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Advice needed, piggy with possible cancer diagnosis.

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Sharon.Mackay

Sharon.Mackay

Teenage Guinea Pig
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Hi everyone,

My 2 year old piggy Jem was at the vets last week to be neutered (reason long winded and not relevent to this tale) The vet rang after the op and told me had had found suspicious lumps on his groin during the procedure. He said that it as highly likely that if there were lumps on the outside, that there is lumps inside. This put together with recent weight loss rang alarm bells. I am devastated, he was taken from his mum at a very young age and I spent a month carrying him round in a beany hat! He's such an amazing little guy with a huge pigsonality.
So anyhow the vet said to keep an eye on his weight and if he continued to lose, or deteriorate to bring him back, but all being well to leave it for a month. He has lost a little bit of weight again, so I am wondering if this normal following neutering? It was last Tuesday. He is still eating like a horse but is visibly thinner now, he seems ok but they hide illness so well. I just don't know if I'm being neurotic, any thoughts? Should I go back because of a small weight loss?
He was prescribed pain relief but he had a bad reaction to it so I stopped it, what are signs of pain in pigs?

Here is my gorgeous boy when he was a baby

jem.jpg



And here he is now

piggylips.jpg
 
Am sorry you have had bad news. I haven't had much experience of cancer with pigs myself but the signs of pain are them being hunched up, hair standing up slightly (puffed up) and not eating and basically not doing what they would usually be doing. I can usually tell very quickly if one of mine is out of sorts as they start to behave differently. If he had a reaction to the pain relief it may be that he could have another type? what was he given?
 
helen105281 said:
Am sorry you have had bad news. I haven't had much experience of cancer with pigs myself but the signs of pain are them being hunched up, hair standing up slightly (puffed up) and not eating and basically not doing what they would usually be doing. I can usually tell very quickly if one of mine is out of sorts as they start to behave differently. If he had a reaction to the pain relief it may be that he could have another type? what was he given?
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He had loxicom, I've never heard of any others they can have. Are there different ones?
 
Yes am sure others will come up with more but there is Rimadyl. Metacam too but that is the same as Loxicom. What reaction did he have?
 
Half hour after he had it he zoned out and stopped eating, just laid still and was breathing shallow and pausing. I thought he was going to die he looked ghastly. My hub took him for his post op and the vet said it sounded likely that the loxicom had upset his gut and respiratory system. But my husband didn't ask about alternatives as he seemed 'well' after the loxicom wore off. The loxicom was more for support after the neutering, and with a plan to use it again in the future. Does that make sense, I'm rambling !
 
That does make sense but not something that I have heard of happening before.
 
Sorry for your bad news. Was it Cat or Dog strength of Loxicom? (metacam) How much did you give him and what was the dosage?

How is he in himself at the moment? There are other pain medicine alternatives out their for piggies but metacam/loxicom is the first choice and also has an anti-inflamatory effect. Helen's definition of a piggie in pain is bang on.

Big hugs and love to beautiful Jem x
 
It was the dog one and it was 0.4 doseage. Do you think I should try half the dose? I'm just a bit scared of giving him anything now. He isn't himself, he's still eating and and wandering about but he has lost his sparkle. He was always very feisty but now doesn't make the cute growly noise at me when I tickle his back, or ask to go back when he's out for a cuddle. He's happy to stay with me on the couch for hours, the old Jem got bored after 20 mins.
 
I am tempted to say yes as I have my Phoebe on Metacam (the dog one) at 0.2ml twice a day but I think you should check with your vet. It sounds like he may be in pain though if he has lost his sparkle.
 
Guinea pigs can tolerate fairly high doses of painkillers, your boy looks like he is a fairly chunky pig, so 0.4 shouldn't have caused the reaction. I suggest you ask the vet to re-examine him, it could be a post-op infection which would require antibiotics & pain relief. I suggest you ask for Septrin or Zithromax not Baytril & also the vet could prescribe Tramadol as an alternative pain relief. Get him back there as soon as possible, as the less he eats the more quickly he will deteriorate. You could even start syringe feeding him Recovery or Critical Care a couple of times a day as well. Good luck, I hope he gets better soon :)
 
