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Bourbon Diagnosed with Stage 1 Lymphoma

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melsey3

Junior Guinea Pig
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News you never want to hear about one of your beloved piggies!

Today I took 4 year old Bourbon (Home bred piggy) to the vets because she had developed a largish dewlap under her chin, My cause for concern was that it seemed to be getting bigger everyday.

The Vet has explained to me that she is certain we are looking at Lymphoma, and that Lymphoma is a very aggressive form of cancer, that is rarely treated successfully, and that she could only have a few weeks left, but is willing to help her the best we can.

Today My Bourbon Began her Prednicare steroid treatment, and has 2-3 weeks worth of treatment in tablet form. I am keeping my fingers crossed tightly right now, that treatment will be successful in shrinking down the tumours, and possibly putting her into remission for a while, and have already booked her check up for 29th July to see if it is working.

Whilst my vet is being very optimistic, I am finding it very hard to stay the same way, I have seen so many stories today about guinea pigs passing as little as a week after first diagnosis, and am so beside myself right now, thinking that the same will happen to Bonnie.

Currently the only lymph nodes that are affected are the ones in her neck and somewhere else, but the ones under her arms were fine, there is no other lumps at present. I have read "Big Boys story" but understand he was having chemotherapy, which my vet said is not a good option because of the digestion issues it can cause, so am putting my faith in the steroids.

Does anybody have any success stories?

Many Thanks
Melsey
 
Ah, so sorry Melsey to hear about little Bourbon, I hope the treatment goes well and she goes into remission soon. Sorry can’t advise, but I’m sure someone will come along who knows more about this horrid illness x
 
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melsey3 said:
News you never want to hear about one of your beloved piggies!

Today I took 4 year old Bourbon (Home bred piggy) to the vets because she had developed a largish dewlap under her chin, My cause for concern was that it seemed to be getting bigger everyday.

The Vet has explained to me that she is certain we are looking at Lymphoma, and that Lymphoma is a very aggressive form of cancer, that is rarely treated successfully, and that she could only have a few weeks left, but is willing to help her the best we can.

Today My Bourbon Began her Prednicare steroid treatment, and has 2-3 weeks worth of treatment in tablet form. I am keeping my fingers crossed tightly right now, that treatment will be successful in shrinking down the tumours, and possibly putting her into remission for a while, and have already booked her check up for 29th July to see if it is working.

Whilst my vet is being very optimistic, I am finding it very hard to stay the same way, I have seen so many stories today about guinea pigs passing as little as a week after first diagnosis, and am so beside myself right now, thinking that the same will happen to Bonnie.

Currently the only lymph nodes that are affected are the ones in her neck and somewhere else, but the ones under her arms were fine, there is no other lumps at present. I have read "Big Boys story" but understand he was having chemotherapy, which my vet said is not a good option because of the digestion issues it can cause, so am putting my faith in the steroids.

Does anybody have any success stories?

Many Thanks
Melsey
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Hi and welcome!

I am very sorry; lymphoma is one of those diagnoses that none of us wants to ever get. Chemotherapy is not practised on guinea pigs to my knowledge. The steroids will hopefully help her to buy her more time.
Sadly lymphoma is not curable; how long Bourbon has to live depends on how aggressive the lymphoma is and how quickly it spreads.
I know of only one lymphoma piggy that lived for several months insteads of several weeks or just days, but the longer periods are sadly rare. :(

It is very difficult to accept a terminal diagnosis at first, whether that is with a beloved pet or a person close to you. At first you are very often looking for information to the contrary, like you are doing because the news is so soul shattering.
But please try not to fill the remaining time, however long or short, with fearing the end. Concentrate on filling it with love and make each day you have together count! That is the one great grace you have when you are confronted with a terminal condition; and it is a very important one.
Your grieving process starts the moment you get the bad news. Next to the actual loss, this is the worst time you will experience.
This link here may help you coping; it also contains a chapter about looking after a terminally ill guinea pigs: Human Bereavement: Grieving, Coping and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children

HUGS
 
Hi,I'm so sorry you have had bad news.my piggie Carlton had Lymphoma,he lived 21/2 years post diagnosis.i have also had a piggie called Elsa PTS within 24 hours of diagnosis.it really depends on how aggressive it is,how it reponds to treatment.i hope your piggie has a good prognosis.
 
