# Possible Zymbal's gland tumour?



## Nat88 (Oct 18, 2012)

Hi everyone,

One of my rats, Hercules, has a lump on the side of his face. I've done a bit of Googling and apparently these usually turn out to be a Zymbal's gland tumour, is that right?

Are these inoperable? What can I do to make his life comfortable? I will be making a vet appointment tomorrow, but not sure if any of the vets at the surgery are particularly rat-savvy.

Thanks,

Natalie


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Here you go Hun
Health Guide: Zymbal's Gland Tumor


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## Nat88 (Oct 18, 2012)

Thanks . Doesn't look good for him then . Poor boy


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## kodakkuki (Aug 8, 2011)

sorry, don't know much about the condition to offer advice.

what i have learned though, is that exotics vets often work very closely with each other- and know of each other from opposite ends of the country at times!
if you could find Any exotics vet in your county or surroundings, they may be able to tell you who in your area are rodent savvy- maybe not an exotics specialist on paper, but knowledgeable enough to advise you on the problem...

(if that made sense)
Xx


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## Micky93 (May 15, 2012)

I'm sorry to hear about your girl, I'll keep my fingers crossed it isn't a ZGT.

I have gone through this before, and I hate to be the bearer
Of bad news but there is no cure. It is terminal. The best
You can do for her if it is is to make sure she is comfortable, provide metacam, make sure it stays clean and make sure it doesn't affect her eating or general quality of life. 

I will try and find my old threads for you from when I was going through it however currently got a migraine and this is all I can manage -
I just can't ignore anything to do with ZGT. 

Xxxxx


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## Nat88 (Oct 18, 2012)

Thanks everyone; kodakkuki I think there is an exotics vet based in Hathersage which would be the easiest for me to get to, if I need to. The vets at my local surgery have dealt with my rats before and are affordable, but this was about ten years ago so things may have changed now!

Thanks Micky93. He's been out this evening, running about and eating and drinking fine so hopefully he won't be in any pain tonight. I will check on him again over the night and in the morning. Poor little guy


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## Emma P (Sep 21, 2013)

Hi,

I'm so sorry you might have to go through a horrible ZGT. This forum is where I turned when one of my girls developed a lump on the side of her face. Everyone was lovely and helpful and it was good to talk to others who had gone through the same thing. Coral had two surgeries to try and discover what it was. There was no tumour there at all, it showed it's self as an access but then we knew it wasn't as simple as an abcess when it wouldn't heal. I was positive it was a ZGT and I decided to go for one more surgery to discover what it was but still my vet could find nothing that resembled tumour tissue. He discovered it was Squamous Cell Carsenoma which has an equally devastating prognosis. I did lose her which still kills me today. I really hope your ratty still has time. I have heard stories of some lumps just being an abcess with nothing underneath. It's the abcesses over tumours that throw people off.

Xx


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## Nat88 (Oct 18, 2012)

Emma P said:


> Hi,
> 
> I'm so sorry you might have to go through a horrible ZGT. This forum is where I turned when one of my girls developed a lump on the side of her face. Everyone was lovely and helpful and it was good to talk to others who had gone through the same thing. Coral had two surgeries to try and discover what it was. There was no tumour there at all, it showed it's self as an access but then we knew it wasn't as simple as an access when it wouldn't heal. I was positive it was a ZGT and I decided to go for one more surgery to discover what it was but still my vet could find nothing that resembled tumour tissue. He discovered it was Squamous Cell Carsenoma which has an equally devastating prognosis. I did lose her which still kills me today. I really hope your ratty still has time. I have heard stories of some lumps just being an abcess with nothing underneath. It's the abcesses over tumours that throw people off.
> 
> Xx


Hi Emma, thanks for replying. I'm sorry about your girl. There are some horrible diseases and illnesses that affect our little friends. Hopefully Hercules' lump will turn out to be an abcess and, at barely two years old, he'll have many months left to live.