Well last night I got him out for more cuddles and noticed his bum was a bit clogged. He had a bath and seemed a lot happier afterwards, he was chirping and acting like my boy again. He's still eating, the worry has been that he is eating but losing weight. He is chunky on the pic but he has got quite thin now, he's tiny. Really? Tramadol? Ha I never heard of that being used. I'm going to observe him some more today and decide, I'm hoping it was the impaction (I would imagine due to the op) that was making him uncomfortable) Whatever happens I want him seen by the end of the week as he will need pain relief before long, I'm not well myself so am hoping he can wait until Friday. But don't get me wrong, I'm a responsible owner and if he needs a vet he will go straight away. I'll keep you all posted. Thanks for all the advice, I just wish this could have a happy ending :(
 
It's good news he is eating. Treacle was eating lots and still losing weight with her Lymphoma. She couldn't have metacam because of being on steroids so our vet gave us some buprenorphine for her which controlled the pain of her cystitis and UTI's which were recurrent. It may be worth dropping Pebble or flintstones a PM regarding Tramadol they have both used it with their piggies as an alternative pain relief.
Lots of love to your beautiful boy and I hope you are ok to, sorry to read you are unwell x
 
Ok so I just had a look at him and I'm not happy so I'm off to the vet this afternoon. His groin (that had the lumps) is more swollen and he looks fed up. She's excellent and I'm pleased I got an appointment with her. I'll let you all know how we get on x
 
sport_billy said:
It's good news he is eating. Treacle was eating lots and still losing weight with her Lymphoma. She couldn't have metacam because of being on steroids so our vet gave us some buprenorphine for her which controlled the pain of her cystitis and UTI's which were recurrent. It may be worth dropping Pebble or flintstones a PM regarding Tramadol they have both used it with their piggies as an alternative pain relief.
Lots of love to your beautiful boy and I hope you are ok to, sorry to read you are unwell x
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Thankyou x
 
Good luck, Love to jem x
 
I'm back from the vet now. She found another lump, and isn't sure if his swollen groin is an abscess or some reaction to the stitches. Or another tumor. He's on some guinea pig version of morphine now to make him comfy, and then when that doesn't work anymore the obvious is next. I'm pretty shocked really, wasn't expecting things to happen so quickly. I thought I would have more time with him :(:(:(:(:(:(:(
 
Oh no Sharon, I'm so sorry to hear this. Poor little Jem hopefully you can keep him pain free - if it's a similiar pain killer to what Treacy-Bum had then it is really good for relieving pain. Just keep an eye on poo output and if needed ask for a gut stim like metachlopromide to give alongside it as opiates can slow the system down a little

I understand how desperate you are feeling inside, just make everyday a great day for him and you. I am so sorry, big hugs. If you need to chat just drop me a pm x x
 
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I am sorry to hear this :( I lost a piggy myself in May to Lymphoma. Her story was different though as she had a tumour removed and it was diagnosed by that.

Sadly, we had to have her pts the very day she was diagnosed as she pulled her stitches out where it was found the wound wasn't healing due to the lymphoma. Considering the prognosis, we decided to let her go rather than put her through a GA and stitches just to keep her a little longer.

My advise would be to enjoy the time you have left and take lots of photo's.

The only consolation I have with Ena is she showed no symptoms apart from the tumour but I so wish I had more time with her after diagnoses.

(((hugs))) xx
 
Thanks everyone, Jem is still with us but we found another lump under the abscess as feared. I thought I could feel one on his side last night too. We're keeping him comfy on his painkillers and at the mo he is still eating and quite happy. As soon as he gives up we won't drag it out. I spoke with the vet this morning and she is happy with that plan, but wants to see him again soon. Thanks for all your well wishes xxxxx
 
Well it's been another week and Jem is still with us, and he isn't needing pain relief! The vet is wondering if he has had a nasty virus or infection that was making him ill, and because of our nursing round the clock he pulled through. The lumps are still there, but they haven't grown! So he thinks there's a chance they could be calcification (think that's spelt right) Or just 'lumps'. He's still very thin but we are fattening him up, and he's back to see the vet in a month. So fingers crossed. I don't want to get my hopes up but for now I am so happy! If he gains weight, and the lumps haven't grown then it was a plain old mis diagnosis!
 
I had two piggies on Loxicom after surgery, both twins and they went to have their ovarian cysts removed at the same time. One pig was great till she took Loxicom, she went downhill instantly after taking it, she died a few hours after from heart failure. Her sister was great with it. 0.4 ml twice a day.

I will never give it to the pigs again though, I will ask for Carprofen next time, it's a bit safer.
 
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