it was more complicated then expected and we're not sure exactly what happened. she was waking up fine and normal and then she just regressed, unfortunately she never made it home. i'm not sharing babydoll's story to frighten you. 2 of the 3 i've had done made it through wonderfully. one was even much older! i share it only to say that there is a risk to any surgery but if i have another rat that gets a tumor i will still go through with the procedure. babydoll was uncomfortable and a sad rat with her tumor. there was a chance to make her feel better and we had no reason to suspect that she would not come through it fine. so given what i knew then and understanding better the risk i would still try. that's all you can do for your little dears. you try your best by them and that's all you can do. i think most times everything turns out just as you want them anyway and everyone is ok. even when they don't you can say that you tried and trying to help them get better is still loads better then watching them suffer because you are afraid.

saying all that, i know it doesn't make the nerves any less real, or any less there. that's fine though. its just another feeling that shows how much you love them and how much you care. its always hard to leave them to someone to cure when you can't be there with them, but its to help them as best you can. but instead of focusing on the negative that can happen enjoy your time with her now. cuddle her and let the thought of that impeding urgery go away so you can enjoy her love all the more. then focus on how much better she will feel without the lump there to get in her way, how much freer and lighter she'll feel. how much happier she will be. and think of all the goodies you're going to spoil her with and gather them together for when she comes home. keep thinking positive and try to stay busy and she'll be home in your arms in no time!
 
Thank you everyone for your reassuring words. I'm sure she will be fine. I really trust my vet and I'm really fortunate to have access to her. I know alot of people don't have access to experienced knowledgable rat vets and I know Dr.Munn will take excellent care of her.

I'll be sure to update everyone tomorrow on her recovery. :nod:
 
my alarm clock didn't go off this morning so I missed the appointment. :redhot: I usually get up early, but this morning I had terrible nausea so I changed my clock so I could sleep in for another 30 mins. But I guess I was really out of it and didn't "set" the alarm. Anyways I called Dr.Munns and appoligized and they kindly changed my appointment to Monday. Oh well at least Vesper is in fantastic health and its not like the tumor is an huge problem right now anyways. I just feel terrible about missing the appointment since I'm sure that really messed up her schedual for today :(
 
aww gotta hate alarm clocks! I've done that many a times and missed class. Hope the surgery goes well. Our Raina had a lump removed and they did her spay for me too and she's been great ever since. wound healed up nicely even though she did rip out her stitches twice little bugger lol.
 
Vesper came through her surgery wonderfully. Shes alert, eating and drinking as well as interacting with me and the other rats like she normally does....although she is a bit tired...i don't blame her thought since it will probaby take another day of two for her to feel 100%.

This morning when I was getting ready to leave for the vet I decided I would bring Vesper's sister Kira along for the trip too just to keep Vesper company...and when I got to the vet they told me that I could leave Kira there too so Vesper wouldn't be alone. I thought it was so nice of them to let Kira stay there with her and I know Vesper was so much happier. Kira was also being very gentle with Vesper too which was amazing to see. She was letting Vesper use her as a pillow and gently grooming her and cuddling her to keep her warm...awww :heart:

Anyways Vesper is good...no more lumps and everyone is happy :D !!!
 
Is it too late to ask your vet to do a spay at the same time?
Phone 1st thing in the morning or tell them it must be done at the same time or you have to reschedule.
All the years I've been hanging at ratsites it's a definite that tumors recur without a spay. Sometimes with one, but pretty much always without. I've cheered too many kids doing good after after tumor surgery only to have them get a new tumor too soon.

The minor added expense is nothing compared to
Cost - removing the first tumor, then the second, then the 3rd -
The kid -every surgery is a chance they won't make it thru. Every surgery is pain and healing time for the kid.
Your head & heart - If you're laying down money for surgery then you just want the kid fixed and your worry over. 1st tumor is just an indication of a propensity for problems. Fixing the symptom without addressing the problem isn't good for you or the kid or your wallet.

Make sure the vet can do a spay at the same tiime tomorrow - or re-schedule.
I know that's a lot to lay on you in your 1st surgery. And you're embarrassed to tell your vet both or nothing. I understand and I'm sorry but better me sorry than you when another tumor pops up. Both your vet and your kid will deal with what you do. Won't affect your vet's future, might affect your kids.

I hope someone will back me up here! You all know removing the tumor without a spay is just letting the kid in for either another round of surgery or death by tumor. She's said she's new at this, why isn't anyone giving her the advice I've heard repeatedly on this subject?
 
I am so serious. If you're gonna pay for a tumor removal pay the liittle extra for the spay at the same time.
Reschedule the appointment if the vet can't do both today.
I know you are new at this, I'm hoping someone will back me up ????? so you know it's ok and the right thing to do for your kid.
 
Fidget, she's already had her surgery.
But you are right that a spay would reduce any other tumour recurrence.

bruxxy, great news that she pulled through and healing. :joy:
 
Fidget:

I was going to see if she could do a spay at the same time but it would have cost alot more and I just didn't have the money. I barely had enough for the tumor removal and the spay would have cost almost 100$ extra. I see what you mean about spending the extra money as a preventative but this time I just didn't have enough and I didn't want to wait any longer because it was starting to speed up in growth.

Next time I take them in for lump removal however I will get them spayed at the same time if I have the money.


Shes doing good this morning...the incision looks healthy and shes not licking it too much. She is sleeping a bit more that usual but I'm not worried about that.
 

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