• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

Fluffy has a giant lump on her stomach 😱

Emx93

Emx93

Adult Guinea Pig
Joined
Jul 7, 2019
Messages
2,818
Reaction score
6,762
Points
1,475
Location
South yorkshire, Uk
OK so I will be calling the vet as soon as they open at 9am but fluffy was spayed at the end of July, tonight during her hair trim and nail clip we discovered a giant lump on her abdomen, I thought maybe an abcess but piggy daddy says it feels like possibly a hernia, can that happen with guinea pigs? I noticed her poop is smaller than usual so I've stepped in with syringe feeding, it looks a little bruised, the rest of her skin is pink but this looks darker 😱 princess is being extra snuggly and caring with her bless them 💕 freaked out piggy mum here!
 
It wasn't there during the last health check! A couple of weeks post spay she did have a stitch pop which they trimmed off and she's been 100% fine since xx
 
Thankyou I'm slightly panicked! Luckily she's happy in herself, I'm just an extra panicky slightly overprotective pet parent lol xx
 
Emx93 said:
OK so I will be calling the vet as soon as they open at 9am but fluffy was spayed at the end of July, tonight during her hair trim and nail clip we discovered a giant lump on her abdomen, I thought maybe an abcess but piggy daddy says it feels like possibly a hernia, can that happen with guinea pigs? I noticed her poop is smaller than usual so I've stepped in with syringe feeding, it looks a little bruised, the rest of her skin is pink but this looks darker 😱 princess is being extra snuggly and caring with her bless them 💕 freaked out piggy mum here!
Click to expand...

Hi!

Please have her seen as quickly as possible; if necessary as an out-of-hours emergency. (Google for services in your area or listen to the message on your vet clinic's phone number.

Guinea pigs can have hernias although they are fairly rare and mostly happen as a result of a neutering operation. A blowing up abscess, tumour or any other lump can grow surprisingly large very, very quickly. Oedemas (swelling caused by blood) or swelling caused by fluid can also happen post-op. Only an examination by a vet can tell you what exactly you are dealing with.

Here is our emergency care advice link: Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment

All the best!
 
Wiebke said:
Hi!

Please have her seen as quickly as possible; if necessary as an out-of-hours emergency. (Google for services in your area or listen to the message on your vet clinic's phone number.

Guinea pigs can have hernias although they are fairly rare and mostly happen as a result of a neutering operation. A blowing up abscess, tumour or any other lump can grow surprisingly large very, very quickly. Oedemas (swelling caused by blood) or swelling caused by fluid can also happen post-op. Only an examination by a vet can tell you what exactly you are dealing with.

Here is our emergency care advice link: Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment

All the best!
Click to expand...
Thankyou I will be straight on the phone in the morning, I'd call now but i don't like our emergency vets, when our cat went there he came home a lot worse! Sshe is happy in herself and still very active, illl be doing 2hourly checks overnight though, offering syringe feeds and if she takes a turn we willl most definitely call the emergency vet! She was spayed at the end of July, could it be something to do with that? Or has it been too long to be a post op complication? A stitch popped at 2 weeks post spay which they trimmed off and she's been fine since, gaining weight to the heaviest she's ever been! She is just over 1.5 xx
 
Sorry the picture isn't the clearest
 

Attachments

  • IMG-20191006-WA0000~2.webp
    IMG-20191006-WA0000~2.webp
    14.4 KB · Views: 20
Emx93 said:
Thankyou I will be straight on the phone in the morning, I'd call now but i don't like our emergency vets, when our cat went there he came home a lot worse! Sshe is happy in herself and still very active, illl be doing 2hourly checks overnight though, offering syringe feeds and if she takes a turn we willl most definitely call the emergency vet! She was spayed at the end of July, could it be something to do with that? Or has it been too long to be a post op complication? A stitch popped at 2 weeks post spay which they trimmed off and she's been fine since, gaining weight to the heaviest she's ever been! She is just over 1.5 xx
Click to expand...

