First Tumour Advice

by sweetlings Sun 12 Aug 2018, 10:09 pm

My mouse Scully is 1 year and seven months old, and has just recently developed what appears to be a tumour on her chest and neck area. The lump is about the size of a thumb nail, and seems to have grown quite quickly.

I have scheduled a vet visit for her, but the small animal vet in my city has very limited appointments so I'll be waiting a few days before I can take her in. i was wondering between now and her vet visit - is there anything i should watch out for? This is the first lump I have ever found on my mice so I'm a little out of my depth. I understand that if it is, indeed, a tumor, then theres nothing that can be done for her, but any tips on keeping her comfy? She seems to have been scratching at the area ever so slightly as i can see a few tiny scratches/abrasions starting to pop up on the lump. Is this normal for a lump? Or should I be concerned that it will ulcer?

Scully is eating, drinking, and cuddling with her sisters like normal and does not appear to be in any pain when I gently inspect the lump, though I have caught her telling her cagemates off for nosing around her lump once or twice. I was concerned for her breathing considering the proximity to her neck, but she is breathing normally and getting around the cage just fine.

Is there anything i should request from the vet? Do lumpy mice need pain management or just close observation? How will I know if her lump has gotten to the point that it is a detriment to her quality of life?

Would love some advice from someone with more experience!

by AmyLynn Tue 14 Aug 2018, 3:55 pm

Hello There!

Sorry to hear that you mouse is not well. Although I never went through this myself I was able to find some information for you from the RMCA website. This is what they said about bumps and lumps on mice,

"Lumps are usually either abscess or tumor. If under the age of about a year old, the lump is more likely an abscess, but a fine needle aspirate will be needed to differentiate between the two. This is a formidable task for many vets, and in many cases, the vet may chose to first treat the lump as an abscess, prescribing a systemic antibiotic. With a systemic antibiotic, most abscesses will shrink within a few days of treatment. If no shrinkage is observed, a fine needle aspirate will have to be done for a definitive diagnosis. At this point, if the lump is an abscess, it should be lanced and flushed. With prompt treatment, abscess typically resolves within 2-3 weeks.

If the lump is a tumor, it is most likely a mammary tumor. Like in rats, mammary tumors are not uncommon, however, unlike in rats, mammary tumors in mice most often turn malignant. Metastasis to the lung is most common. To prevent metastasis, treatment with chemotherapeutics such as tamoxifen (Matsuzawa and Yamamoto, 1981) or doxorubicin (Vaage et. al., 1992) should be started as soon as tumor is diagnosed. Without treatment, a tumor can become terminal within 2-3 weeks. With treatment, tumors typically go into remission, and at least 2-3 months can be easily added to the lifespan."

Lee, Theresa. “RMCA Resources.” Rat & Mouse Gazette, Rat and Mouse Club of America, www.rmca.org/Resources/mousefaq.htm.

First Tumour Advice

First Tumour Advice

Re: First Tumour Advice