Thanks for all your support!
Bourbon is 39 hours into her steroid treatment, and the swelling on her neck seems to be reducing in size a bit, her body also seems a little less chubby today. She has been a little quiet at times , but the temps have been really high down south, and she is currently indoors with 2 of her friends who have also been fairly quiet today. Her eating habits are good, and she has been drinking plenty. She has been popping up eagerly at the cage bars every time I rustle a bag, or open the fridge, and doesn't seem to be struggling so much with face washing. I am keeping my fingers crossed! It's hard because I know it she won't be cured, but hopefully we will have a bit longer with her before this dreadful disease takes her to Rainbow bridge. For now we are enjoying every moment we have with her, and have been having lots of huggles. She has been a really good girl taking her tablets, so hopefully she will continue to take them nicely for me.
 
Having a negative day today (Lots and lots of tears) I think the steroids have started to work, but lump under her chin is still very noticeable, just not as broad now as it originally was (much more saggy though, and feels quite big), one of the lumps in her groin is the size of a small pea, and the other groin was the size of a small grape on Sunday, but seems to have reduced in size. (Hoping it is not my imagination)
Other than that Bourbon is Eating and drinking well, and is still jumping up at the bars every time I rustle a bag, or open the fridge, and is showing her no nonsense dominance with her cage mates, as well as spending time doing Guinea pig activities. She is looking forwards to having some grass time later this morning.
 
I know it's hard but Bourbon doesn't know she's ill and will
keep doing bimbly guinea pig stuff for as long as she can. Sending you hugs.
 
I am so very sorry for your diagnosis :( I’ve had two piggies now who have had lymphoma. We sadly had to have Ena pts on the day of diagnosis and Erika 2 weeks past diagnosis. It really does depend on the extent of the cancer sadly on how long they will live xx
 
It has definitely made me very paranoid about my other 29 guinea pigs, 2 rabbits and a dog that's for sure. Bourbon has been on the prednicare for a week today. She and the girls have been incredibly rumbly with each other over the last 24 hours, and have all exhausted themselves from charging around the cage so much. I'm not sure which one of the girls it is, but their appetites seem to have fallen down, as am being left with food (this has never happened with these 3 before) I have seen both Bourbon and Athena at the food bowl, but not my old lady Cosette much, but on picking her up today she hasn't lost any weight, and neither have the others. Bourbons chin lump is still very evident, and may even be bigger than it was before, but the others in the groin areas seem to have definitely shrunk down a bit, the good news, "I havn't found anything new". My Main concern is the chin lump. The 29th July is approaching fast, the day I am dreading the most, as it is the day I may be forced to make the right decision for Bourbon, I am still keeping my fingers crossed that the steroids have worked enough for her to still have quality of life, but have already partially decided that if there is no significant change or that she has started to suffer it will be the day we say goodbye to our beautiful girly. But we will see. Hopefully It has worked enough.
 
Poor little Bourbons time is running out. The steroids worked for a few days, but the lump under her chin has gotten really big, and the others seem to have inflamed again, she is still enjoying life at the moment, but think we are going to have to let her go before the 29th, unless by some miracle things suddenly turn around, which I know is not likely to happen, I am still hoping and praying for that miracle. We are going to miss this beautiful little girl so much, and this decision is a really hard one to make, but I know it will be her time very, very soon, and I don't want her to get to the point where she is suffering, and is in pain. She has started to slow down a bit now, and she is not quite the Bourbon she was before. She is still living her life to the full, and in so many ways, she is acting as though nothing is going on, but I see otherwise. I'm thinking Tuesday or Wednesday will be the day to say goodbye! Unless as I said a miracle happens. I will be giving her 2 last runs in the grassy garden with her friends over the next 2 days, but it is really upsetting me to see that she is having problems washing her face, and eating from the bowl now, although my goodness she doesn't give up! She has been such a little fighter, I'm just sorry I didn't notice what was going on a few weeks ago, as it may have made a very slight difference to her little life. Bourbon was born on the 25th April 2015 at about 7 am (The day of my late mums birthday. Mum has been gone 29 years today) I wish she had managed to get to 5 years old, but I know this is never going to happen, and have to accept that. We have been so very lucky really I have had over 120 guinea pigs in my life time, and this is my first ever cancer case, and I am hoping the last. We have lost a few animals over the last 3 years, 3 of which including Bourbon when her time comes, have been in less than a month. To say I am devastated is an understatement. Last September we lost my Ginger snap, in March we lost our Snowy, then we lost Theo Bunny at the end of May, then My Budgie Emerald the day after my birthday 27th June, and now I am going to be losing my precious Bourbon. I really hope this is the last for a while, but at least 6 of my Guinea pigs will be over 5 by the end of September.
 
