# Would you operate on a mouse.



## merlyn26 (Jan 7, 2009)

I work at a vets - but that aside, i am happy to pay to operate on my mice if i think it is worth it. i have had 2 mice operated on now - one we put under GA twice to remove a lump that came back - but when it reappeared the third time i decided pts was best. the other mouse sadly died before the first scapel cut - but i do not regret trying as without an op she would not have lasted more than a few weeks anyway. However, i am suprised that most small pet owners dont bother - "the mouse/rat/hamster/gerbil only cost a few quid so £30 or so for an op just isnt worth it!" is very common to hear. so would you operate?????

Here are some pics from Cinnamons operation.


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## ian (Oct 3, 2008)

I wouldnt chose to operate for a couple of reasons the biggest one being that I am a breeder for show purposes so as part of that I am on occasion having to have healthy mice culled so fighting for a very ill mouse to survive just doesnt make sense. Also I have too many mice to spend that much money/time on just one of them. However I also keep some small animals as pets, rabbits and a hamster and I keep those purely for the purpose of pets so I wouldnt hesitate in taking them to the vets and opting for surgery if its is necessary regardless (within reason) of cost.

The life span of a mouse is short anyway and the risks of operating is so high. I used to work in a vets and we very rarely operated on anything other than a cat or dog apart from rabbit neutering. The vets I worked with loved having smaller animals in for surgery as it was interesting and challenging, as such quite frequently they didnt charge the owners!


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## violet1991 (Oct 3, 2008)

personally i think it would be slightly pointless. mice do have relativly short life spans, and the chance that they would survive, being so small of an animal, is thin. and not to mention the surgery on such a small animal would be difficult too! although i'd like to say cost didn't matter, in the long run i'm not sure it would benefit the mouse for the price you are paying to get it fixed.

I have found even in much bigger animals like guinea pigs, an operation doesnt solve the problem, and it can come back. sometimes its kinder to let them go.

vi x


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## Effy (Dec 30, 2008)

Personally...I'm a bit 'soppy' as some would say...I would at least try to operate, no matter how small the animal. the fact that an animal costs not very much should really, if anything, give more reason TO operate...as you've not already spent a lot on the animal. >_>
I think that life is life...and if something is BORN (pregnancy is different IMO) then it has the same amount of right as anything else...size of stature doesn't indicate size of right.

I hope that my stand on this doesn't change when I start breeding mice...I couldn't possibly breed for show anyway...but even if I did THAT, I would only ever breed as many mice as I could look after myself.

Having said that, I'm not likely to spend hundreds of pounds on a mouse. I couldn't afford to spend that on ME if I needed it!

Also...I'd always weigh up chances. If a mouse has better chances without surgery, even if there is a chance of a longer life afterwards...I wouldn't operate. It's not my life to take chances WITH.


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## Oca2 (Jan 1, 2009)

I wouldn't - I don't believe it is in the mouse's best interests. I'd rather the quality of a mouse's life was as good as I could make it, and don't think compromising that for the sake of having the mouse live a little longer is worth it. Often by the time you can see a visible tumor in a mouse, it has already spread and will come back very quickly - and would need to be operated again and again.


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## demon_x_slash (Oct 3, 2008)

Frankie had a tumour removed a week or so ago; I was crossing my fingers about it not recurring, but at least when the vet operated he could tell its position and likelihood of recurrence. I got the impression that most owners don't go for the operation option, he seemed surprised (but pleased) that I chose to go ahead and try.


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## Lorey (Dec 21, 2008)

We spent nearly £200 on our first mouse, Bobbins. She had 3 tumors, all removed, and the vet was happy to do it as she recovered really well. the majority of it was £75 on having her put down on a sunday evening emergency vet as one in her brain caused her to roll in circles and there really cant be brain surgery.

I think taking your pets to the vet is a must if you can fix it. They are living beings and deserve the best life they can get.


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## NaomiR (Feb 9, 2009)

I'm afraid I probably wouldn't but I don't think that makes me a bad person - I rescue small animals and take any seriously poorly animals to the vets and my own pets are regulars at the local vets!! But (as others have already said) I'm not 100% convinced it would be in the mouse's best interest to put it through the stress of an operation it doesn't have a fantastic chance of surviving.

Having said that I've yet to face a poorly mouse so you might want to check back on me in a few months / years time


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## Peteyandthegang (Jan 20, 2009)

No, I wouldnt. Big operations are such a strain for such a tiny tiny creature, whose lifespan is short anyway. I dont feel prolonging the inevitable is fair and honestly thats what a lot of vets treatment is, dragging it out uncomfortably for a while and emptying your pockets in the process


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## Demi (Feb 14, 2009)

I wouldnt, the mouse might not get better anyway.I think small animals are at risk from not waking up?


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## goldenboyroe (Feb 18, 2009)

i had a young doe who developed a massive tumour on her side and within a day or two of noticing the lump it had doubled the size/weight of the mouse - i took her the vets and was advised to have her put to sleep due to how quickly the lump had grown and the likelyhood it would return.
i would have operated if the vet had told me it would likely be a success but i paid for the consult and the drug to put her down - i think in total it cost £30 (it was several years ago)

i personally wouldnt take on an animal unless i could afford to treat it if and when necessary and i would feel a responsibility to the mouse (especially if i had used it for breeding purposes) to give it the best chance or end its suffering if necessary.

i breed cavalier king charles spaniels but the health and happiness of the dogs and puppies is the most important thing and would rush them the vet in a heart beat if i thought necessary and i would have the same respect for mice - i dont think because they are small or have a short lifespan that their health should be compromised to save a few quid on vet bills, that doesnt make a responsible pet owner - but you do have to way up the pros and cons for surgery for any animal and even for ourselves before going under the knife.


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## sommy (Mar 1, 2009)

Peteyandthegang said:


> I dont feel prolonging the inevitable is fair and honestly thats what a lot of vets treatment is, dragging it out uncomfortably for a while


Death is inevitable in all creature big or small. So surely the work of vets is just the same as the work of doctors!! :?:

(Just backing the vets!!  I wanna be one when I'm older!!  )


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## sarahh (Mar 6, 2009)

Mmm not sure I had a lump removed from under a hamsters chin and she came round no problems the lump didn't grow back but she died of resp problems a month or so later. 
Neuturing if the vet has done it before and knows about mice than no big deal. I heard of a rat that went into the vets for neuturing and he died under the GA.

Also depends on the size of the lump and whether or not its likely to be cancerous the smaller the lump the better for removal the bigger the lump the more likely it will have spread else where.


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