# Shoulder Lump



## CheezieSpaz

This morning I went to check on my mice and I noticed that there was a weird looking lump on my Himilayan the way she was sleeping. At first it looked like she was in an extreme hunched position and her posture was funny but when she started to walk around, one of her shoulder blades looked like it extended farther out than the other. It looks like a lump and I want to say it's an abscess but I'm afraid it might be a Tumor.

My other mouse Cheezie, who's currently living with her had mysterious lump on her neck before that went away in a week on its own so I think that was an abscess

The mouse I had before I got Cheesecake though, grew a large lump on her side about the size of her head and she died a week later from it.

Unfortunately it's the weekend right now and vets around here usually charge more for "exotics" on the weekend and I'm extremely worried about her. She's only two months old I don't want to lose her so soon. I'm still looking for vets right now but its iffy because I have to do it under my parents' noses. They think it's a waste of time and money to get vet care for a mouse.

I seem to have caught it early since it seemed to have grown over night but knowing mice they seem to spread out of control really fast. Other than the random lump, her eyes look healthy, her fur is smooth and silky, she doesn't look stressed at all and it doesn't seem to be hindering her movements at all for now. She looks perfectly healthy except for her shoulder looking weird.

While I'm vet searching should I wait to schedule an appointment on Monday or do it this weekend despite the costs of the checkup alone?
here's a photo I took of her today. It seems small and fresh. Should I risk waiting a few days? I'll be keeping a close eye on it to see if it gets bigger in the mean time.


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## pro-petz

does the lump feel hard or soft would be the first question most would ask, before being able to give you further advice.
As to parents saying why bother its only a mouse, my answer to that is if they become sick or need any kind of medical treatment why bother they are only human.


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## CheezieSpaz

pro-petz said:


> does the lump feel hard or soft would be the first question most would ask, before being able to give you further advice.
> As to parents saying why bother its only a mouse, my answer to that is if they become sick or need any kind of medical treatment why bother they are only human.


My parents are just close minded about a lot of things and see them as disposable and replaceable. Obviously I don't share the same views and don't want another heartbreak so soon.

Anyway, I did my best to feel it and I suppose it feels squishy. I'm able to press on it slightly and I think shift it around but she's so squirmy it's hard to tell. With Cheezie's growth that went away on its own, it felt hard as a rock.

Someone else I'm talking to suggested it may be a cyst and suggested pressing a warm damp towel on it to decrease the swelling. I've also got some tetracycline on hand that I usually put in their water when they get eye infections, if an anti-biotic may help or at least help boost her immune system while I wait.


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## pro-petz

Depending on your age if under 16 then anything that may cause undue suffering to an animal in your care would be their responsibility and is a legal duty to prevent such suffering. setting that aside does sound like a cyst and anti biotics would help prevent the spread of infection although tetracycline would not be the first choice due to adverse effects it causes.

A warm damp towel may indeed help to reduce the swelling, also worth checking to see if the mouse has been bitten at all by a spider or other insect, not the easiest of things to do single handed but would help in deciding if anti biotics should be administered especially tetracycline.


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## CheezieSpaz

pro-petz said:


> Depending on your age if under 16 then anything that may cause undue suffering to an animal in your care would be their responsibility and is a legal duty to prevent such suffering. setting that aside does sound like a cyst and anti biotics would help prevent the spread of infection although tetracycline would not be the first choice due to adverse effects it causes.
> 
> A warm damp towel may indeed help to reduce the swelling, also worth checking to see if the mouse has been bitten at all by a spider or other insect, not the easiest of things to do single handed but would help in deciding if anti biotics should be administered especially tetracycline.


I am 19 so these mice are my full responsibility. I checked around the lump and around her body and she doesn't seem to have any wounds or marks on her at all so I don't think it's a bite. I just cleaned their cage after finding out about the lump so now they're in a clean environment with fresh water and everything at least. I did the towel treatment to the best of my ability since she was very squirmy and wouldn't sit still. Hard to tell if it's gone down or not but I'm still keeping a close eye on her.


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## pro-petz

thats all you can do at the moment is just keep a close eye on her and do the damp towel thing every few hours if possible plus usual thing of keeping her warm and quiet, If the lump does appear larger at any time then administer the tetracycline


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## CheezieSpaz

pro-petz said:


> thats all you can do at the moment is just keep a close eye on her and do the damp towel thing every few hours if possible plus usual thing of keeping her warm and quiet, If the lump does appear larger at any time then administer the tetracycline


Thank you so much for your help and suggestions. I'll update on if anything comes up


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## DaisyTailsMousery

I had the same problem with my mice not sitting still. My SkippyJonJones had an OCD problem and scratched his ear till it bled. He would never sit still so I could put the healing ointment on it. My friend in vet school came over and showed me how to scruff a mouse. It is much like scruffing a cat, and it doesn't harm your mouse or cause any pain.




