5 Easy Ways to Tell If Your Rat Has a Tumor
A healthy rat is a tumor free rat. Unfortunately though, rats are prone to develop tumors as they age. Here are a few of the warning signs one of our embedded reporters has noticed:
1. Rat is losing a lot of weight no matter how much it is fed - - speaks of brain tumor (typically pituitary) or other form of cancer.
2. Rat has one eye permanently half open due to intracranial pressure - - speaks of brain tumor
3. Rat develops sudden, unexpected deepening of the intensify with which it normally hates you - - could be any tumor. And is usually fairly simple to spot as rat will most often look up directly at you and tell you to F off while you try to weigh it in the morning.
4. Rat appears to be growing an additional head out of the shoulder or neck region. Or rat feels unusually “lumpy.” Care should be taken to avoid simply giving the rat the nickname “Lumpy” without further investigation - - thyroid or other possible tumor
5. Rat’s ability to ambulate is impaired by a freakishly large bulge that was no where to be seen just 24 hours ago and/or rat has poor balance/coordination - - could be brain or any other tumor respectively.
A good lab takes care to make sure that the rat is (humanely) put down once it appears to be in pain, it repeatedly inflicts pain on the staff, or the tumor is impeding the flow of blood or oxygen to other areas of the body.
1. Rat is losing a lot of weight no matter how much it is fed - - speaks of brain tumor (typically pituitary) or other form of cancer.
2. Rat has one eye permanently half open due to intracranial pressure - - speaks of brain tumor
3. Rat develops sudden, unexpected deepening of the intensify with which it normally hates you - - could be any tumor. And is usually fairly simple to spot as rat will most often look up directly at you and tell you to F off while you try to weigh it in the morning.
4. Rat appears to be growing an additional head out of the shoulder or neck region. Or rat feels unusually “lumpy.” Care should be taken to avoid simply giving the rat the nickname “Lumpy” without further investigation - - thyroid or other possible tumor
5. Rat’s ability to ambulate is impaired by a freakishly large bulge that was no where to be seen just 24 hours ago and/or rat has poor balance/coordination - - could be brain or any other tumor respectively.
A good lab takes care to make sure that the rat is (humanely) put down once it appears to be in pain, it repeatedly inflicts pain on the staff, or the tumor is impeding the flow of blood or oxygen to other areas of the body.