(Deceased) Lumps, bumps, tumours, abscess, the whole lot.

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Flashy

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Sweep just turned 9, April 1st. Apart from a small amount of weightloss (0.3kg from December to April) he appears healthy and has recently found a new zest for life now that he has been moved down near the young ones and the ladies.

Mid March I found a small lump on him. The vet said it was a tumour in the skin layer. Due to his age, the fact that it's not causing any problems, it's to be left, however, if it gets bigger, red, sore, bleeds, or causes problems, we will reassess the situation.

Today I checked him all over, I found two other small lumps, but below the skin layer and then what feels like a rather large lump to the right side of his abdomen, just below his rib cage. It's about the size of half a fist. Now, I'm thinking abscess or tumour (we had a convo with the vet about abscesses and Sweep's previously bonded partner -RIP- and that also makes sense in this situation), but I also don't know what GI problems feel like.

I'm inclined to think it's not an acute problem like GI issues because he is the life and soul at the moment, eating, bounding around, wanting a fuss, better now, than ever before, which is why I'm thinking it's something chronic like a tumour or internal abscess.

I'm going to get him back to the vets, but I just wondered, in the meantime, any thoughts?

I have already decided that if it is chronic, that, at his age, there is a limit to what should be done, not because I don't love him, but because I don't want him to have a half life when, until now, he has been happy and healthy and has found his spring again. I want him to go out, whenever that is, on a high.
 
His vets appointment is first thing tomorrow morning.
 
I think getting a vet's opinion is a really good thing. I also understand where you are coming from about the quality of his life. He's an older bunny - wow.

I don't know what to tell you as this doesn't sound like something that is GI related to me - but I don't know. I hope the vet will take some XRays or something to find out.


 
Thanks for the reply Peg. My vet is ace and I am totally confident with what he does with my buns (after all, he runs the best vets practice in Great Britain :p). I'm hoping that this is something that I can help him manage at no risk to his quality of life, because I don't think this is anything that is going to be sorted quickly, if ever.

Right now, he's very happy, and that's the most important thing.
 
Well, I bought him in, just to check how he is, and I can say that he is most definitely pooing, everywhere, he is doing a lot of digging, he is doing a LOT of running. He was also joined by Sandy (they get on very well other than Sweeps' hormones) and he proceeded to chase her round and round and up and down without stopping for a good while. Not bad for an ancient old man.

I felt him again and can still feel it, but I feel really like it could be normal (although I have never felt this on anyone else, but I'm about to check) because I worry about stuff like that, like wasting the vets time and stressing Sweep out unnecessarily, and plus the fact that he is acting totally fine, it adds even more doubts.
 
I went round and felt all the others and no one else feels like Sweep. It might be that he has a full something or other in him, I don't know, but I'm going to toddle down to the vets anyway.

I found another two smaller lumps this morning and they are worth being checked anyway.

He is definitely not feeling bad though.
 
Awww I hope he's ok, but it sounds like he's doing fine - 9 years old is a good age for a bunny!

Keep us posted!
 
Thanks Bo.

9 is good, Sunshine died last year at 8 and a half (Sweep's brother) and Feb 2007 we lost Tubby who was nearly 12. I'd love to get Sweep to a REALLY old age. He doesn't even look old, Polly couldn't believe how young he looks when she saw him on webcam. I don't think he knows how old he is.

I'm thinking I would rather take him for nothing and look like a tit, than not take him and potentially risk missing something big.
 
As young as you feel !! :) Please continue to update, Flashy, as yer dinosaur-ic boy recharges his youth around those younger babes. Heck, go strong for 12 or 14 lil' Sweep.:) I hope the lumps aren't serious.

We moved a young one next to our elder Momma (an agouti stray with uterine cancer developing when she was spayed in 2004) and she's gotten all giddy with the antics & sight of someone1/10th her age!For her dinosauric human parents, it rejuvenatesour energy. She had several babies who never made it when she came in w/coccidiosis.


