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Old 09-02-2021, 11:59 AM   #21
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Preparing for surgery

Strangely I had no issues with scratching the wound at all and it’s why they give Metacam post op. Relieves the pain so I guess makes them not want to scratch it. Also our hamster seemed to have some kind of “invisible skin” dressing sprayed over the top which presumably protects the wound. His wound healed amazingly quickly.

In terms of the lump I think it makes a big difference if it is in a kind of enclosed sac- where it can be removed so there is no leakage from the lump into the blood stream. If the lump is attached to an organ then removing it without damaging the organ may well lead to leakage into the system. I am also going with minor surgical knowledge as a former nurse and after my Mother had cancer. She had a pancreatic tumour that was like an enclosed cyst so removable without it bursting or leaking.

If the lump feels mobile (to be graphic our other Syrian’s chest lump felt a bit like a testicle on his chest! Ie like a firm but not hard lump inside a sac of skin that moved/mobile. A harder lump it would be unknown how deep it goes or what it’s attached to.

If she is fit and healthy otherwise and the lump is sort of in the skin at the front then operating may be an option. They can seem to grown quickly amd at a certain point it seems too major maybe.

In terms of making the cage easier, I ended up using hemp mat on top of the usual layer of substrate - so it was like a level surface but still soft ish.

Yes maybe see if a scan might help show if the lump is attached to anything. I didn’t find the Metacam shrank the lump at all (but there are various different kinds of tumours).
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Old 09-02-2021, 01:44 PM   #22
Ria P
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Default Re: Preparing for surgery

Clarissa didn't scratch either and the wound healed but she kept putting her neck onto something cool like ceramic. There were things going on inside with her because the cancer had spread. No matter how good a surgeon the vet is, it's not always possible to predict what they are going to find once they've opened an animal up.

Antibiotics are only needed if there is an infection. Metacam/Loxicom is a very effective pain relief/anti inflammatory medication that is usually prescribed post op

Lymphoma is awful and very common in hamsters according to my vets. My hamster Edwina died of it at 18 months. Her lump was more of a soft swelling and there were already other health issues so vet and i decided to keep her on daily Metacam and let nature take its course.

It can be a very hard decision whether to go for surgery or not and depends on factors already mentioned. Even then, it can still be a bit of a gamble.
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Old 09-02-2021, 04:43 PM   #23
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Preparing for surgery

If its definitely a lymphoma I would say surgery isn't an option. It is something that is likely to have spread. I've just been reading about lymphomas in hamsters. But I'm just wondering if the vet diagnosed that as a possibility or an actual diagnosis from tests. I mention that because Moo's large lump on his chest was diagnosed as a mammary tumour (some info about those in the link below which includes a photo of a very large one on a rat).

To me, I would want to know if it was definitely a lymphoma or not before deciding whether surgery is an option, but from what I've read, the only way to tell that is to do a biopsy.

Mammary Tumors in Small Mammals | LafeberVet

From what I've read of lymphomas they're not usually just a lump but other health issues and skin problems as well. Do you have a photo of her and the lump?
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Old 09-03-2021, 01:48 AM   #24
Ria P
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Default Re: Preparing for surgery

Quote:
Originally Posted by Serendipity7000 View Post

From what I've read of lymphomas they're not usually just a lump but other health issues and skin problems as well. Do you have a photo of her and the lump?
That makes sense. Edwina had other health issues and Ozzy developed an ongoing skin issue. The vet suspects lymphoma as an underlying cause. Ozzy has now a growth on his right ear which i'm going to get checked out today to rule out a treatable abcess.

I think Clarissa had thyroid cancer that had spread because her lump was a solid mass hence the decision to opt for surgery.

I have seen a photo of Earthy1's hamster but where is it. The lump is large and has a purplish colour.
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Old 09-03-2021, 02:15 AM   #25
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Preparing for surgery

I saw another of Earthy’s posts that said a photo is posted in the photo gallery but but not sure what that means . I don’t think there is a photo gallery on here. Earthy any chance you could post a photo on here please?

