• 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

Golf ball sized lump under pigs chin

Toffsploffs

Toffsploffs

New Born Pup
Joined
May 26, 2021
Messages
31
Reaction score
31
Points
155
Location
Uk
Hi,
I’ve just noticed that my 7/8 year old guinea pig has developed a golf ball sized lump under his chin. It’s soft and doesn’t seem to to be painful. His weight is stable and he is eating well.

Should I keep an eye on it and wait and see or do you think I should make a vet appointment?

Thanks
 
:agr:
All lumps require a hands on vet check for diagnosis.
Do let us know how you get on. I hope everything is ok
 
Thanks. I will make an appointment! Fingers crossed it’s nothing too serious.
 
Toffsploffs said:
Hi,
I’ve just noticed that my 7/8 year old guinea pig has developed a golf ball sized lump under his chin. It’s soft and doesn’t seem to to be painful. His weight is stable and he is eating well.

Should I keep an eye on it and wait and see or do you think I should make a vet appointment?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Please see your vet promptly within 24 hours if at all possible. This could be an abscess that is blowing up and could burst or go further back into the body if not properly lanced and drained, and kept open and flushed in the coming days to allow it to heal from the inside out. But as this is a very sensitive area, there could be other things in play, too.

Any lump, but especially any sudden large lump needs to be vet checked.
 
I can’t get an appointment for our good guinea pig vet that quickly but could possibly get him into our local vet quicker (who is pretty awful, they just usually advise putting the pig down). Do you think an abscess is identifiable by a non-guinea pig expert?
 
At that age he does need someone who knows what they're talking about - and if your local vet says pts you'll end up taking him for a second opinion anyway!

I had a very stoic older girl who's charming 'double-chin' seemed to get more and more comical until we realised it was a big ol' lump. She was treated by my local vets but they said they would have to leave the wound open to prevent the thing reforming which meant antibiotics, painkillers, and a dilute version of that pink stuff used to sterilise hands in surgery which had to be slooshed over the wound a few times every day. It took about 2 weeks to heal and she was a trooper! She was only 4 or 5 though and managed the general anaesthetic pretty well. I hope you can get some answers x
 
I’ve made an appointment with the knowledgeable vet for the next available date. I'm hoping it’s easily sorted. I’m glad your girl pulled through and is doing well. Hoping for the same with my boy!
 
Toffsploffs said:
I’ve made an appointment with the knowledgeable vet for the next available date. I'm hoping it’s easily sorted. I’m glad your girl pulled through and is doing well. Hoping for the same with my boy!
Click to expand...

Fingers firmly crossed!
 
Toffsploffs said:
I’ve made an appointment with the knowledgeable vet for the next available date. I'm hoping it’s easily sorted. I’m glad your girl pulled through and is doing well. Hoping for the same with my boy!
Click to expand...
Fingers crossed it's nothing to worry about. Please let us know how you get on x
 
He went to the vets. They didn’t think it was an abscess but they’re not sure. They’ve taken a biopsy and the results should come back Tuesday.
 
He had a biopsy and the test results came back today. It’s an abscess. The vet said they can give him antibiotics and see if it goes on it’s own or they can lance it. I’m not sure what’s best to do
 
I get the feeling from the replies above that an abscess is a potentially time critical thing but my (awful) vets don’t seem particularly worried, seeing as they suggested a wait and see option. The soonest appointment for the good vets is 15th November which I’m worried is too far away
 
With abscesses it's usually advised to lance and keep open to drain so the infection can be drained out. Due to the wall that forms around a closed abscess antibiotics don't tend to treat them very well when closed. I've always found abscesses easier to deal with when lanced and then expressed and cleaned daily until no more puss is coming out, then it can be allowed to heal.
 
Flutterby said:
With abscesses it's usually advised to lance and keep open to drain so the infection can be drained out. Due to the wall that forms around a closed abscess antibiotics don't tend to treat them very well when closed. I've always found abscesses easier to deal with when lanced and then expressed and cleaned daily until no more puss is coming out, then it can be allowed to heal.
Click to expand...
:agr:
 
Have you phoned the good vet and said it's an urgent appointment not a routine one that you need? Vets often have on the day urgent appnts. Good luck.
 
Thanks for the advice everyone. I’m phoning the good vet today and will explain what’s gone on. Hopefully they’ll be able to squeeze him in sooner.
 
I’ve booked him in to have it lanced on 5th November. That’s the soonest the small animal vet could do unfortunately.
I have noticed a small reduction in the size of the lump so maybe the antibiotics are helping somewhat. Obviously I’ll keep a close eye on him till then and if he gets worse I’ll have it done sooner with a less knowledgable vet.

He’s such a sweet chilled piggy. I’m hoping he manages the procedure and recovers quickly!
 
Good luck.
And you may find that if it is an abscess it actually bursts of it's own accord before the appointment.
When Eddi had a golf ball size abscess come up on his jay within 24 hour, it actually burst before we could get him to the vet!
He did however see a vet to have it stitched open and treated properly anyway.
 
Fingers very firmly crossed.

It may be that the abscess is going to burst before the appointment.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top