Abscesses and hernias in boars can happen months after the operation. But as my own several spaying operations in sows have all gone well with only very minor issues and I haven't come across them on here in the wake of spaying ops. the picture is not clear but if the swelling originates underneath a nipple, then you are dealing with a mammary tumor. Only a hands-on examination will tell.

I am very sorry; it looks very large - and the timing is as usual at the worst possible time... :(

Fingers very firmly crossed!
 
Wiebke said:
Abscesses and hernias in boars can happen months after the operation. But as my own several spaying operations in sows have all gone well with only very minor issues and I haven't come across them on here in the wake of spaying ops. the picture is not clear but if the swelling originates underneath a nipple, then you are dealing with a mammary tumor. Only a hands-on examination will tell.

I am very sorry; it looks very large - and the timing is as usual at the worst possible time... :(

Fingers very firmly crossed!
Click to expand...
Thankyou for the response, its in the centre of her abdomen in between her nipples, it looks even larger in person, it literally appeared in a matter of days! I will take princess along to the vets too for company, they did a slow bond after both having trouble finding a friend and are so closely bonded now that I do not want to risk a separation xx
 
Emx93 said:
It does! It's right where that stitch popped! But that was months ago and this wasn't here a few days ago 😰 x
Click to expand...
O dear, well I hope its nothing too serious, let us know how she's gets on. I have had. A hernia myself from an apendacectomy, pretty painful when doing anything other than resting.
 
I hope your feeling better now, I will do thankyou for the support ❤️ don't think illl be sleeping tonight 🤦‍♀️
 
Emx93 said:
Thankyou for the response, its in the centre of her abdomen in between her nipples, it looks even larger in person, it literally appeared in a matter of days! I will take princess along to the vets too for company, they did a slow bond after both having trouble finding a friend and are so closely bonded now that I do not want to risk a separation xx
Click to expand...

I always take companions - both Mererid and Morwenna were present at the vet's at each other's spaying op (which my vet clinic is fine with). Vets are starting to take the importance of a 'paw holding' companion increasingly more serious although it will take a few more years to filter through.
Tips For Vet Visits

All the best! These things blow up very quickly; sometimes in a matter of hours. Please always have them seen as soon as you notice so they can be treated/operated on ideally within 24 hours if that is at all possible. I have had my own races to get piggies to the vets for emergency ops, so I know how difficult that can be - my last one was just a month ago with a lump blowing up on Gethin's chest right out of the blue.
 
Thankyou, I took them both for princess' nail clip (scary black nails) they encouraged a companion then, the only time I've ever taken anyone alone was fluffy with her hormones and spay because she'd just had a major fallout with her companions, otherwise I always take pairs where possible ❤️ I hope they can fit us in tomorrow i wouldn't really feel comfortable leaving her any longer 😰 Sam said when he felt the lump (very gently) it felt like a bag of noodles, I told him not to touch it though and wait for the vet! She isn't acting in pain so I'm taking that as positive and hoping for the best (whatever that may be when it comes to large lumps!) though I know piggies are very good at hiding things! x
 
Good luck at the vets later. Hope you can sort everything out.

I had a piggy, Timmy, who passed away because of hernia. He was neutered months before we adopted him from RSPCA. A month after getting him, we thought it was bloat. He wasn't pooping much and when we took him to the vet, all signs of bloat were there. After being given by emeprid, he had a massive poops and we thought we managed to fixed it.

But then it reoccur after a couple of weeks and we can't figure out why. We've seen 7 different vets for treatment until we were referred to an exotic vet at Chester by the last one. The exotic vet was so baffled that the only choice they can do was an exploratory operation. That was when we found out that he had a hernia. It was a complication of neutering. The sack where his testicles were removed weren't stitched properly. His intestines went through the sack and was trapped in there. It was so stretched by that time but the exotic vet did everything to fix it. That same night after the operation, his stomach went big again (the fix failed) and eventually he passed away in my arms. We just discovered what was wrong with him too late that we couldn't make him better.

