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12 Month Old Girl With A Lump?

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AdamFrench

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Hi,

One of my 12 month old girls has suddenly developed a lump on the bottom of her back, just above and to the left of where her 'tail' would be.

It's about the size of my thumb nail, very pronounced (like stroking her normal body shape then all of a sudden a lump, no build up or anything just the lump), probably around half an inch at the centre, from her skin. It's feels squishy on the top but very firm in the middle, as in the surface of the lump has give but the middle not so much. It does just about move with the skin but only a little. She doesn't react when it is touched at all and it hasn't grown since it showed up. She been on baytril for 10 days for an issue with a substance on her bottom and is eating and maintaining weight well. Her behaviour is the same.

We visited the vet and she believes it to be a cyst but doesn't recommend removing it due to its location. The vets facial expressions have not filled me with cofidence. I'm a panicker and I'm growing concerned that it is something more serious, due to how quickly it developed and also its size.

Could this be a tumor and my vets has mis-diagnosed?

Sorry for the essay but she's my little girl!
 
Hi,

One of my 12 month old girls has suddenly developed a lump on the bottom of her back, just above and to the left of where her 'tail' would be.

It's about the size of my thumb nail, very pronounced (like stroking her normal body shape then all of a sudden a lump, no build up or anything just the lump), probably around half an inch at the centre, from her skin. It's feels squishy on the top but very firm in the middle, as in the surface of the lump has give but the middle not so much. It does just about move with the skin but only a little. She doesn't react when it is touched at all and it hasn't grown since it showed up. She been on baytril for 10 days for an issue with a substance on her bottom and is eating and maintaining weight well. Her behaviour is the same.

We visited the vet and she believes it to be a cyst but doesn't recommend removing it due to its location. The vets facial expressions have not filled me with cofidence. I'm a panicker and I'm growing concerned that it is something more serious, due to how quickly it developed and also its size.

Could this be a tumor and my vets has mis-diagnosed?

Sorry for the essay but she's my little girl!

Please take a deep breath and calm down!

It rather sounds like a cyst indeed! As long as it is not growing quickly and as it is not bothering her, I would just keep it under observation. Most lumps come up suddenly but then they are just sitting there. As long as they are rather attached to the skin and not inside the body and they are not growing at a rate that you can sit and watch, sebaceous and other cysts are usually harmless. ;)
 
Please take a deep breath and calm down!

It rather sounds like a cyst indeed! As long as it is not growing quickly and as it is not bothering her, I would just keep it under observation. Most lumps come up suddenly but then they are just sitting there. As long as they are rather attached to the skin and not inside the body and they are not growing at a rate that you can sit and watch, sebaceous and other cysts are usually harmless. ;)

I never have much to offer on here as I'm the one stressing and unreasonable so thank god there are people like yourself here!

They tried to syringe the cyst but said nothing would come out. Then the vet pulled the face that had me very concerned!

She has to go in for a scan on Tuesday because she has had a sticky, white to yellow substance on her bottom, sometimes a crust. It started white so I took all calcium veggies away and it changed colour but still something there. They started her on baytril after 3 days looked better but then went back to normal and had no effect. Wasn't sure if there was some relation


Very confused,

Thanks again!
 
I never have much to offer on here as I'm the one stressing and unreasonable so thank god there are people like yourself here!

They tried to syringe the cyst but said nothing would come out. Then the vet pulled the face that had me very concerned!

She has to go in for a scan on Tuesday because she has had a sticky, white to yellow substance on her bottom, sometimes a crust. It started white so I took all calcium veggies away and it changed colour but still something there. They started her on baytril after 3 days looked better but then went back to normal and had no effect. Wasn't sure if there was some relation


Very confused,

Thanks again!

I wouldn't think that there is a connection; cysts are not at all uncommon in older piggies. I think your vet's grimace was more because the cyst couldn't be drained.
 
I wouldn't think that there is a connection; cysts are not at all uncommon in older piggies. I think your vet's grimace was more because the cyst couldn't be drained.

I will monitor the lump and hope it doesn't grow nor begin to impede her. Thank you once again
 
Sebaceous cysts can't be drained as the pus is rather like soft cheese in nature so not something easily removed. My late Peter had one for perhaps over 3 years before it burs. It was just above his bum near the top joint on his back leg. As he was 6.5 years old when it burst I wasn't going to risk a general anaesthetic as he wouldn't have survived (he was elderly and had other issues too). I got as much as the pus out as possible and kept it clean.

I would only review the situation if it started to grow quickly or if it burst. At that point, assuming your girl is otherwise healthy, a good Cavy savvy vet would be able to operate and remove the capsule to get rid of the cyst altogether
 
Sebaceous cysts can't be drained as the pus is rather like soft cheese in nature so not something easily removed. My late Peter had one for perhaps over 3 years before it burs. It was just above his bum near the top joint on his back leg. As he was 6.5 years old when it burst I wasn't going to risk a general anaesthetic as he wouldn't have survived (he was elderly and had other issues too). I got as much as the pus out as possible and kept it clean.

I would only review the situation if it started to grow quickly or if it burst. At that point, assuming your girl is otherwise healthy, a good Cavy savvy vet would be able to operate and remove the capsule to get rid of the cyst altogether
Thank you very much. I appreciated it so much, other than the lump you wouldn't know she's any different, still the veggie hungry, hay munching, pellet ploughing guinea I know and love haha
 
Thank you very much. I appreciated it so much, other than the lump you wouldn't know she's any different, still the veggie hungry, hay munching, pellet ploughing guinea I know and love haha

I don't think they really cause problems unless they are in an awkward area. Sometimes they come up on the chest or tummy area and then they can easily get damaged and collect more bacteria. Pete's didn't affect him at all. It did refill a small amount so I had to try and empty it a couple of times. Just keep an eye on it.
 
One of my past sows, Cookie, developed one very suddenly too. The vet put a needle in to check it wasn't an abscess, then recommended leaving it alone. She lived with the cyst with no problem until the end of her life (at least another 2 years). I know it can seem scary but please don't panic.
 
My Flash has a cyst on the middle of her back. It did grow quite large so I took her to the vet as it was growing. The vet did stick a surgical needle in it and then squeezed some lovely 'soft cheese' out of it. We didn't get it all out as she was rather distressed. She gave antibiotics just in case of infection. So far it hasn't got any fuller a month later. She is completely not bothered by it and runs around happy as larry. Vet said to come back if it filled up again. Just keep your eye on it and check if it gets bigger or looks worse.
 
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