Bunny facing surgery. Opinions?

[Gwiber]

Last week I took my 8 year old Holland Lop, Po-go, into the vets after discovering a large lump where his, um, manhood is. Our vet said that he thinks it’s testicular cancer, though isn’t sure, and recommended surgery to remove the lump. I am in need of your opinions. Po-go is not acting as though he is in any discomfort. And while considering his age, would surgery be too risky? Or would letting it go be risky?

What would you do if it was your rabbit? I know the final decision is between the vet and I, but I would still like to hear from a third party.
 

[Miyuki]

If they did the surgery would it be completely cured? Possibilities that it may come back? I say if the surgeon has done the surgery before and he would be completely cured then it might be worth a shot. Did he say what would happen if left untreated?

Sorry I ask too many questions…

[Sarita]

Yes, I would want to know that it would be cured. Is it too risky? I think I would want to do bloodwork prior to the surgery. I think any surgery is risky but sometimes the benefits outweigh the risks.

I don’t think though that the age is a risk if the vet has alot of experience with rabbits.

[TARM]

If the risk is minimal I would opt for surgery…and have him neutered as well.

[3crazybuns]

I totally agree with TankandRangersMom, if the risk is low…get him neutered too! =)–Please let us know what you do, and how things go!

[flippersmom]

I hate to play devil’s advocate, but… The vet cannot give a definate diagnosis by just looking at a lump. They somehow need to have cells from the lump looked at under a microscope. With that said, if there’s any chance it is cancer, that rules out doing a a biopsy type procedure because it is proven that these lesser invasive procedures significantly increase the chance of the cancer spreading. The vet also has no way of knowing that if this is cancer it hasn’t already spread somewhere else where it is not noticable yet, therefore he cannot say that by removing the lump, the problem will be solved/cured. He also cannot predict what will happen if left untreated, as he does not know what it exactly is. If it is cancer, there a many different types, all of which have different treatments and protocol. This is why it is important to have a good relationship with a vet you can trust – they initial are only giving you there best guess based on what they’ve been taught and have learned/observed from prior cases. Unless your vet is money hungry (which there are a few of those) I beleive he is giving you the best route to go. If you are uncomfortable with his opinion, then you could seek a second opinion or ask for a referal to a specialist. A decent vet will not be offended by this, as sometimes two heads are better than one. That is why it is also advantagious to use a clinic with multiple doctors on staff – then they have others to confer with about different or stumping cases.

Sorry for sounding so defensive. I have been a licensed vet tech for 20 years and currently work for a certified/boarded veterinary eye specialist. I have also had the honor of working for 8 yrs in another specialty referal center with a boarded internist, oncologist, radiologist, and surgeon, just to name a few!!!! It has many times been my job to help a client understand that a doctor is not a fortune teller – if they where, we would not need all the wonderful (albeit expensive) diagnostic testing procedures available. Or so many doctors for that matter!!!!!!!

[Sarita]

Flippersmom raises some excellent points! Definitely seek a second opinion as well.

[Beka27]

Very well put Flippersmom! I’ve never really thought about things in the way you desrciubed, but of course, you are exactly right. Like Sarita said, I would do bloodwork and anything diagnostically that can be done prior to the surgery. Can they do a biopsy of the lump? When you have all the facts on the table (at least everything you can know without going invasive), you’ll be able to make a more informed decision. A second opinion after this might be a good idea too, or if your vet can refer you to a cancer specialist…

You may not have to (or want to) do the surgery, but if he begins experiencing pain or reduced quality of life, you’ll have to either provide daily meds for pain relief, or have him humanely euthanised. It’s great that you’re seeking outside opinions but you recognize that we are not vets… 8 years in a loving home is a good life. Regardless of what you decide, feel confident that you’ve done the best you can for him.

Please keep us posted on what you decide and what the vet says/does. This can be a good learning experience for others in your situation.

(((((((((((((((((Good vibes for Pogo!)))))))))))))))))

[KatnipCrzy]

Chances are that leaving the lump will be riskier than removing it.  Even benign tumors can get so big that they split open and bleed- and it sounds as though it would be difficult to keep it clean if that were to happen.

If your vet is recommending removing it- I would consider doing that with all the appropriate measures beforehand- bloodwork, etc.  Your bunny can still have a good quality of life minus his testicles (as most members bunnies are neutered if the bunnies are old enough).  And there are no guarantees- but does your vet think that removing the lump and neutering could eliminate the possibility of cancer?  (Some cancers are “cured” by completely removing the lump).  And the odds would be higher of this being possible on a testicle than in a muscular or bony structure.  Talk to your vet- since he should have more of an idea since he has examined the rabbit- and while there are no guarantees there are educated risks assessments based on other animals that have had tumors on the same body part.

 

[Gwiber]

I think I’ll discuss blood work with our vet. As for a second opinion or a cancer specialist, we live in the rural sticks! We have only one vet who will even look at rabbits. Fortunately he does have experience with bunnies and says he has neutered many and never lost one. We didn’t neutered Po-go because we were advised against it by the (wrong!) pet store he came from. Oddly enough though, he didn’t get mean or territorial, and as he isn’t housed with females, we never seen a need. But looking back, I now slap myself for not doing it. Yes, he will definitely be snipped should he go under.

Thank you much for your helpful advise. I’ll keep you guys posted.

[TARM]

*Ahem* Are there any pictures available of the bunny in question???

[Beka27]

LOL! Yes, we love bunny pics if you have some you’d like to share! I’m very glad that he didn’t give you any behavioral problems. That is certainly not “the norm” with unneutered boys but it does happen from time to time.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Wow for living in the *sticks* sounds like you sure lucked out with a fantastic vet. And I’ve no advice anything I was going to say has been said and even more great advice!!! You’ll have to keep us posted and …you could share some pictures of him too in the meantime

[skunklionshow]

All the best to you and your boy!

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