testicular cancer

[OliverBun]

So I took Olive to a new vet to check out his ears since his usual one is on vacation.

She said he has an ear infection and has started him on oral antibiotics as well as drops. I asked if this could cause itching and she said yes, which I thought was a little weird. He has a follow-up in two weeks.

Here’s my question: She also said that his right testicle is enlarged and seems as if it’s developing a tumor. She said as soon as this infection is cleared up, we need to neuter him to get rid of the cancer.

My unanswered questions:

-How dangerous is this with a 10 1/2 year old bun?

-What are the chances of neutering him but the cancer has spread? What do we do then?

-Should I do the procedure with this new vet or his regular one?

If anyone has experience neutering an old bun or with testicular cancer, I’d really appreciate some stories/experiences/thoughts. Thanks a lot!

[MoxieMeadows]

I’m sorry but I have no information for you. I just wanted to tell you I’m very sorry, and send some (((Vibes))). (I also wanted to bump the thread up so people with more knowledge about this can see it and give you some answers)

[OliverBun]

Well thank you. The vet didn’t seem at all concerned about him. She said he just needed his testicles removed and that would be that. But I don’t see how cancer is that simple.
He’s got a follow up with his regular vet on March 2nd. Any and all info anyone can provide me before that would be very much appreciated.
Also, I’d appreciate some opinions on my two vets. I found them through the house rabbit society.
I live in Wisconsin, Milwaukee area vets. Anyone able to provide insight?

[Mimsy]

I looked up online and found this:
http://animals.mom.me/testicle-problems-rabbits-3089.html

It doesn’t sound like she actually did a biopsy right? So we don’t know what it is for certain. Since he had an infection, is it possible that it’s something he spread to himself during grooming, as in the last part of the above page?

and then this: https://www.vetstream.com/lapis/Content/Freeform/fre00314

sounds like it’s rare, however it becomes more likely with age and Olive is an older dude.

I can only tell you what I would do in your situation. If it was a much younger rabbit, I would neuter and be done with it. However, with someone as old as Oliver I’d probably want to have a biopsy done and perhaps an xray. I would want to know what kind of cancer and if it’s spread before considering surgery. If it already spread, I would not do surgery. If it has not I’d want to know what kind of cancer. some cancers tend to have…well like tentacles and even with a great vet, it maybe difficult to get all of it, since some maybe fairly microscopic in size. Other cancers tend to stay pretty much in a lump and are easily removed. So, and this is just my way of thinking..if it’s a type which moves fast and has tentacles I probably would not do surgery. Just seems too high a risk for something that will very likely still there. If it’s a slower moving one that stays in lump mostly, I’d then look at the overall health of my rabbit. If he’s at good weight, and good health then I would probably opt to remove it. At his age, it’s really a tough decision, in my opinion and I agree with you..I would not just consider this something that I’d do without looking into it heavily first.

with a little luck perhaps it’s a bacterial infection related to the one he has. Good luck to you.

[Azerane]

I agree that I would certainly want to have it biopsied first and go from there. With a rabbit his age surgery is obviously much more risky, although if it was cancer that hadn’t yet spread you could always get bloodwork done to test his organ function to help decide if he’s healthy enough to go through surgery. It’s a tough one since he’s getting up there in bunny years, depending on the result I might just leave it too, as he may live another year or so with it (hard to say) and how much longer would a bunn his age really have in most cases (not to be a downer, but just discussing the worth of surgery based on the average life span).

[Bam]

If you get a tumor early, chances are it hasn’t spread. All lumps should be dealt with asap.

The problem with getting a biopsy is that a biopsy itself can lead to the tumor metastazising. A biopsy can trigger the mother-tumor to send out lots and lots of cancer-cells into the blood stream/lymphatic, like tumor “seeds”. They can then get stuck somewhere and if conditions are favorable, they will grow and form daughter tumors.

I have a male (human) friend that got testicular cancer and there was no biopsy, just removal of the affected one. (He got to freeze some sperm for future use in case there’d be a problem with the other one. This would of course not be a concern for Olive.) My friend then had to have radiation therapy, but he had had that lump for a year before he could muster the strenght to see a doctor about it. He’s fine now, this was more than10 years ago.

There’s always a risk with anesthetizing a rabbit, but the surgery in itself is fairly light.

[OliverBun]

That’s what I’ve read about biopsies. So I don’t know that I would want to do that.
I do think Azerane brings up a good point, though… Realistically how long will a 10.5 rabbit live without cancer?

