# Mouth cancer in 2yr old, options?



## ilufftoast (Aug 14, 2009)

For the past month I've noticed my hedgie has been eating less and less, if any at all. So I finally took Toast into the vet today, apparently she had a tumor in her mouth that was keeping her from being able to eat properly. They snipped some of it out, and I had them send part of it off to see if it is cancerous (which they said considering her age, is most likely). The vet said if it is cancerous I could try to do radiation, but I'm young and can't even afford to buy myself health insurance let alone radiation for my pet. Are there other options for dealing with this? Does anybody else who has experienced this have some words of wisdom?


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

I'm sorry you are going through this. I would not do radiation. There is no point in putting her through it plus the huge expense for possibly no gain. 

There are meds that will slow down some types of tumours. Kalandra will be able to give you some idea's based on what type of tumour it is. Although most tumours are fast growing, some are not and we will pray this one is and she will have some more time.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

What type of cancer is it, and where was it located?

Your best option is to have the vet try to surgically excise the tumor to get clean margins. The problem with that may be that if it is large, or depending on its location it may not be removable without doing massive damage (bone removal) to the hedgehog.

Some types of cancers will react to medication and/or nutritional support to slow them and give our hedgehogs more quality of time. However, they are not cures. 

Is your hedgehog eating again?


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## ilufftoast (Aug 14, 2009)

I dont know what kind of cancer it is, they said it was just a tumor in her mouth. it wasn't visible from the outside, they had to sedate her to get her mouth open and find it, but i'm not sure exactly where it was (I think on the top of her mouth because it was bothering her eye). 

She is eating again. Haven't tried solid food, but the vet gave me some mushy high calorie canned food to give her and she's been eating that really well.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

I'd recommend talking to the vet again and asking him if there is a possibility of the tumor being fully excised. Surgery really is the best option we have.

I explored the option of radiation with a 1 year old who had spindle cell sarcoma. The treatment was 3.5 weeks of radiation treatment. He was going to have to stay in the hospital during the treatment. With an estimated cost of $7,500-9,000 with a guarded prognosis. Radiation itself was reported to have some pretty ugly effects too, hair loss, dry scaly skin to sloughing of skin leaving raw spots. We opted against radiation. The chance of him surviving was low and even if he did, he was going to have to go through 3.5 weeks of misery. I wouldn't have gotten my sweet boy back. We opted to just keep him happy for as long as we could.


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## ilufftoast (Aug 14, 2009)

This is all such a bummer. 

Now I have another issue, her eyes are all full of gunk. it started with just a little in her right eye, and then i think she scratched it to get it out, and now that eye is all crusty and closed and it looks like its starting in her other eye... When i took her in to see the vet originally, it was just a little red puss in the corner of her eye. The vet said it was from the tumor causing some kind of inflammation probably, but now i guess she's picked at and it's maybe infected? guess we're going back to vet again this week. This time i'm going to try to take her to a exotics specialist. She's also been acting strange. She's been sleeping out side her igloo out in the open. 
still no word on the tumor. 
I wish there was an easy answer to all of this. I can't stand the thought of her being in pain.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

Discuss with your vet pain management options. Metacam is commonly prescribed. If the tumor is a squamous cell carcinoma (SCC, very common mouth cancer) ask about piroxicam. Piroxicam is a pain medication that has shown in some studies to slow the growth of SCCs. 

Ask about prednisone too. Prednisone is a steroid, but some cancer types respond to it and shrink. 

I, too, wish there was an easy answer to all of this. Sadly there isn't, and sadly our little ones are very prone to it. 

I'm happy to share what I have experienced and to answer questions you may have. I don't guarantee I have answers and will refer you back to your vet a lot, but I will answer based on what experiences I have had with hedgehogs and cancer and am here to listen even if its just frustration speaking.


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## ilufftoast (Aug 14, 2009)

well, the tests came back today! so it apparently is NOT cancer, it was a wart!!! thought i'd let you know. thanks for your help, i really appreciate what you guys do in this forum. She's still not eating properly and has stuff in her eyes, but at least she doesn't have cancer! Now if i can just get her back to her old self we'll be great.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

That is indeed good news. Did the vet have any idea why her eyes have gunk in them?


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## hanhan27 (May 12, 2011)

A wart?? :shock: That is very good news, but it's strange to imagine a wart in a hedgehog's mouth! I'm so happy it isn't cancer. *Hugs* I hope you are able to get her all fixed up.


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## hedgieluv (Oct 29, 2011)

Yay! Happy to hear it isn't cancer.


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## ReginasMommy (Apr 13, 2011)

I'm so glad it's not cancer! I hope her eye trouble gets cleared up soon!


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## ilufftoast (Aug 14, 2009)

[attachment=0:zd8i253p]39140_10150218588080051_583000050_13814231_4804201_n.jpg[/attachment:zd8i253p]hey thanks for all of your support everyone. Unfortunately though, toast died this morning. Something was seriously wrong with her, I took her to two vets, both of which seemed pretty incompetent, and yesterday she was just completely lethargic and struggling, I knew it was close to the end. I had an appointment to take her into a specialist today, but it was too late. I feel awful that I didn't take her to a specialist right away, but she seemed to be doing fairly ok up until yesterday. The thing that comforts me is knowing she isn't suffering anymore. Thanks for all of your help everyone, this forum is a fantastic resource. 
Here's a picture of my little girl, I miss her a ton.


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## hanhan27 (May 12, 2011)

I'm so sorry.  Toast was a beautiful girl. Take comfort in knowing she's in a better place, with all the meal worms she could ever want. *Hugs* Don't beat yourself up. Our quilled friends hide sickness so well that too often we don't realize something is wrong until it's serious. You're in my thoughts


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

Oh no, I'm so sorry to hear that.


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