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Billy's Thyroid Cyst

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PAMELAKT

PAMELAKT

Adult Guinea Pig
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Hi everyone,

I'm a bit gutted because Billy has finally turned a huge corner & is doing SO well. He hasn't had jaw problems for months, and I'm on top of his Thyroid meds he's eating really well & has gained some weight.

However this past few days I have noticed the cyst on his Thyroid has grown. This is going to mean trips to the vet miles away again. I feel stressed just thinking about it all.

He's going to say if he is sorting the cyst he may as well take out the Thyroid as this is his plan anyway. I will be so devastated if I put him into the vets when he's doing so well & he dies during surgery.

He is now 5 years & 4 months old.

Help!
 
Huge hugs. Have you discussed with the vets about your concerns? Being as he requires an operation your vet may deem the removal of his thyroid to be less of a risk than leaving it in. It's such a tough thing to have to do and I really feel for you.
Tagging @Wiebke. x
 
I know it's his plan to do this, and I know I am going to have to get this cyst sorted I just don't know if it's a good idea to let them take out thyroids.

I can't bare the thought of him going through any more we are finally in a good place & he is thriving it's just typical!!
 
HUGS!

I agree with Critter. It is always a toss up between when to operate and how you dare to wait. You will have to talk that over with your vet. It is never pleasant.
 
I have experience of 2 piggies who have had lumps removed from the thyroid gland, one is over 5 years old, both have done well in the hands of an experienced surgeon
 
Did they actually have their Thyroid removed or just the lumps? X

pig in the city said:
I have experience of 2 piggies who have had lumps removed from the thyroid gland, one is over 5 years old, both have done well in the hands of an experienced surgeon
Click to expand...
 
To update - I have booked the vets for Monday...

Feel awful about it as he is SO happy & eating SO well at the moment it's the best he has been in over a year. Grrrrrrrr!!

I read on my lunch break that if cysts grow too big they can block the airways so I figured I should take him.... :(
 
You are doing the absolute right thing having him seen by a vet.
And if he does need the thyroid removed it sounds like he is in a good pace and super fit and well, so you hare giving him the best chance possible.
Fingers crossed it goes well on Monday, and maybe there will be an alternative to surgery for him.
 
Well I have been up all night worrying about this as I stupidly googled again & read that if they have Thyroid removed they often die of a 'Thyroid atorm' afterwards from the sudden change in levels.

I just don't know I am doing the right thing. I feel like I am sending him off to make him ill.

I also only have 3 weeks of medicine left & they aren't likely to give me more without seeing him as they have to see him within 3 months so I have to take him in soon either way.

I'm going to take him & say if there is an option to leave him be then I want to take it, as he is so happy right now I feel sick about putting him through anything else :(
 
Thanks for the update, sending love to Billy, such a huge forum piggy. I always look out for his name x
 
Gorgeous Billy.

I can totally relate to your situation at the moment. My sow needs spayed, but she's 8 and been in congestive heart failure for 19 months. We are trying to medically manage her ovarian problem, but it's starting to not work. She needs operated on whilst she's well... But that's the problem! She's well and happy and enjoying life. If I operate, I'll surely lose her.

It's so difficult to make such a decision! Billy is a fighter and I'm so glad he's doing well at the moment xx
 
Wow yes we are in the same boat! It is SO hard to know what to do for the best. I think with heart problems I would also not want to operate. If they're happy & enjoying life why put them through these things.... I'm going to give him a while longer see how he goes & see if he continues to gain weight, all the while he is - he's ok.

I hate making these decisions for little animals! It's a huge responsibility.

Your girlie is doing great at 8! Wow, I never thought Billy would make it to last summer I was desperate for him to see our new garden (we moved house) & play in his new run. Just once. Now I'm thinking he may see another summer! He's an amazing little guy, your girl sound amazing too x


Adelle said:
Gorgeous Billy.

I can totally relate to your situation at the moment. My sow needs spayed, but she's 8 and been in congestive heart failure for 19 months. We are trying to medically manage her ovarian problem, but it's starting to not work. She needs operated on whilst she's well... But that's the problem! She's well and happy and enjoying life. If I operate, I'll surely lose her.

It's so difficult to make such a decision! Billy is a fighter and I'm so glad he's doing well at the moment xx
Click to expand...
 
Awwwwww he's gorgeous :love: I lost my Abyruvian piggy a month ago, she had a mass in her chest that caused heart failure, when it was discovered I also found a big lump in her dewlap :( She had previously had a lump there removed by Simon at the Cat & Rabbit clinic a few years ago, so we weren't certain what it was but it was growing so could have been a secondary tumour, but an op to remove it was out of the question because of her heart. Hopefully his won't get any bigger x
 
PAMELAKT said:
Wow yes we are in the same boat! It is SO hard to know what to do for the best. I think with heart problems I would also not want to operate. If they're happy & enjoying life why put them through these things.... I'm going to give him a while longer see how he goes & see if he continues to gain weight, all the while he is - he's ok.

I hate making these decisions for little animals! It's a huge responsibility.

Your girlie is doing great at 8! Wow, I never thought Billy would make it to last summer I was desperate for him to see our new garden (we moved house) & play in his new run. Just once. Now I'm thinking he may see another summer! He's an amazing little guy, your girl sound amazing too x
Click to expand...
I remember you posting about wanting him to see the garden bless him. I actually dug up an area of garden and grew some grass for fudge last summer as she wasn't doing well (and had already outlived her prognosis by nearly a year at that point!) and I wanted her to feel the grass under her toes since we'd moved. I didn't think for a minute she'd still be here now either.

What's so difficult is we know that, should the operation be a success- we are fixing the problem permanently. But there are such risks involved with going ahead, and if we wait until they get more sick then the risks are higher. Yet how can we put them through it when they are quite happy pottering along? It would be lovely to fix them and make it all go away, but the risks are massive.

My heads bursting with it all!

Here's to many more good days Billy Xx
 
Oh no I'm so sorry! x I won't let it grow too big, I'll keep a close eye on it xx


QUOTE="Poppy'sMum, post: 1970287, member: 11301"]Awwwwww he's gorgeous :love: I lost my Abyruvian piggy a month ago, she had a mass in her chest that caused heart failure, when it was discovered I also found a big lump in her dewlap :( She had previously had a lump there removed by Simon at the Cat & Rabbit clinic a few years ago, so we weren't certain what it was but it was growing so could have been a secondary tumour, but an op to remove it was out of the question because of her heart. Hopefully his won't get any bigger x[/QUOTE]
 
Yes I totally agree it is a dilemma because you could potentially remove the problem forever - but you also could potentially have everything go wrong & would have to live with knowing that. It does make your head pound its very stressful! Let's hope they continue to do well for many days to come x


Adelle said:
I remember you posting about wanting him to see the garden bless him. I actually dug up an area of garden and grew some grass for fudge last summer as she wasn't doing well (and had already outlived her prognosis by nearly a year at that point!) and I wanted her to feel the grass under her toes since we'd moved. I didn't think for a minute she'd still be here now either.

What's so difficult is we know that, should the operation be a success- we are fixing the problem permanently. But there are such risks involved with going ahead, and if we wait until they get more sick then the risks are higher. Yet how can we put them through it when they are quite happy pottering along? It would be lovely to fix them and make it all go away, but the risks are massive.

My heads bursting with it all!

Here's to many more good days Billy Xx
Click to expand...
 
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