Sending spunky vibes for a good vet checkup for Sweep ~

Lucky to have a caring mom to watch over him,

 
Isn't it amazing when they get a new lease of life from somebun else. It's an amazing sight.
 
Not so sure about that, but if you feel the need, do all the cart wheels you want. I think I'll pass though, lol.
 
Aww, I just saw this. I hope all goes ok at the vets tomorrow, I'll have my fingers crossed.

I agree though that doesn't sound like he's in any pain or anything if he's running around like that :)

Jen xx
 
I hope the lumps aren't anything serious. I agree that it's a good idea to bring him to the vet. It's great that he's happy and running around too. ;) I'll be keeping Sweep in my thoughts.
 
This is not an update I wanted to make. I REALLY wanted to go in there and feel stupid because he had a normal rabbit stomach, or something. That was not the case.

Sweep has a large, rapidly growing, mass.

I went in, explained that I might be over reacting, but that his stomachfelt different from everyone elses. He took Sweep and I sorted out the carrier and before I had even turned around, he said 'is it here?', and it was. He had picked the exact place straight off.

He said it definitely feels abnormal. He could feel the stomach and it was below thatbut it was hard to tell how severe it wasbecause he didn't know if Sweep had a full stomach. I said Sweep hadn't had his breakfast yet, so it would be as empty as it would get. So he knew it was fairly large.

He saw Sweep two weeks ago and gave him a good going over, but there was nothing there then, so it has grown very quickly, in a short space of time. It would also explain his weightloss.

I asked about what was best to do, but also explained that I wasn't going to put Sweep through more than I thought was appropriate because that was not fair, and he agreed with me on that.

He said that on a younger rabbit he would do surgery instantly, but with Sweep it carries all sorts of risks and moral issues too (such as post op recovery, would that be fair to give him that pain if he might die anyway).

I asked about x-rays so that we would know what it is, I also asked what he thought it was. He said he didn't think it was an abscess because it was not painful for Sweep, it might be a bit uncomfortable, but Sweep did not show any signs of pain. He said we could do x-rays and a scan to tell us if it's solid, or fluid filled, place, etc,but that might be an added stress for Sweep, and added cost, and most likely irrelevent.

We've decided to, for now, leave it, because he is happy. Charles thinks that as it has grown this fast so far, it will keep doing so (it might not, but rule of thumb says it will), and so we are looking at a four weeks, ish, tops, if it does. He said that when Sweep starts to slide, then I have to make a decision.

Do I have him have the op and see if there is anything that can be done, and have him possibly euthanised on the table. Or do we euthanise straight away. If I want him operated on, it needs to be done as soon as he shows any symptoms, but if it's straight euthanisation, I can keep him for as long as I feel is right.

So I have just a few weeks left with my old man. I'm going to make them great weeks. I was trying to make him healthier with his diet, but to hell with that, he can have whatever he wants, he's going to have lots of company, he's going to go out on a high. That's the best way to go, die happy.
 
Tracy, I' m sure that Sweep will appreciate your choice. He's reached an old age happy and healthy and having had a great life with you. Crossing the Bridge painlessly is what he would like too, I guess.

I'll be thinking of both of you.

Marietta
 
I'm so sorry :(

I know it's so difficult when our animals get so sick and we cannot fix it. He's older and I think you've made the right choice. I really do.

I hope he beats the odds!
 
I'm so sorry.:tears2:

Could the vet do a needle aspiration to get a look at what's inside? It would be less invasive than full surgery, basicly a big needle used to suck a little stuff out and see what it is. It doesn't always work with thick abscess puss, but it's something to try so you'll know what's actually going on.

But yeah, spoil the heck out of the little bugger. I'm trying to remember what TreasuredFriend was saying about her little disabled girl who has been declining, I think she said it was up to watching for alertness, whether she seems to enjoy simple things like food and petting any more, etc.

:hug:
 
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