Has anyone ever had a piggy with reoccurring hernia?

[oxtinamona]

Hi, 4 weeks ago my boy had bladder stoner removal surgery which went well. During the surgery the vet was also able to investigate the lump that appeared in where ‘testies’ would have been, had he not have been neutered. They fixed it best the could but hernia has returned and today had another surgery. He’s recovered well they said, considering he just had a surgery a month ago... they did mention that originally when they were operating him they noticed there isn’t much muscle tissue left there and it may well reoccur...
We are picking him up later today, but I wanted to know what experiences did you have with hernia in piggies, if at all... also, I feel I should somehow lover the ceiling in the cage so he doesn’t get up on his hind legs when it’s feeding time...
any feedback will be appreciated, as I’m desperate for him to recover from him. It’d beak my heart if he you to go through the surgery again, should the hernia reoccur... I’m just not sure it is fair on him to put him through it again, especially if it reoccurs In short space of time, so any tips on how to make him more steady/stop him climbing in his cage for treats etc will be most welcome and appreciated.

@Wiebke @Swissgreys @VickiA

 

[Wiebke]

Hi, 4 weeks ago my boy had bladder stoner removal surgery which went well. During the surgery the vet was also able to investigate the lump that appeared in where ‘testies’ would have been, had he not have been neutered. They fixed it best the could but hernia has returned and today had another surgery. He’s recovered well they said, considering he just had a surgery a month ago... they did mention that originally when they were operating him they noticed there isn’t much muscle tissue left there and it may well reoccur...
We are picking him up later today, but I wanted to know what experiences did you have with hernia in piggies, if at all... also, I feel I should somehow lover the ceiling in the cage so he doesn’t get up on his hind legs when it’s feeding time...
any feedback will be appreciated, as I’m desperate for him to recover from him. It’d beak my heart if he you to go through the surgery again, should the hernia reoccur... I’m just not sure it is fair on him to put him through it again, especially if it reoccurs In short space of time, so any tips on how to make him more steady/stop him climbing in his cage for treats etc will be most welcome and appreciated.

@Wiebke @Swissgreys @VickiA

My husband had this problem with a new worse hernia popping up on the other side within a month of his op due to weakened muscles and a very quick massive weigh loss from a major health issue he was dealing with at the time.

So when my Nosgan developed a late post-neutering op complication hernia not all that long afterwards (right where he had already been operated on), I thought I had a fair idea of what my vet meant with an operation potentially causing more problems than it solved. On her advice I decided to leave it with the risk that at any point a piece of gut and not just fatty tissue could slip through the tiny hole and that it would mean a pretty quick and painful end.
Nosgan did live another 2 years with his hernia until the age of over 5 years when he sadly had to be rushed to the vets for pts due to this happening just before Easter. However I still feel that he did have a decent bargain out of it; especially as he was a piggy who didn't deal well with stress and I had just got him through several of months' intensive medical treatment to save his eye after he bashed it on the grids in a blind panic.

Like in your case, it is very much a weighing up of risks and potential benefits. There are no rights or wrongs; you know in your gut which one is the right one for your piggy and for you. You are also always welcome to have an open discussion with your vet and ask them for their honest assessment and opinion.

 

[Swissgreys]

Hi, 4 weeks ago my boy had bladder stoner removal surgery which went well. During the surgery the vet was also able to investigate the lump that appeared in where ‘testies’ would have been, had he not have been neutered. They fixed it best the could but hernia has returned and today had another surgery. He’s recovered well they said, considering he just had a surgery a month ago... they did mention that originally when they were operating him they noticed there isn’t much muscle tissue left there and it may well reoccur...
We are picking him up later today, but I wanted to know what experiences did you have with hernia in piggies, if at all... also, I feel I should somehow lover the ceiling in the cage so he doesn’t get up on his hind legs when it’s feeding time...
any feedback will be appreciated, as I’m desperate for him to recover from him. It’d beak my heart if he you to go through the surgery again, should the hernia reoccur... I’m just not sure it is fair on him to put him through it again, especially if it reoccurs In short space of time, so any tips on how to make him more steady/stop him climbing in his cage for treats etc will be most welcome and appreciated.

@Wiebke @Swissgreys @VickiA

Firstly sorry you are going through this - sending lots of healing vibes to your boy..
I don't have any direct expereince of dealing with hernias in guinea pigs (or people for that matter) but I would agree with Wiebke - some pigs are able to deal with things better than others.
At the end of the day you know your boy best, and any decision made with love will be the right one.

When Ruby was very ill with bladder problems I was quite aggressive in getting her treated and giving her every option. It was a very tough time (for both of us) but I knew deep down that she still had fight in her, and knew that if she did pull through she would have a good quality of life. So the risk seemed worthwhile and it ultimately proved to be the right decision..

Eddi on the other hand had one surgery for his dental issues, and when further complications occurred a month later I knew it wouldn't be fair to keep pushing for more treatment - he just wouldn't have handled it well. So we decided to let him go which I strongly feel was the right decision for him.

It's never easy, but it sounds like you know your boy well and right you are giving him every chance.