are all lumps in ratS bad?

Rats Make Good Pets

I love rats. They are so smart and nice but the only bad thing about rats (other than them pooping a lot) is they have short lifespans and they often get tumors. Why, you may ask? I will tell you why, but first let me tell you what a tumor is.

What Is a Tumor?

A tumor is a mass or lump of tissues (the living parts or cells that plants and animals are made of). It sometimes looks like it's swollen. Tumors happen when cells grow and divide more than they are supposed to. Rats get a lot of tumors. They can even occur at 2 months old!

Signs of Tumors

Some tumors grow quickly and are easy to see. But some tumors are hidden on the inside. You may be wondering, "How do I know my rat has a tumor?" Well I will tell you.

Here are some signs that a rat has a tumor. Their eyes might be bulging (bulging means swelling or sticking out). Or sometimes they may have a bigger appetite or look extra tired.

Some other signs of tumors are that your rat might have problems walking or climbing or it might have a misshapen head.

Are All Rat Lumps Bad?

You may wonder, are all lumps bad? The answer is no. Some lumps are not a cause for concern but many tumors get so large that they need to be removed.

Sometimes rats get a lump because of abscesses. An abscess is a bacterial infection that gets filled up with pus (sort of think of it as a pimple as big as your nose!) Abscesses can be gone by treating the infection.

Some tumors don't spread to other parts of the body. These tumors don't cause the biggest problems, but if they do become a problem they should be removed.

The worst type of tumors are malignant tumors.

Malignant Tumors

Malignant tumors invade and spread to other parts of the body. This is what causes cancer. Malignant tumors are bad because they can cause the rat to die.

Treating Tumors

If your rat has a tumor or an abscess, go to the vet and get it out. Some tumors can be removed by a vet if the tumor is not too big and has not spread in too many places.

Also, some tumors can be treated by a medicine called Tamoxifen. This medicine might be able to shrink some kinds of tumors.

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