# Lump on rear of female mouse... pics - help?



## HollyUK

Hello fancy mice forum... I hope you can help me a bit.

Tonight I found one of my 2 mice, Freya, has a lump under her rear, I have been away from home one night and didn't notice anything before I left. She had grown to be quite big and has been pear-shaped for a while but I just put it down to her eating the treats a bit more greedily than her sister, and seems completely normal and healthy otherwise. I definately didn't notice any lump before, and saw it straight away tonight as she scuttled around when I gave them their food.

I got her out to have a feel, and she was really calm as she often is (unlike her sis Evelyn who doesn't sit still) and didn't mind me having a look. I felt it and it feels a bit soft/squigy, the closest thing I can think is it felt a bit like a testicle - firm and kind of egg shaped but not hard. It seems to be more on the right side of her, but depending how she's sitting it sort of squidges around. I just searched for a few forums here reading about lumps, tumours, cysts etc... and I will call some vets tomorrow.

But can anyone tell me what it looks like, or have any advice?
I'm not a breeder myself, I just have these two girls as pets, they are from a breeder (not a pet shop), and about 11 months old.

I hope it will be able to get sorted :-(

Many thanks!
Holly


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## candycorn

Oh dear...it appears to be a tumor at first glance. I would take her to the vet so it can be tested. It may be an abscess which she can survive. How old is she?


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## HollyUK

She's about 11 months old... I will ring the vets tomorrow... I don't know what happens, a consultation I suppose, then they give you a decision? Do vets in the UK offer to try to operate on such small animals?


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## Laigaie

In general, it depends on your vet whether they're willing to work with such small animals. If you tell them up front that you have a pet mouse and she may have a tumor/abcess/cyst, usually they can tell you whether they're willing to deal with the treatment options. As for vets specifically in the UK, I couldn't tell you.

I agree, however, that it looks like a tumor, and is placed appropriately to be a mammary tumor, though most female mouse tumors are mammary tumors (so much tissue that absorbs toxins and other damage!). Your vet can give you a diagnosis after aspirating the lump and looking at the cells under magnification.


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## HollyUK

Okay thank you, I've booked in at the vet for this afternoon.


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## morning-star

blimey she's gotten big!

Sorry to here that, occasionally they do get tumours, its worth seeing a vet, but she's quite old now I think so they may not do anything, depends what vet you get. Sadly operating on a mouse is quite harsh and mortality rates are high.


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## HollyUK

morning-star said:


> blimey she's gotten big!
> 
> Sorry to here that, occasionally they do get tumours, its worth seeing a vet, but she's quite old now I think so they may not do anything, depends what vet you get. Sadly operating on a mouse is quite harsh and mortality rates are high.


I know! I was wondering if it was normal for them to get so big... she's definately a bit bigger than Evelyn, who is a bit longer and leaner. But then I remember your adults seemed very big. Aww but her coat is so soft and shiny, and she's such a peaceful little thing. Fingers crossed.


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## morning-star

good luck at the vets.

The line carries a 'fat gene' and most of them (especially the bucks) put on a bit of a bit of weight at 6+ months. Normally its not a problem if your careful with the treats and give them plenty of toys to play with/keep active.


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## moustress

It could just be a cyst filled with fluid that can be aspirated; the vet will know within seconds after putting the needle in. Good luck!


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## Seafolly

If it is a tumour and if the vet feels they can remove it, try making an e-collar out of x-ray material.  That worked when I had a tumour taken off the side of a mouse. She lived a whole year after that.


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## morning-star

what did the vet say?


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## HollyUK

morning-star said:


> what did the vet say?


He didn't make an exact diagnosis, he thought it was either a tumour, though he said he'd not seen one before in that rear place, or a sort of blood blister type thing was a possible fall/injury in the cage, and he gave some antibiotics in case in was an abscess, then said to come back in a week or two, depending on how she goes, as he agreed she seemed totally lively and without pain at present.