 Quick video of how to do it. You wont be giving the mouse meds though, just feeling/examining the lump


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## CheezieSpaz

rematnogard said:


> I had the same problem with my mice not sitting still. My SkippyJonJones had an OCD problem and scratched his ear till it bled. He would never sit still so I could put the healing ointment on it. My friend in vet school came over and showed me how to scruff a mouse. It is much like scruffing a cat, and it doesn't harm your mouse or cause any pain.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Quick video of how to do it. You wont be giving the mouse meds though, just feeling/examining the lump


Wow thanks a bunch. This will surely help in checking up on her as well as giving her warm towel treatments to help the swelling


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## DaisyTailsMousery

No problem  You can also pick them up this way without injuring them, it doesn't have to be on a table surface


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## CheezieSpaz

Update on Cheesecake:
The lump hasn't gotten bigger I don't think but it feels hard now. There's no squish to it and if anything the only squish is her skin.

On a funnier note she's oblivious to scruffing and squirms and flails regardless of how I grab her.


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## DaisyTailsMousery

Yeah it takes a while to get the hang of it. My mice did that at first too


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## love2read

I just saw this...

Poor Cheesecake. 

I've been working with the line she's from for quite some time and have done alot of inbreeding and never had any lumps or genetic health issues, so hopefully it's just an abscess and will clear up on it's own.

Please keep me posted!


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## Seafolly

Also rooting for an abscess.  That said, I've never been so revolted by anything ever. Me + pus do not get along. Give me blood and guts and it's all good!


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## CheezieSpaz

Today will be spent trying to make a vet appointment for tomorrow or Friday to get it checked out so I know for sure what it is and can hopefully get it treated quickly before it gets worse. Little to no change in it but while crawling around her cage mates she was lifting that paw up a little which might be due to slight discomfort. Updates on the vet hunt and appointment making later.


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## CheezieSpaz

Update: I've set up an appointment for Friday to get her checked out. Her condition doesn't look like it's worsening at a fast pace so I think she'll be okay to wait until then. I feel a little more relieved now that I have a plan to get this taken care of.


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## CheezieSpaz

Cheesecake didn't make it.

We took her to the vet, everything was going great and they were ready to start surgery on her right away. My boyfriend and I went to petsmart to pick up an extra cage and a whole other set up for her recovery. As soon as we pulled up to the store they called me and told me that she passed. We only picked up some bedding then came back to see her.

They said it was a mammary tumor that had abscessed. It was pressing on her rib cage on the side that her heart was on and they successfully removed it and sewed her up but as she was just starting to wake up, her heart just stopped. They tried CPR and did all they could to try to get her heart to start up again but no go. I brought her home, pet her one last time and now she's in the freezer with her old cage mate Cheerio, preserved for when the ground outside thaws enough to bury them properly.

I miss her so much and now I just have all the more reason to spoil my three remaining girls.


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## DaisyTailsMousery

I am sorry for your loss


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## Seafolly

I'm so sorry. 

I'd like to say though that I find it incredibly awesome that you and the vet put your all into her recovery. I had a mouse when I was 12 that had a tumour on her side that my father operated on (he's a large animal vet) and she lived another year.  But sometimes things just...happen. You're the kind of mouse owner I'd hope to find for my mice.


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## ThatCertainGlow

Oh no! I am so sorry for your loss. I have read that the stress of relocation can do not nice things to mice sometimes. 

Sounds like you have an attentive vet and staff, though. That is a good thing.


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## CheezieSpaz

Thanks everyone, it really means a lot. I think my parents finally understand how much these mice really mean to me and how far I'm willing to go to keep them in my life and make sure they're happy. I was doing the vet visit under their noses but after my mom came home and heard me sniffling and asked what happened, I told her the truth since, well what was the use in hiding it? and since she died on the operating table they didn't charge me for the operation even after it was preformed. The staff all felt really bad for my loss. I at least have that peace where I did all I could and I would've hated myself if I just sat back and watched it grow and make her suffer.

In the mean time, I'm splurging on my remaining three mice. I bought a high-rise addition for their aquarium the other day so they have more room and more ventilation. That will be coming in the mail hopefully by Monday or Tuesday. They've been kept in the living room since I bought my first two mice because my room is too hot in the summer usually [I first bought them in June] and I didn't want them to overheat. Downside is I've been kind of living in the living room as well and I want to move back to my room and take the mice with me. We just happened to have the 10 gallon aquarium on hand from when we had fish and I feel like they'll really enjoy the 2 story addition to their home. I didn't realize how big Checkers and even Chex were going to be when I got them this past Tuesday and they don't fit on the mini wheel I have very well, so I'm buying a bigger wheel, some chews, puzzle play sets like the one I used to make their hut, I know hammocks are usually used for rats but maybe the mice will like them hanging places in their cage for extra levels and cuddle spots.

I'm probably going to spend a day making a huge installment for their home I'll even post some before and after pictures when it's all done.


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## DaisyTailsMousery

I have a wire topper for my 10 gallon aquarium too. The mice really enjoy it. I feed them treats through the bars and now whenever I come into the room they run up and wait at the bars for treats :lol: The only thing is, if it's wire like mine hoppers and mice that are not yet fully grown can fit through the bars. I've had 3 escapes through this topper and now I only put adults in it.


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## TwitchingWhiskers

I'm so sorry for your loss. It's good to hear that the others are doing well though.


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