8 year old male, never ill, has giant abdominal mass! On xray

[Kay4real]

I am so distraught..i do have to say my exotic vet(no cats or dogs) I have known for a long time, the best...Cocoa bear had a breathing issue after a veg feeding, he is big eater and following was severe breathing distress for 2 hrs and we thought we would lose him. The next day off to Vet, Physical exam alone said, heart good, lungs good, giant mass in abdomen. X-ray confirmed...My vet says risk high, feels too old for surgury so biopsy not worth it to put him thru, blood work confirme all good, no renal failure, liver functions good..go home and keep on pellets, hay, but limit the large vege feedings! Any idea what this tumor could be..he is eating great, missing his giant lettuce feedings and how can this be a cancer and he is doing so good?Feeding wise. I will say sleeping is deeper, first time today i had to wake him up from deep sleep after gone 5 hrs at work. Thanks all, saying goodbye is never easy and I think I just so wish this tumor could be removed but my trusted vet says just tooo risky. 8 years great I know but dang, I thought we would go longer due to extreme great care and health he had, his a a pure American...like I said, first issue ever in his life..only to vet for well checks. Thanks for any help, all prayers, Kay in FLa, major GP Lover!

 

[DM030819]

@Kay4real I had a similar dilemma with a pig I adopted from a friend about 5 years ago.

He was around 5 years old and came to me happy and healthy. When I get a new pig I always take them for a health check at the vet and my vet felt a huge lump inside.

He had a scan and it was a huge abdominal mass. The surgery would be very tricky as it looks like it was quite complex and attached in various places but my vet couldn't be sure until he opened him up.

I'm quite an aggressive person when it comes to treatment and wanted to try the surgery but I spoke to his previous owner for her opinion.

We opted for surgery as there was a chance that the mass could rupture and cause a painful death. We wanted to avoid that at all costs.

We knew the high risk so gave him a few weeks of being spoiled rotten and time to enjoy his cagemate.

The mass turned out to be too delicate due to it's numerous blood supplies so we had to let him go during surgery.

We were all gutted as he was so healthy and happy on the outside but we prevented a painful death.

I'd recommend a discussion with your vet, and possibly seeking a second opinion. I'm not saying to go for the surgery option as all circumstances are different.

It's a difficult position you're in and you'll feel that whatever decision you make is wrong. But it's not, you want the best for him so it will be the right decision.

 

[Wiebke]

I am so distraught..i do have to say my exotic vet(no cats or dogs) I have known for a long time, the best...Cocoa bear had a breathing issue after a veg feeding, he is big eater and following was severe breathing distress for 2 hrs and we thought we would lose him. The next day off to Vet, Physical exam alone said, heart good, lungs good, giant mass in abdomen. X-ray confirmed...My vet says risk high, feels too old for surgury so biopsy not worth it to put him thru, blood work confirme all good, no renal failure, liver functions good..go home and keep on pellets, hay, but limit the large vege feedings! Any idea what this tumor could be..he is eating great, missing his giant lettuce feedings and how can this be a cancer and he is doing so good?Feeding wise. I will say sleeping is deeper, first time today i had to wake him up from deep sleep after gone 5 hrs at work. Thanks all, saying goodbye is never easy and I think I just so wish this tumor could be removed but my trusted vet says just tooo risky. 8 years great I know but dang, I thought we would go longer due to extreme great care and health he had, his a a pure American...like I said, first issue ever in his life..only to vet for well checks. Thanks for any help, all prayers, Kay in FLa, major GP Lover!

Hi!

HUGS

I am very sorry. It is one of these between a rock and a hard place dilemmas that are so hard to decide. On one hand you have certain death but quality of life until the day you need to let your boy go or you decide to buy your boy a small chance with a rather high risk that the operation or recovery may fail.

