Angry tumor :(

[Hathery]

Hello all! You might remember my hedgehog Laika from the Chins-n-Quills days. Anyway, on Saturday night I took her to the emergency vet because she had this weird cyst pop up suddenly above her back right leg. It's bright and red (almost looks like a blood blister.) The vet tried to aspirate it, but it's a solid tumor with no liquid inside. The vet viewed a sample under the microscope to look at the cells and it's made up of "round cells" indicating a tumor. The sample was sent off to the university for testing, but the results were inconclusive.

I made an appointment with the exotic vet for Friday and she's going to take a look and schedule a surgery for removal. When I took Laika out to play last night, I noticed she had some quills sticking up funny on her rump on the right side. I moved them to take a look, and she has another lump. This lump isn't red, just a hump under the skin (about the same size as the other tumor--3/4 inch.) The vet had mentioned the tumor could be benign, or it could be a sign of something more serious like lymphoma. I was praying for benign, but now that this other tumor has appeared I am feeling less hopeful. Does anyone have any experience with this, and maybe could shed some light on what's going on? I"m feeling very very sad right now

 

[shetland]

I don't have any information for you but I have said a special prayer for your little one.

 

[FiaSpice]

I don't have any info either, but I just wish it's benign, both lumps.

 

[Hathery]

Thank you for the kind words

 

[EyeSack]

We're praying for your little one and you over here in jersey...

 

[Hathery]

Please, does anyone have any experience with this??

 

[Kalandra]

I have never experience a tumor like the one you described, but I have dealt with many different types of cancers over the years that I've had hedgehogs. I'd have doc take a look at the second lump, and try to determine what it is.

You stated the sample came back inconclusive. I take it this was a pathology that came back this way?

If she was mine, I would try to determine if the lumps are removable. If they are, and if she is in good shape, I would likely have them removed. If not, I would discuss with my doctor options for keeping her happy for as long as possible.

If it is lymphoma, we had excellent results with the use of prednisone (in chemo doses) with Maui. She was given a very short time to live, but lived 9 months. And was active and happy up until the evening she died.

 

[Hathery]

I have never experience a tumor like the one you described, but I have dealt with many different types of cancers over the years that I've had hedgehogs. I'd have doc take a look at the second lump, and try to determine what it is.

You stated the sample came back inconclusive. I take it this was a pathology that came back this way?

If she was mine, I would try to determine if the lumps are removable. If they are, and if she is in good shape, I would likely have them removed. If not, I would discuss with my doctor options for keeping her happy for as long as possible.

If it is lymphoma, we had excellent results with the use of prednisone (in chemo doses) with Maui. She was given a very short time to live, but lived 9 months. And was active and happy up until the evening she died.

The first sample they sent to the university was from the fine needle aspiration, so it was a very small tissue sample. They sent it off to pathology at the university, but they couldn't make a determination.

I'm definitely going to have the lumps removed (at the very least the one that's easily accesible) because they said whether they do a biopsy or remove the tumor, she still needs to be put under anesthesia (so might as well just take it off!) That particular tumor isn't the one that's as upsetting to me though--the one on her rump under the quills is the one that is scaring me. It's just a "hump"; it has no discoloration or anything. So it's not a growth above the skin like the other one, but rather something under the skin. Is it possible for hedgehogs to have "fatty tumors"? It reminds me of the fatty tumors my labrador retriever used to get under his skin.

 

[Chinniechantel]

I have only had one experience with a tumor and it did not end well unfortunately. But the 2nd tumor in your case makes me think maybe it is something else. Is there another vet you can see that can give you a pathology report? I think that is your only way to get some answers. It does sound like a fatty tumor to me, my sister used to get them all the time. I will keep the little one in my prayers. Sorry you are going through this.

 

[Kalandra]

I've never had a fatty tumor appear in a hedgehog, but I have discussed lipomas with an old vet of mine. And he had removed one from another patient once. Cancer is very common in these little guys, but there are also cases of benign tumors as well. I've only had to deal with one benign tumor (sadly, since I've dealt with 10 types of tumors through the years). It was a basal cell tumor and was in her abdomen. We originally thought it was a mammary cancer but pathology showed it was a benign basal cell.

Good luck with her, and please keep us updated on what the vet finds. We will keep our quills crossed here that whatever she has is easily removable and she will be lump free for a long time.

 

[StephTech]

My first thought was that it could be a lymph node enlarged due to her tumor. This can happen in other animals because their lymph system can get out of whack when they're tumorous. This has happened in other species I've seen and actually is apparent in one of my hedgehogs that is dealing with some sort of eye cancer at the moment. He has an enlarged node in his left armpit that was palpable when we anesthetized him to get a better look at the eye. He is also being managed with Prednisone and this enlarged lymph node has not increased in size since.

Good luck with her prognosis, keep us posted and what they find!

 

[Hathery]

Well, the tumor on her rump came out during surgery in a big ball so the vet was fairly sure it's a mass of some kind. Possibly a fatty cyst. The one by her leg proved to be an agressive round-cell tumor, so we're glad that it was removed. I'm hoping that it doesn't grow back, or become more aggressive than the one that was removed.

Laika is doing well, still eating like a piglet and taking her meds like a trooper. I think she's in a fair amount of pain (even with the pain medication) because she has a tendency now to lie down rather than trying to put weight on the leg whenever possible. I'm hoping that once the incision site heals she goes back to her old self.

 

[smhufflepuff]

Glad to hear she's made it through surgery successfully. Great news on the fatty cyst. And, hopefully, the round-cell tumor's removal has cleared her of any and all bad mojo.
Sending plenty of hedgie hugs to you and Laika. I hope she can get back to running around soon

 

[shetland]

I hope Laika's pain decreases so she can be more comfortable. Thank you for the update. Sending special thoughts to your little one.

 

[AlbertaGirl]

Glad to hear she came through the surgery well. Get better soon, Laika!