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Beans Has Lumps And Continuously Biting Them.

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Beans&Toast

Beans&Toast

Adult Guinea Pig
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Sorry this is a long post.

I've been having so many issues with both Beans and Toast for quite a while now. (I'll give Toast a separate thread)

A couple of months ago I found a very small lump on Beans. It was kind of on her side near her nipple.
I took her to get checked and as it was so tiny and wasn't appearing to cause her any pain I was advised to leave it for the time being.
After a few weeks I noticed she was costantly biting at her bum/near her nipples. Again I had her checked and the vet decided she had mites so was given Ivermectin to give over 6 weeks.
She was still biting after this and I noticed she had a few more lumps around the nipple area but not on the actual nipple, she was given Surolan for cats/dogs as it was thought it may be a fungal issues and the area around her vulva looked inflamed from biting at it. I gave this for 7 days and she's still the same.

Today I noticed she has another lump right on her nipple this time. I've also noticed a change in her behaviour. She is still eating and drinking, running around and munching on hay, but she seems more grumpy than she used to be. She used like being held and having a little cuddle (she's never liked being held for too long though) but now she fights being picked up and as soon as I finally pick her up, she immediately bites at my clothes to get back down.

I think it's safe to say all skin issues have been ruled out and I'm terrified as to what it could be.

What would be the best thing to do now? Xray? Scan? There are 5 lumps now, most much smaller than the size of a pea but the one on her nipple feels pea sized.

I'm going to phone the vet and get an appointment as soon as. What should I be asking for now?
 
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Has she been checked for ovarian cysts? They can make them nibble at their sides but I haven't heard of lumps associated with them. I would opt for an ultrasound scan initially, it can be done conscious & is the least invasive of tests x
 
Beans&Toast said:
Sorry this is a long post.

I've been having so many issues with both Beans and Toast for quite a while now. (I'll give Toast a separate thread)

A couple of months ago I found a very small lump on Beans. It was kind of on her side near her nipple.
I took her to get checked and as it was so tiny and wasn't appearing to cause her any pain I was advised to leave it for the time being.
After a few weeks I noticed she was costantly biting at her bum/near her nipples. Again I had her checked and the vet decided she had mites so was given Ivermectin to give over 6 weeks.
She was still biting after this and I noticed she had a few more lumps around the nipple area but not on the actual nipple, she was given Surolan for cats/dogs as it was thought it may be a fungal issues and the area around her vulva looked inflamed from biting at it. I gave this for 7 days and she's still the same.

Today I noticed she has another lump right on her nipple this time. I've also noticed a change in her behaviour. She is still eating and drinking, running around and munching on hay, but she seems more grumpy than she used to be. She used like being held and having a little cuddle (she's never liked being held for too long though) but now she fights being picked up and as soon as I finally pick her up, she immediately bites at my clothes to get back down.

I think it's safe to say all skin issues have been ruled out and I'm terrified as to what it could be.

What would be the best thing to do now? Xray? Scan? There are 5 lumps now, most much smaller than the size of a pea but the one on her nipple feels pea sized.

I'm going to phone the vet and get an appointment as soon as. What should I be asking for now?
Click to expand...

I would have her checked for a mammary tumor. perhaps a biopsy can bring clarity as to whether the lumps are malign or benign. I would also have her checked for ovarian cysts.
 
HUGS

It is impossible to know what those lumps are without a proper biopsy. If you are lucky, they are harmless fatty lumps, but as she has constant discomfort in that area, it needs to be followed up All the best!.
 
Wiebke said:
HUGS

It is impossible to know what those lumps are without a proper biopsy. If you are lucky, they are harmless fatty lumps, but as she has constant discomfort in that area, it needs to be followed up All the best!.
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What does a biopsy involve? Is it something that would cause her pain/involve a GA? Or something she could get an infection from? Or is it quite a minor thing?
 
Beans&Toast said:
What does a biopsy involve? Is it something that would cause her pain/involve a GA? Or something she could get an infection from? Or is it quite a minor thing?
Click to expand...

It is quite a minor thing to take a sample of the lump for a lab test.
 
I was thinking ovarian cysts, crusty nipples &tetchy temperament. But as poppys mum says the lumps aren't usually associated with the cysts. Unless maybe they're small cysts that are growing that are now showing, but doesn't really sound like it from your description.
I agree with wiebke tests should be done to establish what the lumps are. In case they're malignant.
Fingers crossed theyre just small fatty lumps/easily sorted &healing vibes for a speedy recovery.

Good luck in the vets. Oh &just a thought ask the vet about painkillers see if that stops her nibbling the lumps. If it is cysts it will make them more comfortable & her hopefully less grumpy :)

Luv the girls &I. Xx
 
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Best of luck for the vets visit. When my late Bea had cysts the first time she barbered her hair around her nipple area though no lumps were palpable. As long as the vet is investigating all possibilities then that is good and hopefully you get some answers soon
 
Just back from the vet with Beans.
I can't remember exactly what he said, she has enlarged ovary on the left (cystic ovary)?

Combined with her grumpy behavior he thinks the best thing to do would be choluron (if that's how you spell it) injections. She's around 5 so I would be very hesitant to go for the surgical route.

