Tumor

[Frenchvanillacoffee]

Hello. Hopefully, this is the correct forum to post in. Today I took my bunny, Cookie, to the vet because she has a decent sized sore on her stomach. I feel terrible because I didn’t notice it until she began spotting blood. She’s not a bunny that likes to be held, and it’s low on her abdomen. When I brought her in the vet tech immediately said burst abscess. Then the vet comes in, takes one glance (literally), and says it’s a large tumor. He said it’s so large it’s bursting through the skin. And that’s it. No tests. They just gave me a $700 removal plan they said they weren’t comfortable performing, and told me there’s a high risk she wouldn’t survive it. Is this normal procedure? Can a vet tell it’s a tumor with one look? I’m thinking about contacting another vet for a second opinion.

Cookie is eating, playing, and using the potty. She does lick at it a lot. At first I thought it was maybe an abscess she began to self-mutilate. I didn’t know tumors could burst through the skin. Either way, I’m devastated. I’ve been crying off and on all day and can’t imagine losing her. I have a second bunny, Honeybunny, and they are very close so I worry about her too. Has anyone been through something similar or have any advice they can share? Thank you.

[Bam]

I can’t say if a vet can spot cancer just like that, but it’s not completely out of the question. Some tumors cause ulcers that won’t heal, and if you’re trained in seeing that type of ulcers, I think you could diagnose them rather accurately by just having a look.

Did they suggest chest x-rays? Uterine cancer (if this is uterine cancer) is slow to spread, but when it does, it spreads first to surrounding tissues, then primarily to the lungs. A good vet would want to know if there is spread before attempting surgery. If there is spread there is, tragically, no way of curing the cancer even if you remove the primary tumor.

If you don’t feel comfortable with this vet, I’d say get a second opinion.

Here is some info about uterine cancer in rabbits:

http://sawneeanimalclinic.com/downloads/uterine_cancer_in_rabbits.pdf

[Bunny House]

I agree, X-rays should be first done and I would try and find a different vet who is more thorough with an exam and do an aspirate of the lump and look under a microscope and see what it is, you can even send the asparate to a lab and they can say what type of tumor or what it is and see if it’s even operable before just telling you to get it removed.

[Frenchvanillacoffee]

Thank you for the feedback. I asked about x-rays, and they told me x-rays would be pointless because the tumor wouldn’t show up. They also told me they couldn’t do anything aside from remove it. The possibility of it being cancerous was never brought up, but I wondered because if it is and has spread then surgery seems pointless. The experience made me fee hopeless because the vet told me so little and just left me with the thought of my bunny having a tumor. I was there for 20 minutes, and maybe saw the actual vet for 5. Most of the time they did a routine checkup, clipped her nails, and went over this removal plan. A second opinion definitely sounds like a good idea.

[Bam]

I’d try to find another vet. Even if this vet’s diagnosis should turn out to be correct, you need a vet that explains things clearly so that you can make informed decisions.

Please keep us posted.

[Bunny House]

Depending on where the tumor is, it could show up, we have dogs come in all the time that have tumors show up on the X-ray because it is on or in an organ and so the organ is abnormally large.

There are good vets who can explain as Bam said, it’s about finding one you like and trust and that you care about what they say, even if it is the same as what the other vet said, it’s for some reason more believable coming from a vet you trust

[Frenchvanillacoffee]

I brought her to another vet, and they did tests and x-rays. They said it doesn’t seem to be a tumor, it’s contained, and not cancerous. Next Monday Cookie is supposed to go in for surgery to close her wound and drain the abscess. They told me it was most likely a wound that didn’t heal and worsened over time. I’m worried about the surgery because I know it can be risky. And I wanted to ask about rei-shi mushroom tablets. They said it’s an immune booster. It’s a liquid and they mixed it with strawberries to make it taste better. I was anxious so didn’t think to ask at the time, but I thought mushrooms were poisonous for bunnies? Or should it be okay? Thank you.

[Bam]

I’m glad you found another vet and had a proper exam done!

I dont know about Rei shi mushrooms for rabbits. I dont even know if all mushrooms are poisonous to rabbits, just general recommendations not to feed mushrooms to buns.

We have had Indian members here who were given ayurvedic herbal tonics for their buns, with no apparent ill effects. I have never heard of anyone getting Rei shi mushroom tonic though.

[Author]

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