Quote:
Originally Posted by Earthy1
Ria P, sorry for your loss of Clarissa.
My 21 month old Syrian has been struggling with a large lump on her chest/throat area just in front of her front paws also. She was diagnosed with Lymphoma and daily steroids and supplements where keeping it at bay for a while. But over this past month it’s gotten considerably worse. The vet said she can try to do a surgery but considering her age, she said it’s a 50/50 chance my little Choochoo would survive the surgery. I’m trying to figure out if I should just let her live out her remaining days without an invasive surgery or take the risk and try to improve her chances of being active again?
She’s eating, pooping and peeing normally but the growth is too large and getting in the way so she can’t clean her bum properly anymore. If I wanna do the surgery, she’s still got some energy left and condition seems relatively good to be able to handle the stress of surgery? Maybe.
I’m really torn on what to do for her. Any advice?
I will try to post an updated photo of her in the gallery.
Choo choo lump update - Hamster Central Photo Gallery |
Hi there. I had surgery done on our Syrian when he was 21 months old and all very successful and he bounced back straight away. But every situation is different. Firstly it was a very small lump - so not major surgery. Secondly - my vet said assessment for surgery is about condition not just age. ie how good condition and how healthy the hamster is. Even if healthy some are in better condition for their age than others. So she assessed him as fine for surgery.
The hardest decisions are like yours (and Ria's). When the lump is larger, the surgery would be greater and more of a risk. Yet not doing it leaves them struggling to walk and with discomfort.
To compare - I also had a Syrian with a chest tumour which seemed to just appear from nowhere and get large very quickly. It didn't seem to bother him and as he was nearly 2 and the lump so large I decided against surgery (vet agreed). He was treated with metacam - in case it helped shrink the tumour and for pain relief. Thankfully he just passed in his sleep and his mobility wasn't hugely affected.
I also had a robo who developed a lump underneath - actually 2 or 3 small lumps. As he was so tiny and the body area so large I decided against surgery then. The vet was happy to operate but did warn it was a large area of his body. I later then regretted not having the surgery as one of the lumps grew so large he could hardly walk (although in hindsight I still think it was the right decision not to operate as it would have been massive surgery on such a tiny hamster and he was 18 months old).
Again it was just a case of letting him carry on, on metacam - adjusted cage so he could walk easier. He seemed to be happy enough and eating and drinking well - but eventually had to have him pts as he started to look terrible and chewing at the lump. He was still eating but vet said he was only "feeding the cancer" - it was an instinct they have - and that his condition was by then a welfare issue.
My vet said these are usually mammary tumours on the chest area. Depending on how fixed or mobile is depends on how easy or minimal the surgery is.
A Syrian is a larger hamster and IMHO surgery is perhaps better to recover from if not too large an area. If your hamster is in good condition and the lump is removable then I would think surgery is a reasonable option - except - you said it had been diagnosed as a lymphoma - so if the cancer has spread then the surgery may weaken her if she already has cancer spread - ie to cope with the decline due to the spreading cancer.
But if she seems well and healthy at the moment, maybe the cancer hasn't spread and the tumour is "enclosed". How about getting a second opinion on the tumour. Go to an exotic vet if you can - they know more about hamsters and may also be better at surgery on small animals.