Recheck for Lumpy Storm

Shop with us on Ebay
Advertise with us
Fins us on Amazon
The Rat Shack Forum

Help Support The Rat Shack Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Has the vet been able to determine if this is an abscess or a tumor? The fact that it fills up again seems to suggest more of an abscess. Could it be from a tooth? And can the vet remove the lump, or is the throat area too risky for this? I'm just wondering if the vet could test some of the cells or liquid to determine what it is before deciding options for treatment. Please keep up updated as to how he's doing, and sending healing thoughts to both of you.
 
My vet did drain it and it's not an abscess and not a tumour. She thinks it's a cyst from a blocked salivary gland. It's very soft and squishy. She was hoping once drained it would be ok but it filled up very quickly within a couple of hours so she said that it's not worth draining it anymore. She told me she would go in surgically if it gets too big, or if he's in discomfort. So far he's doing great.
Except for the grooming, which I've been helping him with. :) I'm cleaning his ear out too which he really appreciates. :)
 
I think with a rat, putting a drain will eventually get ripped out. I don't know if my vet would even consider doing that. But if this thing grows anymore, I think I'll bring him back in for a recheck once she's back from her seminar.
 
A cyst has an epithelial lining, so it cannot heal by just draining. Has your vet considered marsupialization?

From Wikipedia:
"Marsupialization is the surgical technique of cutting a slit into an abscess or cyst and suturing the edges of the slit to form a continuous surface from the exterior surface to the interior surface of the cyst or abscess. Sutured in this fashion, the site remains open and can drain freely. This technique is used to treat a cyst or abscess when a single draining would not be effective and complete removal of the surrounding structure would not be desirable."
 
Joanne said:
A cyst has an epithelial lining, so it cannot heal by just draining. Has your vet considered marsupialization?

From Wikipedia:
"Marsupialization is the surgical technique of cutting a slit into an abscess or cyst and suturing the edges of the slit to form a continuous surface from the exterior surface to the interior surface of the cyst or abscess. Sutured in this fashion, the site remains open and can drain freely. This technique is used to treat a cyst or abscess when a single draining would not be effective and complete removal of the surrounding structure would not be desirable."
Click to expand...

I don't know but will mention it, seems a lot better than doing a full surgical removal which she says is very tricky in that area.
 
jorats said:
Joanne said:
A cyst has an epithelial lining, so it cannot heal by just draining. Has your vet considered marsupialization?

From Wikipedia:
"Marsupialization is the surgical technique of cutting a slit into an abscess or cyst and suturing the edges of the slit to form a continuous surface from the exterior surface to the interior surface of the cyst or abscess. Sutured in this fashion, the site remains open and can drain freely. This technique is used to treat a cyst or abscess when a single draining would not be effective and complete removal of the surrounding structure would not be desirable."
Click to expand...

I don't know but will mention it, seems a lot better than doing a full surgical removal which she says is very tricky in that area.
Click to expand...

definitely mention it, its the techniquie Dr Munn did for Tonka and her huge abdominal abscess.

IF his health is good, you can afford it, etc...you might want to go ahead with the surgery, as cysts are usually nicely encapsulated rather than invasive like a tumour. If you don't feel you or he are up to it, then don't...there's a time to stop and let the rat live out its life as well. :)
 
Another recheck for Storm. His lump is quite large and my vet was unable to drain it much. She said that the liquid is now forming in pockets which makes it hard to drain. So, if I can get his lungs cleared, she will be going in surgically for drainage. I mentioned marsupialization, she said that it's normally used for shorter term and with abscesses. Once the abscess drains, you close it up but with Storm, he will probably have this for the rest of his life so leaving an open wound like that would expose him to all kinds of infection. But she said depending what she finds in surgery, she may go ahead and give it a try anyway.

Poor Storm, I can't believe he still is bright eyed and still eats his blocks and drinks his water. He has lost some weight, about 10 grams in a month. He's also being put on metacam because the poor sweetie sprained his leg.
So, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we can get those lungs healthy again. They got crappy when the sprain occurred. I wonder if it's more stress than anything else. I hope.

In the picture, he's bloody because of the attempt at draining.

Stormbleed_zpsba6b2610.jpg
 
Poor guy. I wonder if the lump is causing some sort of obstruction that's contributing to his breathing issues.

:hugs: to you and Storm.
 
I sure hope not... I don't think so though because you can tell it's all under the ear, his throat, mouth, nose is not affected it seems.
 
I was thinking the airway around the throat may be obstructed. I'm just wondering if the breathing issues may be mechanical and not the result if an infection.
 
victoria said:
I was thinking the airway around the throat may be obstructed. I'm just wondering if the breathing issues may be mechanical and not the result if an infection.
Click to expand...
Oh, if perhaps it's pushing on it. Good question. I'll bring it up to my vet if the lungs don't clear soon enough. She was saying 2 to 7 days we should do this.
 
I dropped Storm off this morning for his surgical drainage. It's taken a while to book the appointment and waiting for his lungs to clear... the lump has gotten so huge, it's disfigured his face on one side. His sweet dumbo ear has been displaced. I told my vet if she can't reduce the lump, she should let him go.
It's been a long 3 hours. I'm calling at noon to find out how it went. Keeping my fingers crossed for sweet Storm.

Here he is in the carrier this morning.
StormLumpS_zps80981dfc.jpg
 
He pulled through the surgery. In fact it was considered a success except his poor body had other plans. He died a couple of hours later in my arms. My vet warned me that the next 48 hours were very critical. She had to tie off big bleeders and work around the carotid artery. It was very invasive; at one point, she thought he would even lose his ear. But she did a good job.
Sadly, it was too much for Storm. He will be greatly missed.

Saying Goodbye.

Goodbye_zps09136f80.jpg
 

Latest posts

Back
Top