Cyst - Mavis

[vabh57]

Last year, when her sister had a problem, Mavis went to the vets and the vet squeezed a small lump on her back and said it was no problem. On the sister's subsequent visits she squeezed it again and then suggested I could do it myself. I did this a couple of times but didn't like hurting her. With her sister's recent illness I asked the vet again about Mavis - the vet squeezed the cyst again and THEN told me that squeezing it activates the cyst! She said that maybe they would have to operate to "cut the whole thing out".

I attach a picture.

Mavis is about 2 years old. Should she have an operation now, rather than when she is older or is there a better way to deal with it? It doesn't seem to bother her at all.

 

[vabh57]

any advice?

 

[Paul-H]

Personally I would have the cyst sack removed, the hole can then be sutured closed and the problem will be gone.

If the Vet knows their stuff this can also be done under a local


Paul & Jeanette

 

[alcesterpigs]

I always used to remove sebaceous cysts but these days I leave well alone unless there is a compelling reason to remove them.
As far as I can tell from the photo the cyst your pig has is quite small.

It could be removed under a local anaesthetic, there is no need to suture across the hole after the cyst has been removed.

 

[Paul-H]

Its an open wound that does not need draining like an abscess by wouldn't you want to close to keep it clean and promote healing

 

[Laura-CCC4]

Perhaps the "problem" with stitching it closed is the risk of locking in infection? Some sebaceous cysts are removed due to infection; if an infected cyst is removed it may make more sense to leave the wound open and allow it to heal naturally without the risk of shutting in any infection.....?

Size could well be another factor, it would usually be a fairly small wound that will heal over itself within a day or two.

 

[Paul-H]

Mind you most sebaceous cysts are little more than a sack of sebum so closing the hole will do no harm at all especially if it was a big one.

Both options are probably quite correct though

Paul & Jeanette

 

[alcesterpigs]

If there is a clean incision then it is ideal to suture across the wound. The "cut edges" quickly heal together.

However, if the cyst has ruptured, and the edges of the hole have healed then suturing the edges together is a waste of time. There is not a "cut edge" to join.
Besides which, if the skin which previously covered the cyst is missing then, obviously, there is nothing to cover the "hole".
The only way to "cover the hole" would be to put a skin graft across it, which would be a rather excessive procedure to carry out on a guinea pig sebaceous cyst!

I have, on a very few occasions, placed a suture across a bleeding point on the edge of a cyst.

"closing the hole will do no harm at all "

The hole will heal from the base upwards, not across the top. To suture across the top will, potentially, delay healing. The risk is that of an infection taking hold in the cavity. Infection is much less likely if the hole is left unclosed.

The procedure is difficult to describe but would be easily demonstrated by a diagram!

 

[alcesterpigs]

I should have added that a large cyst does not need suturing because it is more likely to become infected, besides which the skin which covered the cyst will most probably have been removed when removing the cyst lining.

 

[Paul-H]

Just to clear up, I was talking about surgicaly removed cysts, not ones that had been left to burst which obviouly are more likely to infected.

 

[alcesterpigs]

There is a very low incidence of cysts becoming infected, whether they have burst or have been surgically removed.

 

[BecklenGPRescue]

One of our long term pigs Amelia had her sebaceous cyst burt last week, and its doing well with just me cleaning it, I'm certainly not going ot rush her to the vets unless it becomes infected as it doesn't bother her day to day life

 

[sophiew (EAGPR)]

I have 2 pigs here with sebaceous cysts and I agree, clean as needed and let them be. I don't think it's worth risking an op, unless it is affecting their quality of life

 

[Paul-H]

Opinions are very divided on this aren't they, I am always willing to bow to someone who has more experience and will keep my views to myself on this little matter.

All I know is that in front of be I have a GP Health book written by the founder of the CCT and in that book it clearly states remove and suture.

I shall keep quiet in future

Bye

 

[alcesterpigs]

Why keep quiet?
Informed debate is educational.
Any view which can be supported is welcome.
My views are based on knowledge and "hands on" experience.
I try not to post purely from "text book knowledge" but, when I do, I state that I have no practical experience of that particular matter.
This gives the reader a better chance to evaluate the value of my comments. Anyone can quote from a textbook, which whilst it will give you a depth of knowledge can obviously never give you the breadth of practical experience.
Don't keep quiet!