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Challenges For Tea Cake - Uri And Testicular Tumour?

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lauraboara

lauraboara

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One of my boys Tea Cake is causing us worry at the moment. He is over 5yrs old, still very lively and over 1kg in weight so good basic health. Unusually for me, he is one that I have had from a baby rather than adopting an oldie. But he has an on and off upper respiratory wheezy / creaking door thing. He is well into a course of Septrin and that does seem to be improving it but not totally gone. So will keep going with that.

And he also has a lump on one of his testicles which seems to be growing :( - not on the skin but actually within the scrotum on the testicle. So he needs to be strong enough for a plum removal op next week. I think he will be, he is eating well. I trust my vet regarding the surgery (he does lots and referrals) - think we will opt for the abdominal key hole method rather than the more traditional scrotal method. But surgery in over 5yrs piggie makes me anxious.

The lump could be an abscess or a tumour - the Septrin has had no impact on the lump, might be wrong AB of course or else it is a tumour. I have been looking around but cant see many references to testicular tumours in guinea pigs? anyone have any experience of that?

Why do my boys prefer unusual illnesses? - the vet was mentioning Barney's (RIP) osteo sarcoma during the appointment :(
 
So sorry you are your boy are having a tough time at the mo. Sending lots of hugs and healing vibes x
 
I am very sorry. As far as I know, testicular tumours are at the best very rare. All the best with the operation!

Has your vet checked for narrowed airways or lung disease? I have had two of my older piggies becoming wheezy/crackly in old age without ever having a real URI. One of them was after two years finally diagnosed with lung disease from a never fully healed out URI earlier in her life before she came here and my other had narrowing airways. Had Hywel lived longer, he would have eventually needed a regular support. Guinea pig airways are pretty narrow in the first place, so you hear every bit of obstruction. Dry indoors air especially during the heating season can make things more audible. In both cases, a bowl of steaming water/humidity next to the cage seemed to bring relief.
 
Flutterby said:
So sorry you are your boy are having a tough time at the mo. Sending lots of hugs and healing vibes x
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Thanks @Flutterby - he is quite cheerful to be fair - he doesn't know the plum fairy is threatened or why!
I just need to research more but he last thread I can see on testicular tumour was 2011....
 
Wiebke said:
I am very sorry. As far as I know, testicular tumours are at the best very rare. All the best with the operation!

Has your vet checked for narrowed airways or lung disease? I have had two of my older piggies becoming wheezy/crackly in old age without ever having a real URI. One of them was after two years finally diagnosed with lung disease from a never fully healed out URI earlier in her life before she came here and my other had narrowing airways. Had Hywel lived longer, he would have eventually needed a regular support. Guinea pig airways are pretty narrow in the first place, so you hear every bit of obstruction. Dry indoors air especially during the heating season can make things more audible. In both cases, a bowl of steaming water/humidity next to the cage seemed to bring relief.
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Hi @Wiebke Yes he has checked lungs and lung disease isn't ruled out at this stage but we were seeing what the Septrin does to begin with. The noise does sound very high up but is intermittent, often nothing at all. I will try the steaming water - it helps my asthma so worth a go!
 
Fingers crossed for you - I have had oldies over 5 sail through ops no problem - my piggy specialist vet says that there is actually no more anesthetic risk to an older pig than a younger pig if they are healthy - she says if they are lost whilst under it is usually because there was a previously underlying un- diagnosed problem - so you should be fine xx
 
TAN said:
Fingers crossed for you - I have had oldies over 5 sail through ops no problem - my piggy specialist vet says that there is actually no more anesthetic risk to an older pig than a younger pig if they are healthy - she says if they are lost whilst under it is usually because there was a previously underlying un- diagnosed problem - so you should be fine xx
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Hi yes my vet says the same sort of thing but my own experience is that a major op in plus 5 year pigs has been the 'beginning of the end' phase - yes they have made it through and recovered but it has kick started / highlighted underlying issues. So that makes me a wary - although it might be coincidence and that was decline was already written in the life tea leaves! And I have to take the risk really as the lump is growing whatever it is. Thanks for being more positive that me though:nod:
 
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I think it only takes 15 minutes to remove plums, so he will be under for only a short while, it may be just a cyst, I think us piggy owners always think the worst.
When he's had the op he will probably be severely depressed about losing his plums.
I prescribe lots of cuddles & treats on demand.
 
Kind of long, difficult story but he didn't have op in the end - they found something else going on when they did the X rays. We had planned xrays to look at lungs and heart and other things. Lungs and heart OK, phew, but another problem was evident on xray and the vet needed to talk through options. Anyway, he is home, groggy after anesthetic but eating if I encourage him. And we have to face him going back again in a week to try again but a bigger op. Eek. Pleased to have him home though and we just have to enjoy each day. Hopefully can put him back in with Theo this evening when he has come around some more.
 
At least your vet didn't dive in and do what he thought was the obvious solution.
But what a stressful situation to have to go through though.
Hope Tea Cake is getting over the anesthetic OK and is back with Theo.
 
Operation attempt number 2 today. Have had too long to think about it since attempt 1 so feeling tense but he had a good sized breakfast and was chipper (until I put him in his carrier and he knew something was up). He is still just over 1kg after some supplementary feeds so going into op as well as he can be at the mo. Come on Tea Cake.
 
He made it through - there were complications but he is home now. Had that horrible phone call of 'we have found complications shall we continue with surgery or not?' But the vet did carry on after discussion and I am glad we tried because he is nibbling veg and resting although v poorly.
The testicle that was enlarged looked really big in the specimen container - gone off for testing. And the blockage in his ureter cleared but left lots for Tea Cake to recover from. Syringes of meds and food at the ready....
 
Yesterday (first day post op) was horrible - really hunched up miserable Tea Cake who needed syringe feeding around the clock. But this evening things are much improved - eating veg independently and some hay.
Wound check in the morning but all looks very neat to me

Thought you would be interested eg @pig in the city
Pretty good going by Tea Cake after 2 ops in one go - good lad.
Here is his little face so it is not all about his nether regions.
 
Hello darling boy, you look well considering! That wound looks amazing, I might show my vet, I think doing the surgery that way must reduce the risks of infection greatly. Well done Laura, are you waiting on histology from the lump or did you not feel that was necessary?
 
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