Guinea pig sebaceous filament

[vicky.]

Hi everyone,
One of my girls has a sebaceous filament cyst that was checked out to be fine a while ago, it had grown since and within the last week she has started to get a bald patch and today I noticed a clump of hair and a coloured patch on the lump, I’m guessing it has some pus coming out of it? Before the bald patch appeared I booked a yearly check up for all three of them and the appointment is this Friday. Luckily the area is on her back so I don’t think it will become infected (as I read online) until then but does anyone have any tips? She seems totally fine, she’s eating well, moving well, acting normally (stealing her sisters food). Does anyone have any tips on what to do to make sure she’s fine until her appointment (if the lump has even ruptured). This is what her patch looks like by the way (and a group picture)

 

[Wiebke]

Hi everyone,
One of my girls has a sebaceous filament cyst that was checked out to be fine a while ago, it had grown since and within the last week she has started to get a bald patch and today I noticed a clump of hair and a coloured patch on the lump, I’m guessing it has some pus coming out of it? Before the bald patch appeared I booked a yearly check up for all three of them and the appointment is this Friday. Luckily the area is on her back so I don’t think it will become infected (as I read online) until then but does anyone have any tips? She seems totally fine, she’s eating well, moving well, acting normally (stealing her sisters food). Does anyone have any tips on what to do to make sure she’s fine until her appointment (if the lump has even ruptured). This is what her patch looks like by the way (and a group picture)

Hi

All the best for your vet trip! You have a gorgeous trio.

Sebaceous cysts generally have a more cheesy filling whereas pus or very smelly fluid can point towards an infection/abscess. It is going to take a hands-on examination by your vet to determine what you are dealing with and how to best treat it.

Until then, I would recommend to keep the open area mildly disinfected with something like saline solution (can be made at home), highly diluted F10, hibiscrub etc. until Friday.
First Aid: Immediate Care Measures and Non-medication Products

 

[vicky.]

Aww thank you! I will try to find or make some mild disinfectant tommorow. Thank you so much for the advice!

 

[CTWC]

Hi let us all know how she gets on
The photo of your trio is adorable

 

[weepweeps]

Good luck at the vets.

 

[vicky.]

Hello everyone! Good news at the vets!
Just finished at the vets, they say brownies sebaceous cyst has burst and because it burst and it’s abnormal tissue it cannot heal so the small hole in the cyst will be there. The vet said brownies completely fine and all I need to do is at the end of each day wipe off the pus with a salt solution just to keep it clean and prevent it being infected (she also weed on the scale and table)
Thank you everyone for your advice and wishes!

 

[CTWC]

Brilliant

 

[Wiebke]

Hello everyone! Good news at the vets!
Just finished at the vets, they say brownies sebaceous cyst has burst and because it burst and it’s abnormal tissue it cannot heal so the small hole in the cyst will be there. The vet said brownies completely fine and all I need to do is at the end of each day wipe off the pus with a salt solution just to keep it clean and prevent it being infected (she also weed on the scale and table)
Thank you everyone for your advice and wishes!

Thank you for the update. Glad that it is not an abscess.

You can get sterile saline solution from a pharmacy or make your own at home by boiling 250 ml of water, let it cool and then stir in 1 teaspoon of salt.

 

[vicky.]

Hello everyone, quick question about the cyst as I tried searching for an answer but it lead me nowhere. Brownie had dried blood around the cyst and after doing the daily clean there is still blood/ a red circle around the skin of the burst, does that mean it’s infected? For the record she loves to hide and we did mention it to the vet when we had the appointment and he said it should be fine and that’s how it probably burst as something made contact with the lump. I’m guessing it’s not infected but that it’s just the scabbing around the open skin. If anyone knows could you please let me know if it is or isn’t infected thank you (here’s a before and after of the cleaning to help the situation)

 

[CTWC]

I have no experience sorry hopefully someone will be along soon
In the meantime continue with the cleaning routine and could you send a photo to your vet I know some allow this via their app and they can assess it, is she in antibiotics too?
If in any doubt call them

 

[Wiebke]

Hello everyone, quick question about the cyst as I tried searching for an answer but it lead me nowhere. Brownie had dried blood around the cyst and after doing the daily clean there is still blood/ a red circle around the skin of the burst, does that mean it’s infected? For the record she loves to hide and we did mention it to the vet when we had the appointment and he said it should be fine and that’s how it probably burst as something made contact with the lump. I’m guessing it’s not infected but that it’s just the scabbing around the open skin. If anyone knows could you please let me know if it is or isn’t infected thank you (here’s a before and after of the cleaning to help the situation)

Hi

To me, it rather looks like she could have been gnawing herself because of discomfort? Self-harming is not at all uncommon with pain in or close to the skin. I would have a word with your vet about painkillers.

 

[Rob D2]

Hi everyone , Newbie here .
I think our old man Mr Blaze may have one of these on his face , does this look familiar ?

 

[Wiebke]

Hi everyone , Newbie here .
I think our old man Mr Blaze may have one of these on his face , does this look familiar ?

Hi and welcome

It looks like a burst cyst or abscess to me. Please have it vet checked tomorrow. It would help us if you started your own thread rather than post on a historic thread.

Since we provide personalised illness support, we prefer the 1 thread = 1 case rule so when doing your reseach you can follow a whole case from start to finish and ideally some outcome feedback without causing confusion for us and any other posters. This will also help us to keep this forum vibrant and going. We are a great resource for searches but we need regular new threads in order to stay relevant with new search content.

 

[Rob D2]

Thanks , all understood