My 3-year-old rat has tumors. What are the next steps for care?

I'm sorry Lorenzo has a tumor. Unfortunately, rats in general, especially older rats, have a predisposition to developing tumors both benign and malignant. His prognosis depends on the type of tumor as well as its location. To determine either, he would need to be physically examined by your veterinarian and have diagnostics performed. This could include blood work, x-rays, abdominal ultrasound or a fine needle aspirate of the mass. Once you have this information, you can discuss all options with your vet. Good luck!

Hello. Unfortunately, tumors are very common in rats, especially as they age. Were the tumors sent for histopathology to see if they are benign or malignant? If malignant, then it may be time to just make her as comfortable as possible until her time. Benign tumors will not kill her, but you probably know they can get quite large. Either way, Yuki will continue to form tumors. This is just what usually happens with rats. I am sorry. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Gilrat. I recommend that he sees a veterinarian. A procedure known as a fine needle aspirate is typically performed when a pet has a mass present. A small needle is used to collect a sample of cells to evaluate under the microscope. This allows the doctor to tell you the type of mass and if treatment is required for him. I hope this information helps!

Thank you for your question about Shadow. The most common tumors that occur in the belly/leg regions of rats are mammary tumors. Based on the location that you described, this may be the case with Shadow. The reason I bring this up is because it is very common for these tumors to be like a ball under the skin, and only have a small string of tissue that connects it to the body. So, when they are removed surgically, they shell out very easily once the skin has been cut. There is the potential that after the skin become necrotic that the tumor was able to "fall out" of the defect left in the skin. The other alternative is that it could be becoming very heavy and stretching the areas of skin to make it appear like it has pushed itself out. I would recommend taking Shadow back to your veterinarian, as they may be able to remove this more easily now. This may be a good idea regardless, due to the necrotic tissue that you had described. I didn't see if that was still present now, but they can provide her with antibiotics, if they are indicated, at the same time. I hope that helps to answer your question, and congratulations on having a three year old rat. It says a lot about your care of her.

Hello. Poor Oreo sounds as if she has a pretty severe respiratory infection, very common in young rats. I would suggest having your veterinarian examine her & start an appropriate antibiotic. Waiting could result in permanent lung damage. I hope she is feeling better soon. Take care.

It appears to be a wart from the photo but rats tend to have a lot of tumor growth so I would suggest you take him to a vet for a checkup. They would be able to give you a better idea of what it is with an examination. I hope this helps! He's really adorable!

Tumors are very common in pet rodents. There is nothing you can do about it to treat it at home. You will need to take her to a vet. You can try calling this vet clinic: ( https://vcahospitals.com/portsmouth/services/exotic-animal-care )