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Lump under skin - middle upper tummy

cottonees

cottonees

Young Bun
Hey all
I've just had my rabbit groomed today and she asked me about the lump under his skin
Obviously I knew nothing about it
It's about the size of a small blueberry and moves around under his skin when I pinch it (Obviously not hard just to get an awareness of size and shape) seems pretty close to his skin
Just above it, it is red and inflamed looking, not really proceeding out but his skin has slight discolouration.
I have a vet appointment on Thursday but I am just looking for some support and if anyone else has been through this my rabbit is pretty much my child so obviously I am devastated. I don't know how long its been there as he hates his tummy being brushed or pet so I can't help with a time frame

He still is eating, munching hay right now
Doesn't seem too bothered when it's touched or squeezed lightly just gets irritable he's being held and kicks out

any advice or moral support would be greatly appreciated
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From the photo its impossible to identify the exact location of the ‘lump’ other than it’s somewhere on the underside of your Rabbit. It could even be an inflamed nipple (yes, male Rabbits have nipples)

IMG_6182.png

The fact that it reels soft, painless and mobile , within the skin rather than attached to underlying structures are all good signs. It does not look or sound like anything ‘sinister’ to me, it could be a small infected cyst or abscess. It doesn’t look much like the latter though. Or it might be an infected follicle. But all of that is just my UNQUALIFIED opinion😀

The only way to know for certain is for a Rabbit Savvy Vet to take a look at it. Good to hear this has been arranged and I hope whatever it turns out to be will be easy to treat 😀
 
InspectorMorse said:
From the photo its impossible to identify the exact location of the ‘lump’ other than it’s somewhere on the underside of your Rabbit. It could even be an inflamed nipple (yes, male Rabbits have nipples)

View attachment 3564

The fact that it reels soft, painless and mobile , within the skin rather than attached to underlying structures are all good signs. It does not look or sound like anything ‘sinister’ to me, it could be a small infected cyst or abscess. It doesn’t look much like the latter though. Or it might be an infected follicle. But all of that is just my UNQUALIFIED opinion😀

The only way to know for certain is for a Rabbit Savvy Vet to take a look at it. Good to hear this has been arranged and I hope whatever it turns out to be will be easy to treat 😀
Click to expand...
I don't think it's a nipple as its a hard mass under the skin like a cyst would be on a human. You know when you get those killer big spots and you can basically feel them under your skin and they move around
It feels pretty rounded and close to the skin rather than to organs. He does not have one the other side so I don't think it's a nipple as surely both would feel the same? I'd say it's between 2 to 4 cm around

I've brought the vet appointment ahead to tomorrow as I worry a lot for him

He has eaten this morning, didn't really want pellets or come for them but he has had a nature hoop and some parsley. I don't wanna bother him by poking his belly.


All I can think of is when he has had stasis in the past I do proper rub down his tummy so the time frame on this is probably upto 4 months as he last had it at Christmas and I never felt it when I gave him the tummy rubs to help him poop. I am thankful for the groomer spotting it. He has not been off his food or changes behaviour wise etc except he does have a protest on a Monday when I go back to work


He's a single house bun, not neutered (his mate was same litter and she passed away as soon as she was put under anasthesia). I have a lot of worries with him about this so I'm praying they don't have to put him under unless it's necessary to save his life


Thanks for the reply too


His poops are a little small today but he was stressed as rhe groomer both groomed him, cut his nails and examined the lump yesterday so ill give him a pass for that.
 
InspectorMorse said:
Hope all went well at the Vets x
Click to expand...
The vet has said the lump was hard and when she took some stuff out of it, it was quite tough to do so and it was 'gritty' she called it a cyst but I thought Cysts had the cottage cheese texture?

We get the results in 5 to 7 days


If he needs surgery I can be there when he is put to sleep via the injection.


He was never neutered as at 8 months when him and his female went, she had the injection and died 15mins into having it, could not be resuscitated

Unsure what to do if he needs surgery. They said their survival rate is more often than not and the female was just a very unfortunate case.


Not sure if I should stick with them or find a rabbit Savvy Vet, really hard decision here
 
Its usually abscesses that contain ‘cottage cheese’ like pus. The Vet sounds to be doing all the right things by getting the aspirate analysed.

I understand your anxiety about your Rabbit having a GA, but as your Vet said most GAs go well but sadly there will always be a small risk of the Rabbit (or any living being) having an adverse reaction. If the lab results indicate that the lump is malignant then removal will be essential.

The Vet sounds to have great empathy with you and why you are reluctant to consent to a GA. I am sure that he/she will take every precaution to make the procedure is safe as possible. I would consider getting your Rabbit neutered whist he’s under GA so he will have the possibility of having a companion of his own kind in the future. Also, entire Bucks can develop testicular cancer when they are older.
 