In the end it is down to what you are happier with and feel you can live with better in the long term. My personal preference is to let my oldies just live out their lives for as long as they have the zest and quality of life instead of putting them through the ringer, but we have each to work out the ethics in this area for ourselves depending on our individual personalities and depending on the circumstances. There is no right or wrong as long as your motivation is your love and care.
8 years is a very grand old age; about 100 years in human terms. It is at the very edge of where operations and a much slower recovery can be thought of but understandably many vets are reluctant to operate.

The oldest piggy I have had (successfully) operated was my Hafren with a large burst sebaceaous cyst with a thick fleshy and bleeding wall and insert last summer at shortly before her 7th birthday. Thankfully concerns over a potential tumour (because of the heavy bleeding) did not materialise and the cyst was nowhere near any vital organ, so the risk/reward ratio was on the right side for me.
I have made the decision not to operate in several other cases where the odds were not right for my liking and I preferred to rather concentrate on giving an old piggy that had lived a full and happy life that happiness for as long as it had left and then call it a day as soon as the suffering set in.

Please be aware that your grieving process starts the moment you get a life-threatening/terminal diagnosis and that your current emotional upset is partly fuelled by your grappling with your fear of loss.
You may find our new human grieving guide helpful in sorting out your emotions as it contains a chapter on looking after terminally ill piggies: Human Bereavement - Grieving, coping tips and support links for guinea pig owners and their children

You are at all times within your rights to ask your vet for an in-depth honest discussion about the pros and cons or to get a second opinion from another vet if you feel that that will help you make a more informed decision.

 

[Kay4real]

Hi!

HUGS

I am very sorry. It is one of these between a rock and a hard place dilemmas that are so hard to decide. On one hand you have certain death but quality of life until the day you need to let your boy go or you decide to buy your boy a small chance with a rather high risk that the operation or recovery may fail.

In the end it is down to what you are happier with and feel you can live with better in the long term. My personal preference is to let my oldies just live out their lives for as long as they have the zest and quality of life instead of putting them through the ringer, but we have each to work out the ethics in this area for ourselves depending on our individual personalities and depending on the circumstances. There is no right or wrong as long as your motivation is your love and care.
8 years is a very grand old age; about 100 years in human terms. It is at the very edge of where operations and a much slower recovery can be thought of but understandably many vets are reluctant to operate.

The oldest piggy I have had (successfully) operated was my Hafren with a large burst sebaceaous cyst with a thick fleshy and bleeding wall and insert last summer at shortly before her 7th birthday. Thankfully concerns over a potential tumour (because of the heavy bleeding) did not materialise and the cyst was nowhere near any vital organ, so the risk/reward ratio was on the right side for me.
I have made the decision not to operate in several other cases where the odds were not right for my liking and I preferred to rather concentrate on giving an old piggy that had lived a full and happy life that happiness for as long as it had left and then call it a day as soon as the suffering set in.

Please be aware that your grieving process starts the moment you get a life-threatening/terminal diagnosis and that your current emotional upset is partly fuelled by your grappling with your fear of loss.
You may find our new human grieving guide helpful in sorting out your emotions as it contains a chapter on looking after terminally ill piggies: Human Bereavement - Grieving, coping tips and support links for guinea pig owners and their children

You are at all times within your rights to ask your vet for an in-depth honest discussion about the pros and cons from or to get a second opinion from another vet if you feel that that will help you make a more informed decision.

Thank you sooo much! Yes, I’m in the shock phase of a terminal situation, my first in 8 years, 5 piglets and it hard but he is eating and keeping the younger guy company and i think I will let this play out, His will be done and just so sad when a situation is hopeless. Thank you so. So much, we are leaving town til sunday but have Grad student on way to monitor situation til we get back! I have hunch Cocoa Bear will still be fine! Thank you again, i think I wish there was a miracle that doesnt exist.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you sooo much! Yes, I’m in the shock phase of a terminal situation, my first in 8 years, 5 piglets and it hard but he is eating and keeping the younger guy company and i think I will let this play out, His will be done and just so sad when a situation is hopeless. Thank you so. So much, we are leaving town til sunday but have Grad student on way to monitor situation til we get back! I have hunch Cocoa Bear will still be fine! Thank you again, i think I wish there was a miracle that doesnt exist.