Ria I think you’re right - a tumour tends to be of a gland or organ - eg Mammary glands or in Pickle’s case, scent gland tumour (fairly easy to spot). If Clarissa’s tumour was of the thyroid then the parathyroid was probably affected as well and it is likely to have also spread in her system. So sad. Hard to tell when it’s external.

Thank you for clarifying the lymphoma is usually more than just a lump.

Earthy - I think to help with the decision I would get a second opinion on the type of tumour - maybe via a scan. But it would help to see a photo x
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Old 09-03-2021, 03:47 AM   #26
Ria P
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Default Re: Preparing for surgery

Yes, it was too risky to remove the smaller mass because of the parathyroid gland needed to produce calcium and to take over from the missing thyroid. It also showed that the cancer had metastased.

If you click on the underlined gallery link in Earthy1's post then you will see the photo of the hamster.
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Old 09-03-2021, 06:44 AM   #27
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Preparing for surgery

Thanks. I’m not an expert on mammary tumours but I think they tend to be in the middle - although possible it could be to one side. Lymphomas can be lymph glands under armpits. I suppose the only way they will know is a biopsy. Do you have a photo of her standing? Assume it hangs down and obstructs walking. So all we really know at the moment is it is a tumour of some kind. Which could be benign but those tend to turn malignant. How long has it been there?
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Old 09-03-2021, 08:10 AM   #28
Ria P
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Default Re: Preparing for surgery

Are you talking about Clarissa or Earthy1's hamster?

If its Clarissa, then no, i don't have a photo of her standing with the tumor. It grew very fast within a couple of months. A mammary tumor was ruled out at the first examination because of its location.

I can imagine Earthy may have the same dilemma with a biopsy than i had with Clarissa. It needed aneasthesia. So my way of thinking was that rather than go for the biopsy just as well remove the whole tumor.
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Old 09-03-2021, 09:48 AM   #29
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Preparing for surgery

Sorry yes I meant Earthy’s hamster. Very difficult.
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Old 09-03-2021, 05:14 PM   #30
Earthy1
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Default Re: Preparing for surgery

Thanks both to you for contributing so much towards my thoughts about weather to move forward with surgery or what. I was hoping to get a better photo for her lump/position. It’s not a mammary issue, but more in her lymph nodes and near her thyroid. So the vet is worried about both the size and proximity to other vital areas. Maybe I should have considered surgery more as an option earlier when it was smaller, instead of now as it’s so large. The vet tested it and it was determined to be lymphoma but benign. But there was concern for it becoming more aggressive as her immune system became impacted. She seems to have more pain now so a pain killer will probably help her.

I wasn’t able to go to the vet for more scans yet. Maybe today or tomorrow.& I will follow up if you want to know more. I am leaning more towards avoiding the invasive surgery and let her live out her time as things are. But then I just want the least suffering for her.

I will also post one more photo in the gallery for your reference. It takes time for me to post my photos cause I have to edit them to make them smaller to be able to post. I will edit this entry with a link once I get a link.

Choo’s been having one main big lump since February or so this year and I’ve been taking her once a month to get the lump drained and looked at as we were giving meds daily. The vet offered to try a radiation treatment that I would need to give her but we opted for steroids and antibiotics. But she was doing ok on that and the lump wasn’t growing too quickly. It would take about a month for liquid to get built up enough that It would start hampering her movement. This week she’s stopped walking around as much and pretty much only comes out for food and peeing. And the vet said now that the lump is getting harder it might be impossible to drain it anymore. Now smaller softer lumps have formed by her left front leg and cheek pouch…so the liquid build-up has maybe moved to new areas. Her fur and condition still seem to be relatively ok.
Thanks again for your support and concern. It really helps having more experienced thoughts

Last edited by Earthy1; 09-03-2021 at 05:22 PM.
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