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## Nat88 (Oct 18, 2012)

Just thought I'd update: think there is either an abcess on top or the lump on Hercules' face is an abcess, but it has grown and started looking rather horrible and scabby. He is off to the vets in the morning, hopefully it won't be a one-way trip


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## kodakkuki (Aug 8, 2011)

Nat88 said:


> Just thought I'd update: think there is either an abcess on top or the lump on Hercules' face is an abcess, but it has grown and started looking rather horrible and scabby. He is off to the vets in the morning, hopefully it won't be a one-way trip


Will be thinking of you both. Xx


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## spoiled_rat (Mar 24, 2008)

Nat88 said:


> Hi Emma, thanks for replying. I'm sorry about your girl. There are some horrible diseases and illnesses that affect our little friends. Hopefully Hercules' lump will turn out to be an abcess and, at barely two years old, he'll have many months left to live.


Sorry to put a downer on it, but the average age for rats is only 22-24 months.


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## Emma P (Sep 21, 2013)

Good luck at the vets!! Let us know how he gets on. Sending him ratty cuddles. I have a different one of my girlies in the vet now. She has a lump on her face just to the right of the bridge of her nose. They've done surgery and say it isn't a tumour but it's not a normal abscess either. It's going to be a long course of antibiotics for Parsley that may help or it may not and I might have to let her tell me when she's had enough... So I'm exactly where you are now so we're in it together. I bet there's rat owners all over fretting over their wee ones for so many reasons. As long as they're happy it's not their time yet 

Xx


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## Muze (Nov 30, 2011)

Defo see a rat savvy vet.... as i said in another thread, I had a rat with multiple facial abscesses, on in the position that looked a bit like Zymbals. 
Get the vet to see what's in there. 

if it is Zymbals, then personally I prefer to pts sooner rather than later, they are extremely painful apparently. 

All the best xxx


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## Nat88 (Oct 18, 2012)

spoiled_rat said:


> Sorry to put a downer on it, but the average age for rats is only 22-24 months.


I am aware of their average lifespan; however I've had several rats live to be two and a half and even three years old, so who knows? He may be one of them 



Emma P said:


> Good luck at the vets!! Let us know how he gets on. Sending him ratty cuddles. I have a different one of my girlies in the vet now. She has a lump on her face just to the right of the bridge of her nose. They've done surgery and say it isn't a tumour but it's not a normal abscess either. It's going to be a long course of antibiotics for Parsley that may help or it may not and I might have to let her tell me when she's had enough... So I'm exactly where you are now so we're in it together. I bet there's rat owners all over fretting over their wee ones for so many reasons. As long as they're happy it's not their time yet
> 
> Xx


Thanks Emma, glad Parsley's lump isn't a tumour. Just got back from the vets and Hercules is now on antibiotics and painkillers. I've read that there can still be a tumour under the abcess apparently? I'm making sure he's happy and comfortable anyway. Wishing your girls all the best xx



Muze said:


> Defo see a rat savvy vet.... as i said in another thread, I had a rat with multiple facial abscesses, on in the position that looked a bit like Zymbals.
> Get the vet to see what's in there.
> 
> if it is Zymbals, then personally I prefer to pts sooner rather than later, they are extremely painful apparently.
> ...


Thanks Muze, I certainly won't let him suffer. I'll see how he does on the anitbiotics and painkiller, and take him back to the vet if he goes downhill xx


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## Nat88 (Oct 18, 2012)

kodakkuki said:


> Will be thinking of you both. Xx


Thanks kodakkuki . Sorry, I've only just seen this xx


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## Emma P (Sep 21, 2013)

I hope he gets to three years old too!!  And I hope whatever this is it ISN'T a ZGT. Lots of the stuff I have read says there is usually an abscess over the tumour which throws a lot of owners off aswell as some non-clued up vets. His quality of life is the main thing like you said, it's always really the main thing with all pets. Wishing you lots of luck over the next few weeks.


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