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Do I spay my piggies?

L

Leb66

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi I was at the vet with my 4year old piggy this week for a UTI, she’s never had to go before but during the consult the vet had said 80-90% of guinea pigs over the age of 2 have cystic ovaries. She said she could feel small pea sized cysts in her but she has no other symptoms (hair loss etc). She also examined my other 1 year old piggy and said that she couldn’t feel cystic ovaries on her but would recommend prophylactic spaying.
I’m just wondering if this is necessary? She doesn’t seem uncomfortable. I believe the UTI was from being at the boarders as I just picked her up after 3 weeks there.
I don’t want to put them through unnecessary surgery with anaesthetic risks and stuff but will she be okay with cystic ovaries?
 
My Emma had a small cyst on one of her ovaries at age 5. As she had no other symptoms me and my vet decided to monitor her and she lived with it quite happily for the remainder of life.

Spaying is an invasive operation and I would personally only do it for medical reasons x
 
I wouldn't spay my girls prophylacticly. Many female guinea pigs develop cysts but most of them don't cause trouble.

In Austria, it's also still a high risk operation that's only performed for medical reasons. But I know that some vets in the UK and US are in favour of prophylactic spaying.
 
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