Cyst in 6 year old sow

[Hhelen]

I have a 6 year old fluff ball who appears to have ovarian cysts. They have grown this week and her belly feels more full. I’ve read the guide on here and she does not have any hair loss or nipple problems but is being fussy with food and more lethargic. She weighs 1054g.
Would vets operate ? Or is there any other treatment? She’s previously had a large cyst on her back removed a few years back and that went well.

any advice is welcome.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Please have your piggy seen by a vet For diagnosis. It may not be cysts - lethargy and a bloating belly could be another health issue particularly if you are noticing it coming on quickly.

Not all cysts present with hair loss - piggies can get some or no symptoms as it just depends on the type of cyst.
often, a piggy with ovarian cysts will need to be spayed but it is for your vet to decide

How Soon Should My Guinea Pig See A Vet? - A Quick Guide

 

[Hhelen]

Please have your piggy seen by a vet For diagnosis. It may not be cysts - lethargy and a bloating belly could be another health issue particularly if you are noticing it coming on quickly.

Not all cysts present with hair loss - piggies can get some or no symptoms as it just depends on the type of cyst.
often, a piggy with ovarian cysts will need to be spayed but it is for your vet to decide

How Soon Should My Guinea Pig See A Vet? - A Quick Guide

Thanks for this. Sorry I should have said she’s been seen previously and they said it was likely to by cysts but that it was best to leave it for now

 

[Piggies&buns]

Ok.
Then she will need a definite diagnosis for cysts. If they seem to have got bigger, Her tummy feels full, and she is becoming lethargic, then it’s possibly the time for not doing anything has gone and that action needs to be taken.

 

[Wiebke]

I have a 6 year old fluff ball who appears to have ovarian cysts. They have grown this week and her belly feels more full. I’ve read the guide on here and she does not have any hair loss or nipple problems but is being fussy with food and more lethargic. She weighs 1054g.
Would vets operate ? Or is there any other treatment? She’s previously had a large cyst on her back removed a few years back and that went well.

any advice is welcome.

Hi

Please see a vet promptly if your sow is clearly not well.

The most common ovarian cysts are the non-hormonal fluid filled ones, especially in older age; they can grow very large and can press on the gut or even get stuck to it (which is very painful) if you are unlucky.
But because they are not hormonal, they do not cause any of the classic symptoms of the hormonal cysts that are more typically active around 2-4 years of age and the majority of them will go unnoticed unless they start causing problems. There is no research yet into just how common the non-hormonal fluid-filled cysts are, but it is assumed that the majority of the old sows do have them.

Draining these large fluid filled cysts in the very old sows is an alternative non-invasive treatment to a spaying operation. It is not permanent but it takes several months for a cyst to refill. We have had members who have had this done successfully with sows of theirs that were to old and/or frail for a spay.

Here is the guide link that you have been mentioning: Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)

Here is our one stop guide for emergency, crisis and bridging care to get a piggy that is not well and may not be eating fully through the rough bit until any vet treatment has kicked in. It is worth bookmarking and reading. Keep in mind that quite a bit of what is normally considered a good weight is actually the fluid in the cysts. You can check around the ribcage whether your sow in underweight (when you can feel the ribs clearly) or if she is still OK (you can just feel the ribs). Weighing daily is important but the cysts can mask some of what is actually going on in the body itself.