It seems to have got a little bigger but it doesn't look sore (she's just ignoring it as if it wasn't even there) but I plan to take her into the vet again early next week... to see what he thinks now and decide whether to try getting it removed, or put her to sleep. She seems just fine still at the mo - still the most spritely of the two, curious, active, and content when she sits with me, so I feel awful about putting her to sleep, as some of my friends have said they had mice or hamsters that got lumps on their bodies and ended up living long happy lives. It's hard to know the best thing... I don't want to take a happy, painless life away too soon, leaving Evelyn on her own, but need to check constantly for any first sign of discomfort?


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## HollyUK

An update on Freya...

Her tumour has been getting slowly bigger and although she is still fine and happy, same energy, curiousity, no signs of suffering... I thought I would need to put her to sleep soon, but found a vet who quoted £60 for surgery to remove it (as opposed to £130 at another vet!) and so she is there today and should be operated on some time this afternoon. I thought it was worth a try at least as they are my only pet, and I do want the best for her, and the vet agreed it was worth trying for her.

However today the other vet sounded less positive and said if they open her up and it seems really nasty they will call me to ask if I want her put to sleep there and then  Hopefully that won't be the case and she will be alright and they will be able to remove as much of it as possible. If she does not recover fully hopefully it will give her a little longer to enjoy her life and if it comes back quickly I will then just get her put to sleep.

Fingers crossed and please if anyone is reading, send her lots of love and good energy to be strong and brave, not too stressed etc. 
I'm adding a picture I took of her a few days ago...

Thank you


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## maddeh

She is a beautiful mouse, and its nice that you have tried so hard for her  I hope all goes well and she recovers quickly!


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## HollyUK

maddeh said:


> She is a beautiful mouse, and its nice that you have tried so hard for her  I hope all goes well and she recovers quickly!


Aww thank you for the posting. I'm afraid I got the call from the vet saying she died under the anaesthetic. They said they'd almost removed the lump but she stopped breathing. I feel bad now, and very upset, really hope it was the right choice, and that she wasn't too stressed out. I really thought she'd get through it, as she seemed strong and the vet said yesterday he finds mice have around 98% survival in surgery, maybe he was being optimstic or maybe it was her time to go. I wish I'd held her a bit longer this morning.

Just me & Evelyn now, she doesn't like being held very much, like Freya did, but hopefully she'll bond with me more now.

Rest in Peace dear Freya

Some more pics from the other day when we had a nice peaceful time sitting together...


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## morning-star

aaww I am very sorry to hear this, at least she would have died pain free.

If you like I have some a spare older doe or two (well around the same age as yours) you can have to keep your remaining mouse company.


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## morning-star

aaww I am very sorry to hear this, at least she would have died pain free.

If you like I have some a spare older doe or two (well around the same age as yours) you can have to keep your remaining mouse company.


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## HollyUK

Thank you Heather! I'll see how she goes for now, maybe she will be alright, do lone mice cope okay if you give them lots of attention?


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## littlelovesmousery

I'm so sorry she didn't make it through the surgery :-(


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## morning-star

HollyUK said:


> Thank you Heather! I'll see how she goes for now, maybe she will be alright, do lone mice cope okay if you give them lots of attention?


 as she's had a friend for so long you might find she'll struggle a bit.


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## HollyUK

morning-star said:


> HollyUK said:
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you Heather! I'll see how she goes for now, maybe she will be alright, do lone mice cope okay if you give them lots of attention?
> 
> 
> 
> as she's had a friend for so long you might find she'll struggle a bit.
Click to expand...

Hi Heather, I emailed you over the weekend about maybe taking you up on your offer, I'm in Leicester soon, please message me if you see this. Thank you!


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## MojoMouse

Those photos you took of her snuggled in your hand are just beautiful, and makes the bad news so much sadder. I'm so sorry to hear that she died, but she had no pain or extended illness.


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