• 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

Found a lump between the jawbone under tongue area?

Little Piglets

Little Piglets

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
May 8, 2018
Messages
263
Reaction score
150
Points
310
Location
US
I found one on a 10 week old sow I have while petting her chin. It's directly between the jawbones, roughly under the area where her tongue/throat is. It's rather large, probably the size of a small marble and VERY firm. None of my other pigs have anything like it. She's eating and can vocalize. Do these things go away on their own? Really surprised it's there.
 
Was wondering what they usually are? Cysts? Tumors? Are they usually drained?
 
Only a vet can diagnose what the lump is with a hands on examination. We are not vets. We are ordinary members giving the benefit of our experience to other members in the form of advice. I would take your Piggy to the vet.
 
When Donald had a lump under his chin last year he had surgery to have it removed. The vet found an abscess which we were expecting and two small fatty lumps starting. Fatty lumps are pretty harmless but the abscess would have continued to expand until it burst which would have then been a much harder problem to deal with
 
I would see a vet as soon as possible and get a proper diagnosis.
Hope it’s nothing serious.
Keep us posted
 
Little Piglets said:
I found one on a 10 week old sow I have while petting her chin. It's directly between the jawbones, roughly under the area where her tongue/throat is. It's rather large, probably the size of a small marble and VERY firm. None of my other pigs have anything like it. She's eating and can vocalize. Do these things go away on their own? Really surprised it's there.
Click to expand...

Please see a vet; it can likely be an abscess, which is only going to larger and then really painful.

Lumps generally don't go away on their own; if they are in the face and especially a sensitive area like the jaw, they should be seen very promptly.
 
I have a vet visit tomorrow. Noticed my other gp sow has one in the same spot, but it's much smaller and harder to find, but none of the adults or other sow pups have them. Wondering if it's genetic.... or something with the vocal cords or their Adam's Apple (if they have one)?
 
Hope so too. Will update. Hopefully it can be drained. Would hate to see her go through a surgery at this age.
 
Vet gave an antibiotic shot and gave me some oral antibiotics to see if it might be bacterial or if it'll go down or not. I checked more closely and 2 of my other pups have a lump in the same spot, though theirs is much smaller, but none of my adults have them and 4th pup doesn't either. The one with larger lump, isn't in pain from it atm, and it's really firm, and he found it odd given the location and only being one lump (reminds me of a very small grape attached at the stem in between the lower jaw at the base) and the fact all 3 have one. If it doesn't respond, he'll try seeing if it can be drained or not and do a biopsy. They are at least eating, drinking, etc. and not yelping from touching it.
 
Ended up being an infection. Cyst was filled with toothpaste-like white puss. Vet was thinking maybe a piece of hay punctured the lower mouth area and caused an infection.
 
@Little Piglets Thank you for the update. I have had guineas with the same problem and it can be very worrying not knowing what the problem is. I'm glad she's ok now.
 
Yes, it finally cleared. Vet had to drain and do a minor incision initially, then sent me home with 5 pre-loaded syringes with antibiotics, which was a pita to administer, but easier than taking her back to the vet for 5 days in a row and waiting. Oral antibiotics weren't strong enough unfortunately. Her cut has healed and her cyst is at least gone. Thing was definitely stubborn to go away.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top