About 2 weeks ago I found a pea-sized lump on Daisy's back, just by her tail so took her to the vets to get it checked out. Once the vet had trimmed her fur to get a closer look we found it was very dark (Daisy is mostly black so we couldn't see it very easily) and it oozed black pus when the scab was knocked off it.
She had the lump removed last week and sent off to the lab to confirm what it was as the vet wasn't sure. The results came back yesterday that it is a melanoma. Unfortunately, the lab said that they didn't manage to get all of it and cells at the edge of the lump were cancerous. I'm now faced with a decision as to what to do next, I've got 2 options:
1. Wait and see if the lump returns and operate again when / if it does. I'm told that in rabbits the disease is not all that likely to spread to other parts of her body but it can't be ruled out. So if it does come back it should be in the same place.
2. Operate again to remove a larger area of skin to ensure that all of the bad tissue is removed.
I'm concerned either way, she came through the operation last week reasonably well and is running about and binkying like mad (probably more than before her op), but is only just getting back to her usual eating patterns, she's not eaten as much hay as I'd like but has been getting plenty of greens (and some treats). I'm concerned that another operation which would be more serious than the first would be hard for her, I don't know how much skin they'd have to remove to ensure they get all of it but the vet mentioned on the phone that she'd probably have to wear a collar which rabbits don't usually need (or like) to stop her disturbing the larger wound and she's only got so much skin to remove. However, operating would probably be more likely to stop the problem coming back in the long run and perhaps by not operating and monitoring we're just delaying another surgery when she could be weaker from the cancer.
Has anyone had a similar experience? Any advice would be appreciated.
She had the lump removed last week and sent off to the lab to confirm what it was as the vet wasn't sure. The results came back yesterday that it is a melanoma. Unfortunately, the lab said that they didn't manage to get all of it and cells at the edge of the lump were cancerous. I'm now faced with a decision as to what to do next, I've got 2 options:
1. Wait and see if the lump returns and operate again when / if it does. I'm told that in rabbits the disease is not all that likely to spread to other parts of her body but it can't be ruled out. So if it does come back it should be in the same place.
2. Operate again to remove a larger area of skin to ensure that all of the bad tissue is removed.
I'm concerned either way, she came through the operation last week reasonably well and is running about and binkying like mad (probably more than before her op), but is only just getting back to her usual eating patterns, she's not eaten as much hay as I'd like but has been getting plenty of greens (and some treats). I'm concerned that another operation which would be more serious than the first would be hard for her, I don't know how much skin they'd have to remove to ensure they get all of it but the vet mentioned on the phone that she'd probably have to wear a collar which rabbits don't usually need (or like) to stop her disturbing the larger wound and she's only got so much skin to remove. However, operating would probably be more likely to stop the problem coming back in the long run and perhaps by not operating and monitoring we're just delaying another surgery when she could be weaker from the cancer.
Has anyone had a similar experience? Any advice would be appreciated.
fingers crossed for her x
