# Tumour ~



## Kage Davies (Dec 21, 2008)

So uh... Picked up one of my original PEW's today, and relised she had two heads. Well, not quite, but you get the idea - there's a massive lump under her neck. Its hard, not squidgy, so I assume its a tumour and not a boil or anything. Its come up literally in days... My OH checks on them all for me everyday when he feeds them, because I dread finding dead ones.

Anyway, my question is this; she's happy, doesn't appear to be in discomfort and is compensating for the weight when she walks. She looks healthier than ever. She, like all of my mice, has resp. infection, but isn't audibly chittering unless you stick her nose in your ear. So bearing in mind I've called the breeding to a halt and am caring for them all as sick individuals anyway... Should I cull her now? How fast do we think this thing is going to grow? I'm happy to cull her as soon as I think she's suffering. Seems pointless to take her to a vet when she's got the sniffles anyway. At the moment she's enjoying a feast of lactol, Mummy Mouse Mix, Rusk and hanging stick treats. Send off in style.

Anyway. Opinions, please?


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## julieszoo (May 27, 2009)

Do mice get SDAV? I am guessing they do, same as rats. Just the swollen neck is one of the classic symptoms.


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## Kage Davies (Dec 21, 2008)

SDAV? I've done quite a bit of research, and not heard of it... but that's why its good to post on here, too.


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## Cait (Oct 3, 2008)

If it's as big as it sounds from your post then I expect it will increase in size rapidly. She may have trouble swallowing fairly soon, so she might have another week before you have to cull her to prevent suffering, it is of course impossible to tell. However with the position you have described it sounds like a tumour rather than an abscess (which are treatable). If she were mine I would cull her sooner rather than later so that she never has to suffer the effects. I do believe that people often prolong the lives of their pets for themselves rather than the wellbeing of the pet, so I am glad to see you posting here to ask about her quality of life rather than just letting her keep going indefinitely.


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## Kage Davies (Dec 21, 2008)

I don't think its fair to keep them going and going and going, in all honesty. I am trying to shrug off some of my very clingy pet keeping ways, especially for the mice's wellbeing. I will keep up the treats for a couple of days then. She comes out to eat them, so I'll keep an eye out for any trouble. Any sign of her being off the food, or if it gets too big for her to walk easily, then I'll put her to sleep. In all honesty it came up so fast, I can see it developing rapidly too. Building the Co2 chamber tommorrow, so I'll cross my fingers she's okay till then at least.


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## Sputnik (Mar 28, 2009)

I had a mouse like this too. I found that liquid treats really kept her quite happy. I thought she was ready to go, but after I started giving her strawberry ensure (meal replacement drink for humans) she perked up and actually returned to her old self for a little while longer. When she started to look sickly again, I put her out of her misery.


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## Maplewood Stud (Jan 2, 2009)

i really admire u for this x


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## Kage Davies (Dec 21, 2008)

I took her today to be PTS at the vets. We managed to order the wrong type of pump, and the right one was delivered while we were out :roll:. The tumour doubled in size since we first saw it, and it was threatening her eye, and today I noticed she wasn't able to put her foot down properly. The skin was also at risk of splitting, and other nasty stuff. She was still lively, and I think still eating, but I wanted to make certain she wasn't suffering over much. She had a week of gushy fuds before hand, there really wasn't anymore to be done.

xx


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## Maplewood Stud (Jan 2, 2009)

sorry hunni  *big cuddles* x


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