How to treat a tumour!

Apologies for the extensive crosspost, I'm posting this to every rat
group and newsgroup that I know, just to try and get the message
across, I hope you understand my reasons.

How many times have you read on a group that someone's rat has been
put to sleep because of a tumour? Upsetting isn't it. Not only is it
disgusting that a vet would put an otherwise healthy animal to sleep,
but it's infuriating to read when you know something can be done.

I thought I should write something about my personal experience with
tumour removal, and what I know of non-surgical treatment in the hope
that it could help someone else's rat. I'm NOT a vet, and it's always
best to seek the advice of your vet before acting on anyone's advice.

First of all, you should know that a tumour is NOT an instant death
sentence for a rat. Most lumps that rats develop are benign (not
cancerous) and can easily be removed.

The first piece of advice that I would like to offer is that you
should ALWAYS make a point of having them removed when the lump is
still small if at all possible. The larger they get, the longer the
rat may have to stay under the anaesthetic meaning more danger to the
rat, and the larger the incision would be, meaning more stitches and
more discomfort for the rat. It's just best to have them out sooner
rather than later. Also, never attempt the surgery yourself, this can
lead to infection which can become very deep and kill.

When you find a lump on your rat, can you be sure it's a tumour?
Could it be an abscess? You need to work that out for starters.
Abscesses can occur anywhere. They're usually but not always caused
by an opening of the skin, through a scratch or bite, that bacteria
has got into, then the wound has closed over it, so the bacteria
festers and creates pus, which causes a swelling under the skin.
These should ideally be treated by a vet, opened, kept open and
cleaned with saline solution (NOT Hydrogen peroxide), and antibiotics
should be given. But I digress.....

Once you're sure your rat does have a tumour, where do you go from
there? Well, as long as your vet is experienced in rat surgery, then
it's quite a straightforward procedure to remove a tumour. As I said
before, most are benign and without much of a blood supply, so it can
be as easy as making a small incision (as long as the tumour is still
small) and popping the lump straight out, then closing with a couple
of stitches. Voila, your rat is delumped!

Complications are rare and the vet will usually know if they are
likely before surgery, although there is always a risk when putting
any animal under anaesthetic. Thankfully most tumour removals take
only a matter of a few minutes.

Complications that can arise are things like the tumour having grown
around an organ, being attached to an organ, or being caused by bone
cancer. Even in those extreme cases, if your vet is good enough,
something can be done.

If your rat is elderly, or has respiratory problems, the vet will
probably not want to operate which leaves you with the idea that
nothing can be done and your beloved pet will eventually have to be
put to sleep. This is NOT the case.

My vet introduced me to a wonderful natural treatment called Mycoplex
Coriolus, which is made from the Coriolus (also known as Turkey Tail)
mushroom. I've used this many times and have had excellent results
with it. It can either slow growth of the tumour, buying time for
recovery from, say, a respiratory infection, so that surgery is
possible, it can stop growth completely, or it has been known to
force the tumour into remission. Nobody is quite sure why it works,
but the way it works is by starving the tumour of it's blood supply,
thereby killing it. Needless to say, the less of a rich blood supply
the tumour has, the less effective Mycoplex will be. In some cases
when there is no blood supply, Mycoplex will not work at all, but
these cases are less frequent. Mycoplex has usually done something
for my rats, however small the effect, and can work against both
benign and malignant tumours. It can work of both benign and
malignant tumours and although it won't actually shrink existing
fatty lumps, it can slow their growth.

Although I've never used it myself, Mycoplex Coriolus can be used in
conjunction with Maxigen 2, (sometimes called Maxigen II) which is
shark cartilage, it works by boosting the effects of the Mycoplex.

Both of these are natural treatments, and cannot be overdosed on, so
are completely safe for your rat. In fact Mycoplex is also used to
boost the body's natural immunity, so is beneficial in other ways as
well.

Mycoplex is also very good to use after the tumour has been
surgically removed, to prevent regrowth. Ideally the Mycoplex should
be started while the tumour is still small for the best effects to be
possible, although I have had some positive results on reasonably
large tumours.

Mycoplex Coriolus can be bought online from here:

http://www.animalsnaturally.com/mofcart/mycoplex.htm
http://www.vitabest.ca/MRL/index.html
http://www.aneid.pt/mrl/products01.html

Further information about Mycoplex can be found here:

http://www.vetsonline.com/html/veterinary_news_article.asp?
ID=786&DType=Veterinary

And here:

http://www.jhsnp.com/store/about_coriolus.html

Maxigen 2 (or II), also known as Shark Cartilage, can be bought here:

http://www.thomasveterinarydrug.com/mailorder/catalog/advanced_search_
result.php?keywords=shark+cartilage

http://www.auravita.com/products/aura/PHAR16645.asp?RefId=800

http://www.solgar.co.uk/modules/shop/view.asp?catid=18&Prodcode=E2600

In the UK, it is sold at the health food shop, Holland and Barrett.

Doseages are as follows:

Mycoplex:

Initially, for the first two weeks of treatment to give a boost, one
quarter of a tablet should be given twice a day, reducing to one
quarter or one fifth of a tablet once a day for the life of the
tumour or rat.

Maxigen:
Should be given alongside the Mycoplex, at a dose of one seventh of a
740mg capsule once a day.

Once the tumour has died, the Maxigen can be stopped completely, and
the dosage of Mycoplex can be reduced to a maintenance dose of one
tenth of a tablet once a day. If the tumour has been surgically
removed, this is also the dose of Mycoplex to help prevent regrowth.
If regrowth or new growth in a different area occurs, then the dose
of Mycoplex is returned to one fifth once a day, and the Maxigen is
restarted at one seventh of a capsule once a day.

The Mycoplex should be crushed into powder, and divided into doses,
each dose then mixed along with the Maxigen (if you're going to give
that as well), into something tasty for the rat. I've used the
following which have all been readily yummed up by my rats:

Strawberry milkshake
Strawberry syrup
Chocolate syrup
Melted ice cream
Chocolate spread

You get the idea. If it's something that they'd consider a huge
treat, then you only need a small amount on the tip of a spoon, just
enough to disguise the powder in, and they'll fall upon it with great
relish.

The only downside to the use of Mycoplex, is that if a tumour dies,
sometimes an abscess will form in it's place, but these are easily
cared for at home, as I indicated at the beginning of this document,
or can easily and cheaply be treated by your vet. Plus the fact that
they're a lot easier to deal with at home than tumours!


I hope you've found this document helpful, I've also uploaded it to
the files section of this group in the hope that it will save
someone`s rat from an unnecessary death. Please save it to your hard
drive if you like, redistribute it as much as you like, I'm all for
spreading the word, as these inexpensive products can save your rat's
life, or certainly extend it.

I have a website which shows tumours after removal, it contains very
graphic images of tumours, and other such things that I've had
removed from my rats, or my friends' rats, but could help you better
understand what it is you're dealing with.

This site can be found at:

http://www.freewebs.com/miscrats/


Many thanks for reading this, and remember, these animals rely on us
to give them the best care possible, don't give up on them!

Bev x

Owner of Clubrats 2, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/clubrats2/

(bevluvsrats@...)

(All web addresses correct at time of writing, 13th November 2004)