Male rat, lump in abdomen - advice needed please!

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DoodleSmythe

Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2018
Messages
14
Location
Chester, UK
I am researching anything that could help my boy and could use some advice please.

Reggie has developed a lump inside his abdomen on one side. I felt it last week and took him to our vet right away. When we got there, the vet wasn't sure if there was a lump and, strangely, I struggled to find it at that point too. The vet said he is probably just lopsided. She wasn't sure though and explained that it would be inoperable if there was a lump in there.

I can definitely feel a lump/mass now, as can my husband.

Unfortunately, I have plenty of experience in mammary tumors with our girls but never in a male and so I just don't know what I can do to help him. If it is inoperable, is there anything I can do?

He doesn't appear to be in any pain or discomfort, is eating and drinking as usual and his movement has not been impaired. He is behaving exactly as usual and seems like his normal, happy self.

I have found articles referencing the use of curcumin from turmeric, nitroxoline and shark cartilage to slow growth but no clear idea of dosage or side effects. Is there anything that really can slow tumor growth? If so, what dosage and how best to administer? Reg lives with his brother so if it will go into his food, it would need to be something I could safely give to both.

Thank you!
 
Update:

Wow. I’ve never seen anything like it! Over the space of a few days, the lump ballooned. It was very visible and honestly I thought the worst. Took him to see our regular vet (previous lady, while lovely, was a locum and not as practiced in dealing with ratties) who disagreed with this being inoperable.

He understood we had to try but warned that as it was internal, it was likely attached to/growing from an organ and may be impossible to safely remove. However, the rapid speed of growth made him think it was a cyst, and not a tumour.

They did remove it and it was HUGE. They had never seen something so big come out of a rat, and were even more shocked that, although it had its own blood flow, the cyst wasn’t attached to anything and so could be removed entirely.

He is home, looks like a different rat and it is wonderful! Thank you for your advice.

P.S. I have pictures of the cyst but they’re very gross!
 
Update:

Wow. I’ve never seen anything like it! Over the space of a few days, the lump ballooned. It was very visible and honestly I thought the worst. Took him to see our regular vet (previous lady, while lovely, was a locum and not as practiced in dealing with ratties) who disagreed with this being inoperable.

He understood we had to try but warned that as it was internal, it was likely attached to/growing from an organ and may be impossible to safely remove. However, the rapid speed of growth made him think it was a cyst, and not a tumour.

They did remove it and it was HUGE. They had never seen something so big come out of a rat, and were even more shocked that, although it had its own blood flow, the cyst wasn’t attached to anything and so could be removed entirely.

He is home, looks like a different rat and it is wonderful! Thank you for your advice.

P.S. I have pictures of the cyst but they’re very gross!
I personally would love to see the Cyst.! It fascinates me how bodies can form them. Is he on pain meds.? If not I would highly recommend it, if he starts acting strange at all I'd take him back to the vet for precautions-
 
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