Jacques is a small,shy (about 4 yr. old )neuteredHolland lop/ He has had a history of problems withblocked tear ducts (possibly a mild pasturella infection) and also hasa spinal problem that must have occurred before I got him. He is anexcellent eater and pooper and has never had any Gi problems. RecentlyI bonded him to Joey, another neutered male and he has never seemedhappier. Last night I felt a series of lumps on his Right underside.Nothing shows on the surface of the skin, his fur and skinlook normal. I can ,however, feel a series of ball like lumps underhisskin,hard to describe as some of them seem pointed. It is difficult toknow how deep it goes as he seems uncomfortable if I push on them. I amcalling the vet on Mon. as I am very concerned that this is cancer orabscesses or something ? Has anyone experienced something that soundslike this ? This has developed quickly as I would have found it beforenow.
Tumors or abscesses??
- Thread starter Maureen Las
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TinysMom
Well-Known Member
Wow - I'm always uncomfortable posting here because I feel so unable to help.
I always thought that abcesses (like a boil on a human) would show up on the outside - but I don't know for sure.
I think I wouldn't press on them anymore and get him in to be checked ASAP.
If it is something like cancer or something, I'd see if there issomething I could do to help him have a comfortable life instead ofhaving to put him to sleep right away - but that's me....(of course, ifhe was in pain that would be different).
I don't know where to look on the net but I'm thinking we have some other mods here who can help you.
You'll be in my prayers!
Peg
I always thought that abcesses (like a boil on a human) would show up on the outside - but I don't know for sure.
I think I wouldn't press on them anymore and get him in to be checked ASAP.
If it is something like cancer or something, I'd see if there issomething I could do to help him have a comfortable life instead ofhaving to put him to sleep right away - but that's me....(of course, ifhe was in pain that would be different).
I don't know where to look on the net but I'm thinking we have some other mods here who can help you.
You'll be in my prayers!
Peg
naturestee
Well-Known Member
It's impossible to know without vet tests, butthe options sound like abcesses, tumors, or possibly infectedglands/lymph nodes. I don't know about the second two, butabcesses can come on fast. Tank's abcess went from nothing tonearly golf ball sized literally overnight.
I'm not sure what your vet will suggest, but he may be able todetermine what it is with a needle aspiration. This is wherehe uses a needle to pull some cells out, and then he runs tests onthat. It's less invasive than surgery.
I'm not sure what your vet will suggest, but he may be able todetermine what it is with a needle aspiration. This is wherehe uses a needle to pull some cells out, and then he runs tests onthat. It's less invasive than surgery.
Could an abscess be internal for awhile and thenwork their way to the surface? Their is absolutely nothingthat shows at all on his fur or skin...just these rounded balls that Ican feel.. Do rabbits ever get non malignant tumors?
He also had a series of blood test last Nov.(when his tear ducts were flushed) and everything turned out normal. Ihope this isn't cancer.
I'm calling the vet tomorrow and going to try toget in tomorrow. its late and their is nothing i can do tonight...hehas been eating greens and trying to hump Joey which is his normalself....I have all kind of happy things to tell everybody about theshelter bunnies but I don't feel like it now. thanks a lot Peg andAngela...I'll post tomorrow after I come home from the vets 
naturestee
Well-Known Member
Sorry I had to cut that last post short. I had to actually go do work at work.:rollseyes:
Not all abcesses show up as lumpsnear the surface.If it is cancer, it may be treated with surgery, drugs, and/or chemodepending on the type of cancer, how bad it is, and what your vet isable to do.
Lots of love,
Angela
Not all abcesses show up as lumpsnear the surface.If it is cancer, it may be treated with surgery, drugs, and/or chemodepending on the type of cancer, how bad it is, and what your vet isable to do.
Lots of love,
Angela
Well I just came home from the vet withJacques..she shaved the area with the growths and aspirated some tissuewhich she will be able to examine herself when it dries. Her gut"feeling is that it is an infection and not cancer..I hope so..I willget a call this afternoon ..Wish him luck !!!!
naturestee
Well-Known Member
Good luck! Keep us updated!
:hug2
:hug2
This is the result of the aspiration....nomalignant cells, some red blood cells (normal) and noevidenceat this point of an infection. She really doesn'tknow what it is but I have an appt. ina week for her to openup the cysts Tumors? or whatever and see if they will drain. Dependingon what it looks like she may or may not take them out. I amnot asworried about cancer at this point..although I amworried about him. He seems so healthy right now ..loves to eat andhang out with his buddy Joey. The tumors or whatever are right at thespot where his lower body meets the floor when he lies down...I'mafraid that surgery in that particular area could be bothuncomfortable for him and also an area that could easily getinfected. I will have to keep everything spotless in his area anddevise a litter box that he doesn't need to jump into. She said thatshe could do it tomorrow but that next week is fine too. By next weekI'll have tried to figure out a recovery room at home for him. AnywayI'll keep you up-dated. This is stressful for me as Jacques is one ofmy very favorites.
naturestee
Well-Known Member
Yay for no cancer!
When Fey had her belly torn open, I gave her one of those smallhigh-back corner boxes with the low front, and I filled it with papertowels. I had to clean it, and the rest of the cage a lot,but at least it wasn't dusty. You could use newspaper too, Ididn't because Fey is white and the print made her paws and facegray. I kept the hay in a rack and swept it often, too.