I've been reading a lot about these injections on here and it's mostly all positive.

He's told me to wait a week or so just to think it over (he's happy to wait as he's not concerned it's severe enough that it needs dealt with right away and he doesnt think she's in any pain, she doesn't seem to mind having the lumps poked and prodded)

I'm going to do my research but I do think I'll go ahead with the injections.
Poor pig :(
 
Awww po
Beans&Toast said:
Just back from the vet with Beans.
I can't remember exactly what he said, she has enlarged ovary on the left (cystic ovary)?

Combined with her grumpy behavior he thinks the best thing to do would be choluron (if that's how you spell it) injections. She's around 5 so I would be very hesitant to go for the surgical route.

I've been reading a lot about these injections on here and it's mostly all positive.

He's told me to wait a week or so just to think it over (he's happy to wait as he's not concerned it's severe enough that it needs dealt with right away and he doesnt think she's in any pain, she doesn't seem to mind having the lumps poked and prodded)

I'm going to do my research but I do think I'll go ahead with the injections.
Poor pig :(
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Awww, poor pigaroo. I hope the injection treatment will go well. Loads of love for your furry babies x
 
Aww hugs to you both, I sort of know how you feel, Coco was diagnosed with cysts last year and that it was reconfirmed a few months ago, she's going to have an ovarectomy in August done by Ellie at Alfreton vets, I did try the hormone injections but sadly they didn't work on Coco.
 
Kerrie74 said:
Aww hugs to you both, I sort of know how you feel, Coco was diagnosed with cysts last year and that it was reconfirmed a few months ago, she's going to have an ovarectomy in August done by Ellie at Alfreton vets, I did try the hormone injections but sadly they didn't work on Coco.
Click to expand...
Sorry to hear that. The general outcome based on what I've read is that they have a good chance of working, but I know from reading on here that that's not always the case. I'd like to at least try first though.
I hope your piggy copes well with the surgery and it sorts out the problem for you x
 
Thank you, I hope she does too, I don't even know the girls ages to be honest, I adopted them from a rescue, she's got to be over 4 though, their sister already died from what I believe was cysts due to the rescue not taking her to the vets when they saw she had a odd shaped stomached and the vet we took her to not investigating the problem properly. So I've been very paranoid since losing Badger and have been watching the girls pretty closely, Nattie also looks like an odd shape so going to get her in for a scan soon.

I hope the hormone injections work for your girl, please let us know how she gets on x
 
Kerrie74 said:
Thank you, I hope she does too, I don't even know the girls ages to be honest, I adopted them from a rescue, she's got to be over 4 though, their sister already died from what I believe was cysts due to the rescue not taking her to the vets when they saw she had a odd shaped stomached and the vet we took her to not investigating the problem properly. So I've been very paranoid since losing Badger and have been watching the girls pretty closely, Nattie also looks like an odd shape so going to get her in for a scan soon.

I hope the hormone injections work for your girl, please let us know how she gets on x
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Poor piggy :( They really know how to make us worry don't they! Beans is about 4 or 5 too. I've seen piggies on here around that age having no issues with an ovarectomy so stay positive :nod: x
 
I would go with the injections too, my Terk had them for an ovarian tumour and they did help. She was 7 though so we lost her a year later due to old age. My Fuzzy was spayed for her cysts but that was because it was an emergency as her membrane was open.
 
At least you know what they are now &if its any help my Ellie had her first
Hcg chorulon injections when she 6yrs old as the vet said it was too risky to do a spay at her age &I dontthink our vets see many guineas so there not massively experienced in them.

But she happily trialled the injections they worked brilliantly for Ellie &about a year later she had another 2 injections as the cyst was growing again. I lost her to various health issues aged 8.

I know it doesn't work for all guineas but its the least invasive to try first with few records of negative
Side effects-well I haven't found any yet-just they dont work with some.

I'll try &post a link later to Ellies thread. On my mobile at the mo so temperamental (not me the phone) for links etc.

Xx
 
GPTV said:
this is Ellies thread, although with everything going on at the time updating probably wasn't at its best!
i put a few links in below that have ellies treatment included.

Ellie- Ovarian Cyst,maybe Stones, Suggestions Please.



here are a few ovarian cyst links that may be helpful that other members have started
hope these help little beans. speedy recovery. xx

Ovarian Cysts - Can A Sow Have Them But Not Show Symptoms?

Injections For Ovarian Cysts

Desloralin Instead Of Spay ?

Ovarian Cysts?
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Thank you so much xx
 
Glad you found out what it was, it did sound typical of cysts, mine have had the jabs with no problems, sometimes it takes 2 or 3 to sort it out but generally mine have been successful :) x
 
I'm pretty sure that my Bumble was 4.5 years when she had an emergency spay but then the vet did think that was her best option and wanted to do it straight away (I dropped her at the vets in the morning for an ultrasound and had a call at 10am asking if I consented to an op so didn't even want to wait for a further consultation). Given the choice I would always go for the less invasive option first to see if that works before considering any surgery
 
Beans just had her first hormone injection.
She squealed louder than I thought possible, jumped up to my shoulder from the table then proceeded to pee all over me. Poor pig :(

She's to go again in August for the second one. I'm really hoping these work for her :nod:
 
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