Bladder Tumor

[H@nn@h]

4 weeks ago Milo went in for surgery to remove what the vets thought was a stone but instead of a stone they found a growth which they took a biopsy of. Just got the results in this morning and unfortunately my precious darling Milo has a bladder tumor.
Really devastated at this news and was hoping for any advice/ experiences with other pigs that have had a bladder tumor.
I'm not putting him through surgery to try to remove what they can as last time he didn't recover very well at all from the anaesthetic and this time the vet said it would be high risk due to the location of the tumour. So the other option is to try to manage it best we can with medication. I have a week to think about everything and he has a appointment next week to check him and discuss what to do next.
Please can anyone advise on what is best to do? How long a life span should he have if we tried drugs to slow the growth? He is only 2 so really want to give him a long life as possible as right now he is completely normal, he eats, drinks, popcorns loves cuddles and is very happy.

 

[sport_billy]

Hello, welcome to the forum. Sorry it is in such sad circumstances. Very sorry to read of Milo's news

I have no experience of 'Bladder Tumours' but am hoping someone may be along during the day or this evening to share any experience they may have. Please keep checking back.

Has your vet advised on what drugs they would give to slow the growth down of the tumour?
The options would be an operation to remove what they can of the tumor but that obviously carries risks or to keep your boy pain free and comfortable until you have to help him on his way.
There are lots of pain killing options for piggies and this is highly important if you opt for palliative care should you decide to manage his symptoms and keep him pain free and happy until it came to a time that you couldn't.

It is impossible to say the life span of a piggie with a tumour, some are slow growing others aren't. Speaking from experience of having a piggie with lymphoma, make every day a good day for Milo (I'm sure you are) and cherish everyday. Hopefully you can keep your little one pain free for as long as possible and happy. Cuddles to Milo

 

[Wiebke]

HUGS

I am very sorry; that is a daunting diagnosis! Whether it is a relative or beloved pet, it always comes as a total shock. Age has sadly very little to do with it.

I lost one of my first piggies at 3 years old after her second bladder stone operation when she was found to have a most likely cancerous polyp and a cup shaped stone fitting around the polyp in her bladder. While she was recovering well from the operation itself, the damage to the bladder (her stones were a rather unusual irregular agglomerate of sharp, scratchy small crystals, which was proabably the reason for the growth) was simply too big and in the end I had to let her go when the last combination of meds failed and the pain started to come back. That was several years ago, so I don't know how relevant my experience is for you. The local vet I used at that time wasn't a piggy specialist, but I would guess that even with the best vet support it still would have been very much a toss up.

I agree with sport billy that pain management and quality of life is very important. It is pretty impossible to say how long you've got; you will have to cherish every single day you've got with him. Time is relative; love can turn a few days, weeks or months into a whole lifetime's worth of precious shared moments.

As this is a very specialist subject, you may perhaps find more information on this US specialist medical forum: http://www.guinealynx.info/forums/

 

[Abi_nurse]

I'm sorry to hear about your piggie.

The main thing i would agree with is your piggie needs good pain relief, the tumour may not be painful right now, but i would definatly cover with a good pain relief just in case. As for the time i really couldnt say, it would depend on what kind of tumour it is? Some bladder tumours we see are often fast growing, placing your piggie on steriods may be helpful briefly. I would have a discussion with your vet about the amount of time I'm afraid.

If your piggie is happy then keep on going. You will know when the time comes.

Lot of love!

x.

 

[H@nn@h]

Thanks to everyone for replying. At the moment he is on metacam, I don't think he is in pain at the moment but I know they are very good at hiding any pain, he's currently not squeaking while he pee's and poo's but that is an on and off thing so I'm pretty sure that it will flare up again at some point.
The vet that treats him is an exotic vet and has been really good with all my pigs and I do trust her 100%. I take him in to see her next Friday to discuss exactly what we will do as I was a bit taken back with it all when we spoke on the phone. She said that it is loxicom/metacam that he will probably be treated with but there is also a human drug that she is going to look into to see if that will help I think she said that was called peroxicom? He is also having an ultrasound Friday as they found very small stones in his kidneys when they thought he had one in his bladder but they said they were small enough for him to still pass so they are checking on them and I'm sure they will be able to check the size of the tumor to see if it has grown any?
I have 3 boars and love them all to bits but Milo was my 1st and he is very very special to me, I really can't believe this is happening and I am absolutely devastated. Just hope I can help him best I can and keep him as pain free as possible but it breaks my heart to think that the time will come to let him go much much sooner that I had ever thought. Right now as you guys say I will cherish every single day will him. I know he has had a happy, even if short life, and I'm sure he knows how much he is loved!

 

[sport_billy]

It sounds like you have a very good supportive vet and this is so important.

Milo is obviously a very special little boy and you are doing everything you can for him. He is very lucky to have you as a piggy slave.

Is he in your avatar? Which one of the 3 piggies is he? Can I ask which vets you use? It always good to know about new cavy savy vets?