All the vets in that practice has never forgotten Timmy because of his extreme and sad case. They always remember us and mention him whenever we go there for emergency. Mind you we spent around £1500 with all the vet fees and meds but it was all worth a shot just to get him better. We only had him for 4 months but we will never forget Timmy.
 
anyar.dris said:
Good luck at the vets later. Hope you can sort everything out.

I had a piggy, Timmy, who passed away because of hernia. He was neutered months before we adopted him from RSPCA. A month after getting him, we thought it was bloat. He wasn't pooping much and when we took him to the vet, all signs of bloat were there. After being given by emeprid, he had a massive poops and we thought we managed to fixed it.

But then it reoccur after a couple of weeks and we can't figure out why. We've seen 7 different vets for treatment until we were referred to an exotic vet at Chester by the last one. The exotic vet was so baffled that the only choice they can do was an exploratory operation. That was when we found out that he had a hernia. It was a complication of neutering. The sack where his testicles were removed weren't stitched properly. His intestines went through the sack and was trapped in there. It was so stretched by that time but the exotic vet did everything to fix it. That same night after the operation, his stomach went big again (the fix failed) and eventually he passed away in my arms. We just discovered what was wrong with him too late that we couldn't make him better.

All the vets in that practice has never forgotten Timmy because of his extreme and sad case. They always remember us and mention him whenever we go there for emergency. Mind you we spent around £1500 with all the vet fees and meds but it was all worth a shot just to get him better. We only had him for 4 months but we will never forget Timmy.
Click to expand...
I am so very sorry for your loss 😭
 
Thankyou, she is running round like there's nothing wrong, I have everything crossed they will fit us in, they always have previously , I will let you all know as soon as I know anything, thankyou for the support ❤️
 
Thanks, are hernias straight forward to fix? Better than an abcess or would an abcess be better? Worried pig mum xx
 
Thinking of you and Fluffy. Hope the vets can be decisive and give you a way forwards xx

(I'd try not to go down the "which is better" route - it will be whatever it will be and you and the vets will agree the best course of action to manage it. Easier said than done, I know, but... :hug:)
 
Emx93 said:
Thanks, are hernias straight forward to fix? Better than an abcess or would an abcess be better? Worried pig mum xx
Click to expand...
I would imagine a hernia is less invasive, I guess they would keyhole surgery and pop it back in then maybe strengthen it. But this is in humans. I'm just thinking and don't actually know though. Like tangle said above. Best to just see what it is and then youre mind can set on treating that.

My hernia was a straight forward fix. But I have the brain to know not to overdo it after. Animals and children don't understand this
 
Emx93 said:
It's a hernia, op tomorrow xx
Click to expand...
Thought it would be, seeing as where it was. Good luck for your piglet,👍

My hernia came through months after my op. I was sick from the flu and the straining popped a hernia up out of my belly button.

I would take out anything your piglet can jump upon or reach up to. Obviously you can't stop them popcorning though lol
 
Thankyou there's nothing to jump over or climb on or reach upp to as her cage mate has arthritis so everything is accessible but she popcorns like crazy since bonding with Princess lol 😂 she's quicker than a baby too! Poor little fluffy xx
 
Emx93 said:
Thankyou there's nothing to jump over or climb on or reach upp to as her cage mate has arthritis so everything is accessible but she popcorns like crazy since bonding with Princess lol 😂 she's quicker than a baby too! Poor little fluffy xx
Click to expand...
That's good then. I had an old pig with arthiritis myself. I had to make everything easier. Shallow food bowl, low down long spout bottle, and just fleece to walk on. He was 7 years old, glucosamine can work wonders for old age pigs with joint problems. Oxbow do. A joint care pack of biscuits made from mainly hay. Try them 👍 the amazon reviews are all 5 star
 
Thankyou I have some of the oxbow for her as well as metacam, she doesn't like the oxbow very much though lol xx
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top