All the best!

 

[tabelmabel]

Sorry to hear your news. I am in a similar situation with my elderly piggy, though he is not as old as Cocoa Bear. I didnt opt for any further testing as, as well as his liver enzymes being elevated, he has severe arthritis and a bladder full of calcium.

However, he is still putting up a fighting spirit and it is a total rollercoaster of emotions. I'm not finding it easy at all but having this forum definitely helps you through. Take care xx

 

[Bill & Ted]

So sorry for your situation, sending hugs to you and your poor boy x Have plenty of special times with him and let him enjoy his time with you and your other piggies. When the time comes, he will know he has had a wonderful life full of love and happiness, that’s all we can give them x

 

[piggieminder]

I am so sorry you find yourself in situation. Sending you my very best wishes at this difficult time. X

 

[Merab]

Welcome to the forum.
We are here to support you through what is clearly a very painful and difficult situation.
Holding you in my thoughts

 

[Kay4real]

Sorry to hear your news. I am in a similar situation with my elderly piggy, though he is not as old as Cocoa Bear. I didnt opt for any further testing as, as well as his liver enzymes being elevated, he has severe arthritis and a bladder full of calcium.

However, he is still putting up a fighting spirit and it is a total rollercoaster of emotions. I'm not finding it easy at all but having this forum definitely helps you through. Take care xx

Oh my...my prayers go out to you! Cocoa is plain American and from a breeder, not cross bred. Its my understanding cross bred and rare breeds are higher risk. My only bladder stone removal and he did fine was a 5 year Abyssian. Cocoa is in amazing condition. And his blood panel was great, liver, kidneys...etc. .I think this tumor is benign with his great eating drinking, demeanor etc but my brillant vet says surgery to remove so so risky due to age..i think the surrounding vessels etc are frail we cant see that from the outside. I am an ultrasound professional and would love to scan him and learn more but I think what for...its torture...i need to get my brain to be thankful for his time with our family of 6 and just pray he passes when its time and in his sleep. The mass main problem is pressing on his diaphragm so little small vege meals, large ones he loved cause much pain and distress. Only God knows...but these guys you love heart and soul, this I know. Ok prayers for your little one and most important, they cant suffer . Thanks so much for reaching out, truly appreciated.

 

[tabelmabel]

Benson is pure bred too from a breeder. He is a rex and i have had him from baby. He was a large pig in his hey day which probably hasnt helped the arthritis. And he loved parsley, though i always knew that was high in calcium so he didnt have it very often.
He was in great shape til about feb this year. His 7th birthday would be 27th june, but he wont make that.

It sounds as if cocoa has enjoyed many years of good health, as has benson so we can be thankful for that.

Being a sonographer yourself must make it so tough, my medical knowledge is basic and that probably helps at these times of ill health, i dont know the progression of liver disease for benson. I'm just going day by day here.

 

[Kay4real]

Ok, update on Cocoa bear..we are back from event in Philly, had my grad student come from Alabama and babysit..Cocoa very stable, eating his tiny vege meal, unlimited hay and pellets plus oxbow treats for Vit C...after eating i see him go rest and retreat...he is on meloxacam for arthritis and discomfort...drinking, eating..a little fighter...8 yrs 2 mo today, I will cherish every morning I wake to him , thats how i am adjusting a week later from dx...be thankful every day and I do know the little vessels too fragile to chance, My doctor very strong on that point. Greatest exotic vet in Central Fla, I’m thankful I am him 90 min away! My youngest in college finals for 2 more wks..she is very close to these guys and not telling her til shes done....hoping Cocoa hangs in and of course can change up rules if something turns bad.