Abscesses have a cottage cheese type texture. They are a site of infection, which in rabbits tends to be encasulated.
Cysts are fluid filled sacks.
It is rare to lose a rabbit to anaesthetic. You have my sympathies. It is difficult to deal with, but understandable that you are worried, especially as they were related.
You seem to have had some good advice so far. I would wait for the results and see what the recommendations are. You can always ask for a referal to a rabbit specialist. RWAF has a list of some, and someone on here may have experience relevant to your situation.

rabbitwelfare.co.uk

Recommended Rabbit-Friendly Vets

Find recommended rabbit-friendly vets near you. Explore our directory for expert care and support for your furry friend. Ensure the best healthcare for your rabbit
rabbitwelfare.co.uk rabbitwelfare.co.uk
 
InspectorMorse said:
From the photo its impossible to identify the exact location of the ‘lump’ other than it’s somewhere on the underside of your Rabbit. It could even be an inflamed nipple (yes, male Rabbits have nipples)

View attachment 3564

The fact that it reels soft, painless and mobile , within the skin rather than attached to underlying structures are all good signs. It does not look or sound like anything ‘sinister’ to me, it could be a small infected cyst or abscess. It doesn’t look much like the latter though. Or it might be an infected follicle. But all of that is just my UNQUALIFIED opinion😀

The only way to know for certain is for a Rabbit Savvy Vet to take a look at it. Good to hear this has been arranged and I hope whatever it turns out to be will be easy to treat 😀
Click to expand...
Male rabbits have nipples?!?! No wonder it's so hard to tell their gender (I was hoping this would be an easier way to tell if my two girl rexes really are girls...)
 
cottonees said:
The vet has said the lump was hard and when she took some stuff out of it, it was quite tough to do so and it was 'gritty' she called it a cyst but I thought Cysts had the cottage cheese texture?

We get the results in 5 to 7 days


If he needs surgery I can be there when he is put to sleep via the injection.


He was never neutered as at 8 months when him and his female went, she had the injection and died 15mins into having it, could not be resuscitated

Unsure what to do if he needs surgery. They said their survival rate is more often than not and the female was just a very unfortunate case.


Not sure if I should stick with them or find a rabbit Savvy Vet, really hard decision here
Click to expand...
Ah, abscesses are uncomfortable, to be sure. But maybe it'll be okay, since he was eating fine and all. Maybe having a rabbit-savvy vet will make you feel more comfortable and less stressed about a potential procedure. I hope everything ends up alright for your bun!!!!
 
Shimmer said:
Male humans also have nipples...
But there's no such thing as a silly question. Just keep asking.
Click to expand...
Lol, you're right I didn't think about that one. I just thought since dogs and cats didn't, rabbits wouldn't either. But who knows, maybe they do, and I just haven't looked hard enough!
 
InspectorMorse said:
Its usually abscesses that contain ‘cottage cheese’ like pus. The Vet sounds to be doing all the right things by getting the aspirate analysed.

I understand your anxiety about your Rabbit having a GA, but as your Vet said most GAs go well but sadly there will always be a small risk of the Rabbit (or any living being) having an adverse reaction. If the lab results indicate that the lump is malignant then removal will be essential.

The Vet sounds to have great empathy with you and why you are reluctant to consent to a GA. I am sure that he/she will take every precaution to make the procedure is safe as possible. I would consider getting your Rabbit neutered whist he’s under GA so he will have the possibility of having a companion of his own kind in the future. Also, entire Bucks can develop testicular cancer when they are older.
Click to expand...
I absolutely agree with the neutering. I've found a gold standard vet here. They want to do a 2nd opinion but I don't think it's needed just yet if we are able to get the results back. I know for a fact I want this vet to be the one to treat fuzzy if he needs to go under anasthetic. I will see what happens next week with the results and go from there.
He is in our standard vet tomorrow as they've finally got the new rhdv2 vaccine so he's picking that up early hours of the morning.
He's still eating fine, the vet said before he lost about 50g but I've been keeping him off the treats and opted for more healthy treats so I hope that's it.


The gold Vet us about 50mins away on the train, I don't wanna have to make him travel but her credentials speak for herself. I'm hoping he will be okay for the journey, I know he gets stressed but I wanna see someone with experience
 
This is the vet I want seeing my fuzzy

Sara Dias

Sara works alongside a number of services to ensure that exotics patients receive the best surgical and medical care. Supported by a dedicated team of clinicians and nurses, she can see all types of pet that is classed as @exotic@. This also include rabbits, where there are particular conditions...
www.scarsdalevets.com www.scarsdalevets.com

She's not too far from us so I'm hoping I can ask my vet to refer us to her. It's nothing personal he's just my baby and I just want him to be in the most capable hands I can find.
 
Honestly I hope it's not the big C.
Original vet said it could be an infection or inflammation but she doesn't wanna call it
Said she wouldn't do another FNA as it might be same results and she knew I wanted the referral for removal/ second opinion
I'm trying to be optimistic. I've reached out to rescues in the area for a buddy for him and I'll obviously ask about the neutering beforehand. He is happy enough after his car ride and vaccine today

His insurance is capped at 3000gbp per year so I'm positive it should cover it all
He's already registered at the vet I want him referred to
Will call Monday and just see what they can do as I'd like to limit train travel for him as much as possible
 
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