Love to Milo

 

[H@nn@h]

Yes Milo is the middle piggy in my avatar, he is a black & white (with a ginger bum lol) Abyssinian.
The vets I go to with my pigs is Millcroft Vets: http://www.millcroftvets.co.uk/ and the exotic vet is Vicki Temple and I would highly recommend her!
Milo has had trouble with squeaking whilst pooing and peeing since he was 9 months old and after taking over £500 and about 4-5 months later my local vet (with no guinea pig knowledge at all!) finally referred me to her, it is a couple of hours drive but she has been amazing with Milo and has been really helpful over the phone!

 

[Wiebke]

Your vet sounds like she knows what she is doing, even if her choices are pretty limited due to there simply not being much on that score for piggies yet. It is a big help if you have somebody competent and compassionate to see you and your piggies through a difficult time. Guinea pigs have a much faster metabolism than us humans, which makes treating cancer extra difficult on top of their small size.

It is ever so hard when it is your special favourite. Minx (the bladder piggy I meantioned earlier) was and still is my most special piggy, even 30+ piggies later. Another aby with a huge personality... Milo is a gorgeous boy indeed! x)

Make sure that you take lots of pics and little videos of Milo while he is still well and happy. There may be a time when it hurts too much to look at them, but after that you will be grateful for all the precious memories you have been able to preserve.

 

[sport_billy]

Awww bless him, he is a beauty.

Your vet sounds very good. We all know how you feel on here, having lost piggies through various causes. So you always have people to talk to and understand how you feel.

 

[Abi_nurse]

Sounds like youve got a great vet.

x.

 

[H@nn@h]

So saw the vet today who has been in touch with other vets who have experienced bladder tumours and all agree surgery isn't really an option, they say even in cats and dogs it is better to use meds to help rather that risk doing any more damage/ causing the tumour to spread. She thinks he may have up to 1 year, then will probably go downhill from there They did the ultrasound and it hasn't grown (even though it has only been 5 weeks) but he also still has some very small (less than 1mm) stones in his kidneys too. Although she says they are still small enough for him to pass, so fingers crossed on that one. Apart from that it's just monitor him while he's happy and make sure he is pain free and enjoy every moment I have with him.

 

[worried val of york]

I am so sorry to read this - but you are doing all you can for him medically so now you just have to enjoy him and make the most of his little life. He'll appreciate everything you do for him, Lots of hugs. Val

 

[jenniferanneharris]

aw bless him. hugs to you both x

 

[sport_billy]

Big hugs x Thanks for the update. Lots of love to your little boy

 

[guineabecs]

This is a bladder tumor from my old female 'crumpet' who was 8 years old. Sadly, she died during the op. It was removed from INSIDE her bladder, poor girl, and she passed away while being stitched up :-(
It was huge. Fortunately my husband is a vet, and she didn't have time to get ill with it, i noticed one day that she looked bigger in her abdomen than normal, and when my husband felt he could feel the lump, so he operated the next day.
If surgery isn't an option, just keep your piggie comfy. Metacam is great stuff and will help enormously. You will know when the time is right to do the right thing.
such a sad diagnosis, I know your pain :-(
Is piggie old?
Sorry if the pic grosses anyone out!

 

[H@nn@h]

This is a bladder tumor from my old female 'crumpet' who was 8 years old. Sadly, she died during the op. It was removed from INSIDE her bladder, poor girl, and she passed away while being stitched up :-(
It was huge. Fortunately my husband is a vet, and she didn't have time to get ill with it, i noticed one day that she looked bigger in her abdomen than normal, and when my husband felt he could feel the lump, so he operated the next day.
If surgery isn't an option, just keep your piggie comfy. Metacam is great stuff and will help enormously. You will know when the time is right to do the right thing.
such a sad diagnosis, I know your pain :-(
Is piggie old?
Sorry if the pic grosses anyone out!

So sorry to hear about your poor piggy, it really is horrible. He is only 2 1/2 but he is loved very much and will be spoilt rotten! Metacam has been great and he isn't sqeeking at the moment so hopefully he can be pain free and happy for as long as possible

 

[guineabecs]

Gosh he's so young bless him :-( keep doing what you're doing, he seems comfy at the moment :-) just enjoy him Nd spoil him loads :-) xx

 

[Wiebke]

HUGS!

I hope that Milo will have a good bit of time with you and that you can make the best of it. He couldn't have a more loving mummy!

Because you can't really prepare for it, the diagnosis is usually the second worst time with any terminal illness, apart from the heart-break of the actual good bye. But you have now got some space to make that time special; it's not just all doom and gloom from here on in!

I have lost younger piggies than Milo to sudden heart failure and couldn't brace for that; you just never know... All you can do is to give them your love, treasure every day with them and be glad that you have had them in your life.

 

[Claire W]

I am sorry that the prognosis isn't good

But now you know what you are dealing with, take each day as it comes and enjoy your special boy whilst you can.

You are a wonderful owner xx