Advice please

[Mildred&duchess]

Hi, I have 2 little girls Mildred and Duchess they are only one & half. Mildred developed a lump on her tummy and it's grown very quickly. I took her to the vets and they tested it and they are 90% sure it's just a fatty lump, as it's growing so quick I took her back but they don't seem to want to remove it because of general anaesthetic being risky for piggies. It's 5cm in diameter and not restricting her movement she is running, jumping & eating. She's such a lovely little soul and don't want her to suffer, has any one had this with their piggies and have any advice ? Thank you in advance.

 

[sport_billy]

Hey, welcome to the forum. How did the vets test it?
Some vets will leave and wait and watch a fatty lump.
Hopefully you will get some replies from people with experience soon.
May I ask what vets you went to? I am familiar with Wolverhampton

 

[Mildred&duchess]

Hey, welcome to the forum. Which vets did you go to? How did they test it?

Hi I went to Powis Vets local to me they look after all our pets & are great. They did a needle biopsy and looked at it under the microscope but the vet said she could tell as soon as she saw what came out of it.

 

[sport_billy]

That’s what I would expect diagnosis wise to check.
How old is your little one?

 

[Mildred&duchess]

That’s what I would expect diagnosis wise to check.
How old is your little one?

Only 1 & half

 

[sport_billy]

Only 1 & half

There is always a risk with GA, so any removal comes with a risk. They have age on their side however but there will still be a risk at any age.
You need to weigh up if it is affecting her or if it starts catching and rubbing…
Is the vet going to keep an eye on it? Sending love to Mildred

 

[Mildred&duchess]

There is always a risk with GA, so any removal comes with a risk. They have age on their side however but there will still be a risk at any age.
You need to weigh up if it is affecting her or if it starts catching and rubbing…
Is the vet going to keep an eye on it? Sending love to Mildred

Yes they said if it gets double the size to go back or if it starts restricting her movement.

 

[Wiebke]

Yes they said if it gets double the size to go back or if it starts restricting her movement.

Hi
5 cm (i.e. 2 inches) on the belly is quite a large lump for guinea pigs. You have to keep quite a close eye on her. 10 cm, sorry to say - while acceptable for larger rabbits - is mahoosive for guinea pigs. Their legs are not that long and any lump on belly-side is going to interfere with mobility sooner.

Lump removal is generally not a high risk operation because you do not have to go deep into the body although the larger a lump gets, the trickier it can be to operate.
In fact the two oldest piggies at 6 and just short of her 7th birthday which I had operated both needed ops for burst cysts which we'd hoped would stay put. They have both made a full recovery and lived to 7 years of age.

However, if your vets are not confident with operating on guinea pigs, then it would be better looking for a different clinic.
Recommended Guinea Pig Vets

I am very sorry that you are finding yourself in this situation. The best operating vets for guinea pigs are the Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic in Northampton if you are prepared to travel. They use isoflurane for GA which is much better tolerated (although more expensive) but post-op complications are much rarer, and since about a third of the pets they are seeing in a week are guinea pigs, their experience is a lot higher as well.

 

[Piggies&buns]

I agree with wiebke. That size of a lump is considerable. Personally I’d be asking for it to be removed sooner than later, making sure you choose a knowledgeable vet

 

[KathT]

I had a guinea pig with a fatty lump and the vet said to keep an eye on it - but it grew quite quickly and then it was suddenly too big to remove so I had to manage her until it hindered her movement. Luckily she was 5 when that happened so she had had much more of a life than your girl. Personally, I would have it removed as soon as possible, even with the risk of GA because if it gets too big to operate it will be life limiting anyway. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[Lorcan]

I had a guinea pig with a fat lump that the vet had checked, we were all in agreement it was a fat lump, but I had been trying to avoid a GA because of unrelated health issues. Eventually the lump grew through his skin and the bleeding was considerable.

They can get very big very quickly. If you can find a good vet to remove it, I would. If I had the chance to go back and have them remove Bann's lump, I probably would too. Shoulda woulda coulda and all that. It's not why he died, I should be clear, but a lump that large is better to have gone for Mildred's sake.

 

[munchmonster]

I can't give you any advice and I have no experience with your piggy's medical problem but send you positive vibes for the best outcome. Thinking of you x