1372. Two new lumps above the old rabbit's left eyelid - sarcoma?

Adeline Teo	Apr 9 (8 days ago)
to me

Hi Dr Sing,

my rabbit Xiaoban, has who had recently been to your clinic for removal of her sarcoma near her left eye.

Today we again felt a small spherical lump around 0.3-0.5cm in diameter big in an area just a little higher up the previous area, this time its sitting quite near the eye (just a little above the eyelid). Do you think we should just bring her over this sun for you to take a look and discuss what is best for her?

Otherwise she is eating well and elated to be just reunited with her companion. Her stitches are still there, has not dissolved yet, but since the boy has no lower teeth, he can't do anything to it.

Regards,

A...

 

EMAIL REPLY FROM DR SING

Kong Yuen Sing <99pups gmail.com="">	Apr 10 (7 days ago)

Best to get it removed when it is very small and operable. However, please note that the sarcoma is spreading via the skin and there will be more recurrences.

DISCUSSION WITH THE OWNER

APRIL 15, 2013
Female rabbit was spayed by me 8 years ago. "The next day, the rabbit jumped and was very active," the medical technician lady told me as I sent her friend and her home to Toa Payoh Lor 1. She came to take the rabbit home and since I was closing at 8 pm, I gave her a lift.

"How are the younger doctors in the General Hospital?" I asked. "Do they arrive late for work? Do they spend lots of time texting and viewing movies on their mobile phone or laptop? This is my observation of the staff who worked at Toa Payoh Vets. 

"Yes, they do that. Sometimes text us too!" she said. "The senior doctors come to work early!"

"What makes a good doctor?" I asked when the two ladies was saying that there was one doctor who was a good doctor.

"He cares for his patient and waive off his fees for those in need," the medical technician said. "Sometimes we feel that we spent so much time on the patient and he just waived the charges!"

This female rabbit had no problem since spay, till recently. The two ladies had sent me an e-card of thanks some 8 years ago. I still have it somewhere.

Sarcoma diagnosed in upper eyelid (more cranial) was excised by Dr Daniel last month. Now the present 2 lumps under the skin above the upper eyelid have been excised and sent for histology.

The ladies brought up the fact that this rabbit had false pregnancy last year when I asked why a small area of the skin near the vulval area was bald. "Last year, her whole hind legs were as bald as a chicken! She chewed the hairs off as she had false pregnancy."

"No rabbit can have false pregnancy when she is spayed," I said.
"Well, the internet sites said it is possible. Even the House Rabbit website says so."
This is news to me. The younger generation of owners possess niche knowledge. I must check this out. 

There is another rabbit which had jaw abscess. "How is he now?" I asked. "It is hard to tell one rabbit from another," I said. "I guess it is the same with people e.g. all Asians look the same to Caucasians?"

"We can tell," the ladies said. "He has no more jaw abscess after two treatments by your clinic. Maybe the rotten tooth root had dropped off! Every 8 weeks I clip his upper teeth as they overgrow. He has only one lower front teeth, deviated."  These two rabbits in old age seem to require more info.

The ladies were waiting for me to finish my consultation on a guinea pig which had rapid breathing on that evening. They had palpated a lump on the left mandible, around 8 mm x 8 mm. "Could this be another sarcoma?" they asked. "It could be a developing jaw abscess," I palpated this lump which was absent in the right mandible.. The two rabbits were well loved.