Strange tumor has shrunk

[mamaduck]

Hi,

I hesitate to refer to my rabbit as ill, but I thought that this would be the best category to place this post.

I am hoping I can get some feedback. I plan to call my vet on Monday, but I would like to know if anyone else has any similar experiences.

I have 2 rabbits. They are both 4 years old. One is a dutch rabbit, named Honey. She is the most wonderful and lovely companion. Just a great joy to have in our lives. A few months back, I discovered a tumor on her left leg, toward the foot, not on the fleshy part of her thigh, but not on the foot. It's in a weird spot. It was completely bald of fur, protruding out from the spot. It was flesh colored (she's pink), but mottled a bit with some streaks of a pinker pink. She bit it and caused some scabbing. The tumor came on very quickly. I brought her to the vet to get the tumor checked. It's not a thick tumor, about the size of dime (like the circumference) and the vet has described the tumor as "not large". It's round (almost like a ball). The tumor is attached to Honey on what feels like a small, thinner attachment piece (again, hard to describe). I had her scheduled to get the tumor removed a week ago but I needed to reschedule (I had to change the date to a later date due to some financial struggles, and I need to pay for surgery all up front). I've been keeping an eye on the tumor for changes (she mentioned watch it to see if it got larger). Honey has seen the vet twice for the tumor. Once the initial visit, and again, the follow-up. During the initial visit and the followup, the tumor did change, like an appearance of black spots, like scabs. Honey nibbles on it at times.

Anyway, I have checked it again, as I do several times a month (it's in a weird, hard to see spot, and Honey doesn't like for me to fuss with it. I can touch her anywhere, but there), and to my dismay, in a matter of weeks, it has gone completely black, and is much much smaller. I can only liken the change to be a grape going from a full plump grape to a raisin. She is less annoyed by me touching it now, but still doesn't like me fussing with this area.

I'm calling my vet during regular hours Monday. But I don't know what to make of this. I will be able to pay for the surgery by the end of the month. So, either way, it will be gone. I am not keen on testing it for malignancy. As long as she is happy and in good spirits, I don't know if it matters. It doesn't seem to impede with her happiness, or mobility. Though she doesn't like me fussing with it, and I am less inclined to pick her up in fear of hurting her. I will discuss the testing of it with my vet during my call Monday.

Has anyone experienced a bunny tumor to turn black and shrink? Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[naturestee]

My thought is that it's blood supply dried up. It could be a fibroma, a nonmalignant cancer made up of connective tissue cells. My dutch boy Loki had one that actually fell off while the vet was examining it! It appeared that his body had been pushing it out. His also looked like a round ball. The only "test" my vet did on it was look at a slide of the cells under a microscope to see whether the cells were easily differentiated. If the tumor cells are nearly the same as the healthy tissue they came from, they aren't likely to be malignant.

 

[mamaduck]

Hi

Thanks for the reply. I am hoping that my rabbit has a similar result and that it's a benign condition. I looked up fibroma, and most seems much smaller than Honey's. It's just weird that the tumor came on suddenly and now seems to be changing suddenly.

I called the vet clinic. My vet won't be available until Thursday, but I have conflicts that day and the next, so I made an appointment for next Monday afternoon. It seems like forever! I just can't wait to have it looked at, and accessed, and then see where to go from there.

Thanks again for sharing some of your insights. I will post when I know more!

 

[naturestee]

Fibromas can be pretty big. Have you ever seen dogs with benign skin tumors that haven't been removed? I've seen some that are the size of softballs. Those are usually fibromas. Loki's was only about the width of a nickel.

I hope to hear good news next week, then!

 

[ZRabbits]

Wishing you and your Bunny the best. Hope it's nothing.

K

 

[LakeCondo]

I;m glad to hear the tumor's shrunk. And my rabbit's named Honey, too. So my Honey says hello to yours. lol

 

[MILU]

I'm happy to hear Honey's tumor (or whatever it is) shrunk! I hope it's nothing serious and that you guys can stay together and play for many years to come!
Good luck! ray:

:goodluck

 

[mamaduck]

Hi! Sorry for the delay in my reply! My email sent my notifications to spam, and when I tried to login, my password wasn't cooperating! lol. Think it's all sorted now.

Thank you all for all your well wishes! Her appointment is tomorrow. My fingers are crossed for good news!

Wow! I didn't know fibromas can grow so large! I hope this is what she has. Any thing shrinks is probably a good sign I hope.

She's an awesome bunny. I try not to play favorites, but she is just such a joy to us. I've known some wonderful bunny rabbits, they are wonderful animal companions. Her name fits her perfectly, she is just such sweetie. Lake Condo, Honey Hoppins is such a cute name. Honey Bea says hi back :biggrin:

I will let you all know what the prognosis is, and thank you again!

 

[MILU]

Praying and thinking about your bunny all the time!!!!
ray:ray::hugsquish:

Let us know how it all goes! Good luck!:goodluck

 

[mamaduck]

Hi! Well, Honey had her appointment this afternoon. The vet examined her, and saw that the growth had indeed gotten smaller, less lumpy and changed in color. She squeezed it, and some stuff squirted out, and she continued to do this, and after awhile, it was off of her, and she cleaned up her wound (it was bloody). She rinse with antiseptic and told me that it may return, but may not. I'm sorry if this was TMI. Anyway, she seems to be doing well. From what the vet says, it's probably a cyst of some sort, maybe from a blocked sebaceous pore or follicle.

Thank you all for your prayers and well-wishes. Honey is happy at home. She wasn't so thrilled to be in the car!

Thanks again

 

[LakeCondo]

I'm glad to hear it was a cyst.