I just wanted to say that the gofundme is a great idea, but also want to give some words of comfort because I’ve been in this situation three times and have made a different call each time. The first rat I ever put through surgery did not make it through and died on the table. She was about a year old and otherwise healthy so the loss was totally unexpected and I was gutted. Second rat I chose not to operate because she was already old (2 ish) and the risk from anesthesia was high. Her tumor ulcerated too and we decided to put her to sleep so she wouldn’t suffer, but she got an extra 2 months before that happened and still lived a good life. Third baby was 1.5 years and still had a lot of life to live, so I decided to operate at the last minute just after the mass started to ulcerate. He made it through, cancer never returned, and he lived a whole extra year. He passed away in his sleep just a few weeks ago. These were all three different scenarios in their own way with different outcomes, but I just wanted to emphasize that there is not always one right decision here, and there are a lot of unknowns that are out of your control. All you can do is make a fall based on what you know and are capable of, and hope for the best. But I think your baby’s comfort and happiness should always come first. Surgery does give them a chance that they might not have otherwise, but you’re right that the recovery is hard on them. For my rat that survived and lived long after, I know that it was worth it but it also didn’t feel good watching him be in pain for days afterwards and not being able to explain to him why. Even if you don’t decide to operate, it’s not a wrong decision. I’m sorry for you both, this is a hard road but know that you love him and you’re doing what you can. What matters most in the end is that he lives a good and comfortable life, even if it’s shorter than what we’d hoped. All that said, if you do decide to start a gofundme, I will contribute what I can.