This is hard but I’m thinking I either neuter him or don’t. I don’t think biopsies are the path I want to go.

[OliverBun]

Also, if I don’t neuter him am I subjecting him to an uncomfortable, difficult and possibly premature end of life?

[Bam]

I think you need to discuss it with your vet. 10,5 years is old, but it’s not unheard of-old. If your vet doesn’t thinks it’s good for him or even ethical, I think she’ll tell you. Vets are like that, they never want to prolong suffering if they can help it.

It seems like a lump is an early sign. You could have his lungs x-rayed. If there are metastases in the lungs, they’d show up. The vetstream link you provided does say the prognosis is good to excellent with complete removal if there are no metastasis to the lungs. If the lungs are affected, I believe palliative care would more or less be the only option.

[Vienna Blue in France]

In recent months I’ve said goodbye to my canine soulmate due to old age (well bones not working due to old age)
She was nearly 16.
“If” she had been diagnosed with cancer at that age, I’m not sure I would have operated unless a high high risk of recovery.
Too old to be recovernig. a bit like operating on a 90 year old human…
And if she had died in the procedure I’m not sure I would have been ready for that…..

Difficult choice for you….. I think I would go for making the last months pain free and comfortable.
Pain free of course being the ultimate aim.

Someone I know says, one day we’ll all die of something !! Maybe harsh and cold, but true….

(((( vibes )))))

[LittlePuffyTail]

I’m sorry to hear this. It’s a difficult situation for sure. I’m not sure what I would do in your situation but I really don’t think I would go the surgery route at that age. ((hugs)))

[Eepster]

There are many possible causes of enlarged testicles. Cancer is just one. Generally cancer is a fairly slow disease, and you are talking about a very old bunny. It’s very possible that he will pass from old age long before the cancer starts to cause him to feel unwell.

Think about it in terms of what your elderly relatives would want for themselves.

[LBJ10]

I agree. Talk to your vet about your options. Testicular cancer is rare, but slow growing, and it may not be worth the risk. After all, he is over 10 years old. I would do whatever will make him most comfortable for the remainder of his life.

[cinnybun2015]

I’m sorry, OliverBunny. I don’t have many suggestions, but I am sending lots of hugs and good (((((vibes)))) for Olive. It’s a tough situation, like LittlePuffyTail said. My parents had a rabbit a long, long time ago, when I was a child. His name was Scooter, and he had testicular cancer, too… I don’t remember what they did, it was a very long time ago. I agree with LBJO and Vienna, choose what you think would make him comfortable and happy for the rest of his life.

(((hugs)))

[OliverBun]

Thank you all. He’s a very happy bunny and physically is in generally good shape. I want to treat it. I can’t just give up on him. But I don’t want to put him through too much stress at his age. I’m going to talk to my vet at length when we see her on March 2. Hopefully I’ll be able to make a decision after that.

But how can we not fight for him? I can’t give up on him. He’s so happy.

[cinnybun2015]

I’m definitely not suggesting that you not fight for him. If you do think that the surgery will be good for him, then you might want to do it. Really, it is your choice. You know your bunny well- it will be hard, but you will have to decide what you want to do for him and how he seems with it. I’m so sorry that you’re being put through this tough choice- nothing like that could ever be considered easy.

[Eepster]

To me it’s about making sure I’m fighting for the right thing for my pets. Making sure I’m fighting for a happy comfortable life. Often happy and comfortable goes with long, but other times it doesn’t.

Also sometimes the treatment is worse than the disease. At his age any surgery is high risk, even what is typically low risk surgery. The oldest I have ever heard of a rabbit living is12 years. If it’s going to take longer than 1 1/2 years before the possible cancer starts causing your rabbit discomfort or death, than leaving it be is much less risky than treating it.

You’ll know more next week when you see your regular vet next week, it may not even be cancer at all.

[drwil]

Previous posts are right. Biopsy first especially if it can be done under local anesthesia. Being put under general anesthesia is hard on any old animal. They cannot metabolize the drugs as well and have a weaker immune system.

There have been several posts on the rainbow bridge about owners losing a bunny after spray/neuter. Don’t mean to scare you but I would not risk surgery unless his life depended on it.

[OliverBun]

Drwil. For some reason the way you phrased that really spoke to me. Thank you.
His regular vet said she really didn’t notice much swelling… Maybe something minor of anything. Hopefully it was part of the infection but with two different vets, it’s hard to know for sure if there’s been improvement

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