Will you be bringing Joey to the vets with him too? That waythey both smell the same. You'd have to check with your vetfirst.
When Fey had her belly torn open, I gave her one of those smallhigh-back corner boxes with the low front, and I filled it with papertowels. I had to clean it, and the rest of the cage a lot,but at least it wasn't dusty. You could use newspaper too, Ididn't because Fey is white and the print made her paws and facegray. I kept the hay in a rack and swept it often, too.
Will you be bringing Joey to the vets with him too? That waythey both smell the same. You'd have to check with your vetfirst.
Why did Fey have surgery? I read some more lastnight about non-malignant tumors and I'm sort of upset again as theycan grow deep into other organs so that they may not be able to beproperly removed and can cause other problems.... or I thinkthat they often grow back. did Fey have a lot of pain ? Did she haveproblems eating? Did she try to lick the incision? Thanks Angela
I'm not going to bring Joey as he is toodifficult. He doesn't even get along with me that well. Are youthinking that they won't re-bond? I did take him to the appt yesterday.I'll rub Joey down with a towel that Jacques was on when i bring himhome before I put them together. Joey idolizes Jacques. if they shouldbe separated I'll put Jacques in a big cage inside their portion of theroom
naturestee
Well-Known Member
Fey had surgery to repair the damage Mocha didto her in a bonding session. She had a 6 cm gash in herbelly, and the skin had degloved a little- the cut outer skin layerpulled away from the inner membrane. Her only problems eatingwere due to the Metacam, which she is apparently very sensitiveto. She only licked her incision a little, until a monthlater when an undissolved part of the stitching started buggingher. That was my sign to take her to the vet, and it was aneasy fix.
Fey was not in too much pain once I realized her pain meds were bad forher. But the difference is that her wound only involved theouter layer of her skin, it did not go through the membrane and musclesinto her abdominal cavity.
I suggested taking them both to the vet together because I frequentlysee recommendations for that. In Fey's case I had no choicebut to separate her from Sprite. It was not long after theirspay, and Sprite was still very bossy and mounted Fey a lot.Fey needed to be confined to a smaller cage to heal (because of the wayher skin was stretched), and I worried about Sprite picking on her in alittle cage like that. So I never tried to put them togetherwhen Fey got back from the emergency hospital.
I think the towel trick should help, but have a cage or pen ready incase Joey doesn't like the vet smell. I have seen many caseshere where one rabbit goes to the vet for a while and the other rabbitloves him just as much afterwards, but it's better to be prepared.
She had a 6 cm gash in herbelly, and the skin had degloved a little- the cut outer skin layerpulled away from the inner membrane. Her only problems eatingwere due to the Metacam, which she is apparently very sensitiveto. She only licked her incision a little, until a monthlater when an undissolved part of the stitching started buggingher. That was my sign to take her to the vet, and it was aneasy fix.Fey was not in too much pain once I realized her pain meds were bad forher. But the difference is that her wound only involved theouter layer of her skin, it did not go through the membrane and musclesinto her abdominal cavity.
I suggested taking them both to the vet together because I frequentlysee recommendations for that. In Fey's case I had no choicebut to separate her from Sprite. It was not long after theirspay, and Sprite was still very bossy and mounted Fey a lot.Fey needed to be confined to a smaller cage to heal (because of the wayher skin was stretched), and I worried about Sprite picking on her in alittle cage like that. So I never tried to put them togetherwhen Fey got back from the emergency hospital.
I think the towel trick should help, but have a cage or pen ready incase Joey doesn't like the vet smell. I have seen many caseshere where one rabbit goes to the vet for a while and the other rabbitloves him just as much afterwards, but it's better to be prepared.
naturestee
Well-Known Member
Almost forgot- my emergency vet prescribed heattherapy for at least 15 minutes 2-4 times a day. I put anelectric heating pad under half of Fey's plastic-bottomed cage and lether choose where to lie. I always found her on the warm side.
Other ways would be to get a snuggle safe, which is a cordless heatingpad made for animals, or a "sock buddy." That's a sockstuffed with dried rice. Microwave it till it's warm thengive it to Jacques to snuggle to.
Other ways would be to get a snuggle safe, which is a cordless heatingpad made for animals, or a "sock buddy." That's a sockstuffed with dried rice. Microwave it till it's warm thengive it to Jacques to snuggle to.
Thanks a lot Angela ..all of this will help us
rabbitgirl
Well-Known Member
angieluv wrote:
Where do you live? Have you considered botflies? Three of mine had themthis summer, and it was very similar to what you describe. Bub's turnedinto a sore at one site, but the rest remained little lumps under theskin until they just disappeared a couple weeks later.
Rose
Where do you live? Have you considered botflies? Three of mine had themthis summer, and it was very similar to what you describe. Bub's turnedinto a sore at one site, but the rest remained little lumps under theskin until they just disappeared a couple weeks later.
Rose
Hi Rose ..I'm sure their not bot flies as I'm inthe Midwest and its just getting warmer...their totallyindoors...Thanks ,though ,as I have a terrible fear of botflies asthree of my friends rabbits have had them...one of the rabbits died
