Cyst on chest/chin area

[GroovyGuineas]

Hi,
My 4yo female Sandy went to the vets yesterday for a consultation after her nail came off, they noticed a lump on her chest/chin. I had noticed it before and assumed it was her voice box or something, which they agreed with but told me to come back if it got any bigger.
It might be due to my anxiety, but I have been constantly panicking for 1 and a half days about it, and the more I reflect on it, the more I convince myself it has gotten bigger. I know it hasn't, but I constantly check on her and now I've started to kid myself that it's red and causing her pain - I want to go back to the vets but my mum won't allow it as she says the vet knows it's all fine.
Just wondering if anyone has experienced a lump like this before and what it turned out to be?
Thanks x

 

[Wiebke]

Hi,
My 4yo female Sandy went to the vets yesterday for a consultation after her nail came off, they noticed a lump on her chest/chin. I had noticed it before and assumed it was her voice box or something, which they agreed with but told me to come back if it got any bigger.
It might be due to my anxiety, but I have been constantly panicking for 1 and a half days about it, and the more I reflect on it, the more I convince myself it has gotten bigger. I know it hasn't, but I constantly check on her and now I've started to kid myself that it's red and causing her pain - I want to go back to the vets but my mum won't allow it as she says the vet knows it's all fine.
Just wondering if anyone has experienced a lump like this before and what it turned out to be?
Thanks x

Hi!

I am very sorry about the lump. Is it loose in the skin or is it firmly in the body? Unfortunately, we can only guess. You could be dealing with a cyst, an abscess, a swollen lymph node or the thyroid in that area but it requires a hands-on vet examination when you come to lumps, which you have done. Your vet should have been able to exclude some of these possibilities by feeling the lump.
Lumps are not uncommon, especially in older guinea pigs.

What you can do is to take a picture of it now, so you have some objective comparison later. See your vet again if it is noticeably bigger (doubling in size) and if it causing problems with movement or is clearly a source of irritation for you piggy.

 

[GroovyGuineas]

Thanks, I have tried to get pictures but Sandy is quite nervous and tends to turn around. I honestly really think we should go back to the vet so he can look at it rather than just ruling it out because its definitely not her voice box...
In answer to your question, the lump is quite loose to the skin and she does seem to be slightly more uncomfortable.

 

[piggyme234]

If the vet isn't worried then I wouldn't be too worried either if I were you. Guinea pigs often get lumps and bumps and the majority of them never cause much of a problem. I have had a number of piggies with cysts that never caused any problems and a few that popped and needed cleaning or removing. I have also had a couple that have had large fatty lipomas which are benign and don't cause any problems. The vet is right to keep an eye on it but try to avoid examining it too much too often as you could irritate it.

 

[GroovyGuineas]

If the vet isn't worried then I wouldn't be too worried either if I were you. Guinea pigs often get lumps and bumps and the majority of them never cause much of a problem. I have had a number of piggies with cysts that never caused any problems and a few that popped and needed cleaning or removing. I have also had a couple that have had large fatty lipomas which are benign and don't cause any problems. The vet is right to keep an eye on it but try to avoid examining it too much too often as you could irritate it.

Thank you, that's reassured me! I will keep an eye, but it's helpful to know that they don't cause too many problems.

 

[GroovyGuineas]

Hi guys, I'm getting quite paranoid about Sandy, but we're going to go to the vets on Monday and she seems happy so she will definitely hang in there until then. The lump is quite big but I don't think it has really grown in the last couple of weeks, it's quite mobile and soft so I think it's an abscess. When she was squeaking for food this morning, there was a little sniff every time she finished a wheel, but then she calmed down as I put the food into her cage so I didn't hear it anymore.
Is she still ok?