Hi everyone, long time no see!
My youngest boy Orion developed a lump near his eye. I did the customary googling and found some home-treatments on HamsterHideout for styes, so in hopes that's what it was I bought some Manuka honey and tried to treat it. But the lump did not get any better - in fact it seemed to be slowly getting bigger.
After the lump didn't seem to be vanishing or dimishing I took him to an Exotic Vet today who (after having to put him to sleep to even look at the lump because he was so scared) thinks it's a melanoma.
She gave me Loxicom to treat him with which can slow the growth before laying out my options.
The Vet said surgery was an option, but they would likely have to remove more tissue than I thought he would, and it's so close to the corner of his eye I anticipate he may even lose his eye. Trying to keep him from getting at the wound would be a nightmare. She also said that tumors like that, when remove tend to grow back more agressively also.
Has anyone else had surgery on a melanoma on their Ham and what was the outcome? What are peoples thoughts?
My instinct is to lean away from surgery but I don't want to make a kneejerk reaction because I'm scared he might be worse off. Any thoughts are appreciated!