I am so sorry but sadly, it’s a decision we all have to make :( Erika’s lump grew so big in her dew lap that it started to affect her breathing it was then we new it was time :( Just make her last few days as comfortable as possible and make lots of memories xx
 
Luckily it hasn't started to do that yet, but tonight I noticed she has a sizeable swelling in her belly, it will definitely be soon. I have started to come to terms with it now, but I know that when the day comes I am going to be very upset, as will my daughter, but for now, Bourbon is doing okay, and seems happy in herself (that's the hardest part). I just wish it was my usual vet who will be helping us to say goodbye to her when the time comes.
 
It’s awful having to make the decision. Erika was twice the size due to her lumps when we had to say goodbye.

I think with terminal ill piggies, the grieving process starts when you get he diagnosis.
 
melsey3 said:
Poor little Bourbons time is running out. The steroids worked for a few days, but the lump under her chin has gotten really big, and the others seem to have inflamed again, she is still enjoying life at the moment, but think we are going to have to let her go before the 29th, unless by some miracle things suddenly turn around, which I know is not likely to happen, I am still hoping and praying for that miracle. We are going to miss this beautiful little girl so much, and this decision is a really hard one to make, but I know it will be her time very, very soon, and I don't want her to get to the point where she is suffering, and is in pain. She has started to slow down a bit now, and she is not quite the Bourbon she was before. She is still living her life to the full, and in so many ways, she is acting as though nothing is going on, but I see otherwise. I'm thinking Tuesday or Wednesday will be the day to say goodbye! Unless as I said a miracle happens. I will be giving her 2 last runs in the grassy garden with her friends over the next 2 days, but it is really upsetting me to see that she is having problems washing her face, and eating from the bowl now, although my goodness she doesn't give up! She has been such a little fighter, I'm just sorry I didn't notice what was going on a few weeks ago, as it may have made a very slight difference to her little life. Bourbon was born on the 25th April 2015 at about 7 am (The day of my late mums birthday. Mum has been gone 29 years today) I wish she had managed to get to 5 years old, but I know this is never going to happen, and have to accept that. We have been so very lucky really I have had over 120 guinea pigs in my life time, and this is my first ever cancer case, and I am hoping the last. We have lost a few animals over the last 3 years, 3 of which including Bourbon when her time comes, have been in less than a month. To say I am devastated is an understatement. Last September we lost my Ginger snap, in March we lost our Snowy, then we lost Theo Bunny at the end of May, then My Budgie Emerald the day after my birthday 27th June, and now I am going to be losing my precious Bourbon. I really hope this is the last for a while, but at least 6 of my Guinea pigs will be over 5 by the end of September.
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BIG HUGS

I am very sorry that time is running out so quickly for you! Sadly treatment for lymphoma in guinea pigs is very limited but it is either becoming a lot more common or is just better diagnosed than it used to in past times. We have seen a rising stream of lymphoma piggies in the last 5 years whereas before it was virtually unheard of. :(

You will know when that time has come. Letting a piggy go never gets any less heart-breaking but it is easier when you know that you have done your best to spare your little one any unnecessary suffering. The young deaths from illness or an accident that you cannot foresee or prevent are in my own experience always the hardest to cope with.

I am always glad about the piggies that live to 5 years of age and rejoice in those few that live to the upper edge or beyond an average life span, but there are always those I lose early to balance out the books by throwing a curve ball... :(

But if there is one lesson I have learned during the time my own dad has fought his terminal cancer is that it is not necessarily the length of time you have left (it is always too short!) but what you do with it and how much you fill it with love that counts. Love transcends time; and that can make a big difference for the grieving process, even with a piggy that has special connection for you.
 
Today we had to let My little girl go! She had still been herself in many ways, but her digestive system was starting to shut down, and I made the decision to put her to sleep before things got any worse, I kept asking the vet if I was doing the right thing, as she was still acting normally in so many ways, but the vet agreed it was time. We will miss this baby so much, she was one of our 2nd litter born 25-04-2015 xx
 
melsey3 said:
Today we had to let My little girl go! She had still been herself in many ways, but her digestive system was starting to shut down, and I made the decision to put her to sleep before things got any worse, I kept asking the vet if I was doing the right thing, as she was still acting normally in so many ways, but the vet agreed it was time. We will miss this baby so much, she was one of our 2nd litter born 25-04-2015 xx
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BIG HUGS

I am so sorry! It is always harder when you have to make the decision on your full responsibility and have not forced it on you by circumstances; this inevitably comes with a lot of soul searching and feelings of guilt - you wouldn't be a loving owner if you didn't have them as they are an expression of your loving care and responsibility.

But you have done exactly thre right thing and have spared her any unnecessary suffering. Pts/euthanasia is the biggest, most loving but also most heart-breaking gift we can make our beloved pets.

Take your time to grieve and be kind to yourself in the coming days!
 
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