Experience with lumps?

[Moomin Bunny]

Hi everyone!

First time posting here in a long time, I’m just a little bit stressed and was hoping for some advice. Sorry in advance that this is a long one but I’m worried there’s some clue we’re missing!

My little bun Moomin is 8 years old, she’s been pretty much in perfect health until now. For context her partner died of presumed E. Cuniculi a year ago, she was then put on a course of meds after this and the vet gave her the all clear although she was never tested for it. We also cleaned everything thoroughly after this.

Two weeks ago she stopped eating and was stomach pressing and seemed very uncomfortable, so I took her to the vet for suspected stasis. As expected, when we got there they confirmed she was suffering from bloating and so had stopped eating – we couldn’t really figure out what but they gave us some motility drugs and some painkillers and we went home.

After a couple of days of meds and force feeding, she seemed pretty much back to normal – eating, drinking, pooping, and behaving her usual self. We continued the meds for a full week on advice of the vet, and once we stopped she seemed fine for a few days. She was eating her hay, greens and also eventually went back onto her pellets.

However, after a couple of days off her meds, she slowed down on eating – she wouldn’t eat her pellets anymore, only greens and hay, and she wasn’t eating as much as normal of those either, she also wasn’t pooping much. By Sunday evening we had to force feed her again, and called the vets first thing on Monday. They didn’t have an appointment until today, but in the meantime she was eating a little more and pooping again so we agreed to wait until today. I noticed yesterday she seems to have a slight sore hock, so we put some soft blankets down for her in the meantime. She didn’t seem to be uncomfortable but was sitting strangely, holding her foot up. She’s also sitting and lying in her litter box, which she’s never done before.

I took her to the vet today and he checked out her stomach and foot. When checking her stomach, he noticed a hard lump in her abdomen which he seemed concerned about. He said it could either be a growth, or it was possible it’s just that her bladder is inflamed, but he had never felt one this hard in his experience.

In the past she’s not had bladder issues. We need to take her for an ultrasound, the earliest appointment is on Friday. He gave her an injection for pain and some painkillers for home in the meantime. I’m confused because I also noticed the lump, but only since a couple of days ago. If it had been there longer I feel like I would’ve noticed because I’ve been giving her stomach massages every few hours the gas. I also feel like the vet would’ve noticed when we took her in 2 weeks ago if it was there then? So I’m confused how it could’ve come so quickly, or we all missed it… It doesn’t seem to hurt her even slightly when we touch it, and it’s beneath the skin. It’s small, maybe the size of a 20p coin.

Since we got home she’s behaving normally if a little sluggishly (I think just from the meds) and is eating hay, but seems to be drinking a lot more than normal. I’m watching her like a hawk so worried I’m imagining symptoms. She’s still sitting a lot in her litter box.

Has anyone got any experience with a lump like this that WASN’T something horribly serious? How likely is it that this is going to be something terrible? I’ve been googling and spiralling since the vets and Friday seems a long long way off at this point… I’d also really appreciate any advice for things worth asking the vet about whilst we’re there.

She’s a sweet angel and very understanding of everything going on so I’m not too worried about having to give meds or force feed if needed – even the vets always comment on how sweet and well behaved she is when she’s there. I’m just really worried and hoping she’s going to be ok.

Thanks to anyone who made it all the way through this, apologies for the incredibly long post!

[Bam]

Ngl, this brings back rather traumatic memories for me.

My advice is get x-rays of the lower abdomen and the lungs. This lump isn’t huge. It could be growing fast though, in which case it could be some sort of abscess (walled-off soft tissue cavity filled with pus) or a bad tumor. A tumor can be rock-hard bc of calcium deposits (calcification). Not all tumors are malignant and  calcification does not mean malignancy. I want to stress this.

If the growth is not an abscess but still round/oval and the surface is visibly smooth. it isn’t necessarily malignant. If the lungs are clear, and there’s no infiltration of nearby organs/structures, the growth could be removed surgically. A normal “flat” x-ray as a rule can’t tell if there is infiltration, for that you’d need a CT/MRI, but a vet will of course see if there’s infiltration if/when they open the bun up for surgery. If there are metastases in the lungs though, removing the mother tumor will not save the bun. Lung metastases will show on x-rays.

Hopefully this is an inflamed bladder. That can be dealt with with meds and perhaps some dietary/lifestyle changes.

Have it seen to as soon as you can.

I lost a bun to a similar thing. I chose euthanasia after having been given inaccurate info by a presumably “rabbit-savvy” vet. (Found out later she wasnt actually rabbit savvy at all.)

I’d be very happy for updates on this. Wishing you and your bun the best of luck 🐰 🍀

 

 

[Moomin Bunny]

@Bam thank you so much for the advice and all of the info! I will ask on Friday about how we can get an X-ray done.

I’m not sure if it’s the painkillers but she seems pretty ok today, besides lying in her litter box instead of where she usually lies. I’m hoping this is also an indication of a UTI or something and she feels like she needs to wee more than usual. Besides that she’s moving around as normal (maybe slightly less running around), and eating + drinking. She’s not eating her pellets but she’s eating hay and greens, and is willing eating critical care. She even ran over for a treat earlier when she saw the fridge was open which I’m taking as a good sign that she’s feeling ok and is at least not in any pain.

Thanks again for the detail, it helps me to understand more about what it could be, and hearing “treatable” is always good.

I’m so sorry about your bunny 💕 I will update the thread as soon as we know more, or if her behaviour changes.

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