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Help, guinea pig has one large nipple...

Natalia_W_500

Natalia_W_500

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hello everyone, this is my first ever post, I wonder if anyone will reply? Anyways, my pig Dianna has on larger nipple, she is 3 years old and her nipples have always been normal, accept recently one got bigger... its been like this for a few days (picture added) I tried searching up about it but found no info because hers don't look like the ones on the pictures, so I'm asking if anyone can take a look at the picture and let me know what is going on? Do I need to see the vet? Is it possibly a cyst? Please let me know! Thank you! image0 (2).webpimage0 (3).webp
 
A quick one. Please never share your full address on the internet. There are unsavoury people online. So before I answer, please change your location to your county.
 
Siikibam said:
A quick one. Please never share your full address on the internet. There are unsavoury people online. So before I answer, please change your location to your county.
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Yes I just did! I wasnt sure if people could see it/ didnt know It was going to be visible to public, thank you so much for your kindness!
 
With regards the nipple, any change in body or behaviour should be checked by the vet. So do book an appointment for her to be seen. We aren’t vets nor can we replace them. Let us know what the vet says.
 
Yes please see a vet, not an immediate emergency but should be looked at in the next week or so. An enlarged nipple like that may suggest some sort of hormonal issue like ovarian cysts, but only a vet can say for sure and advise appropriate treatment.
 
Natalia_W_500 said:
Hello everyone, this is my first ever post, I wonder if anyone will reply? Anyways, my pig Dianna has on larger nipple, she is 3 years old and her nipples have always been normal, accept recently one got bigger... its been like this for a few days (picture added) I tried searching up about it but found no info because hers don't look like the ones on the pictures, so I'm asking if anyone can take a look at the picture and let me know what is going on? Do I need to see the vet? Is it possibly a cyst? Please let me know! Thank you! View attachment 168762View attachment 168763
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Hi and welcome!

Please see a vet for a possible mammary tumour as soon as you can get an appointment - I know that it often takes some time with Canadian vets. Ideally it should be seen within 24 hours. They can be both benign or malign and affect both genders, but they require an operation.

You generally get two swollen but still normal looking nipples with ovarian cysts or a pregnnacy. Any lump/swelling under just one nipple should be seen as promptly as possible.

All the best!
 
That sure is a big nipple! I'm assuming there's no way she can be pregnant? (some people have younger brothers or sisters who think it might be fun for all the piggies to 'play' together and they don't tell anyone about it) I would def take her to see the vet and I would make a note of a few other things they might ask you about: her age, any behaviour changes (like is she suddenly more moody with the other pigs or is she completely normal). How long did it take the nipple to get that big - is it just the last few days? and are there any changes to the other nipple - is it also growing bigger but not as big as that one (yet?)

My vet sometimes asks me questions which seem weird and unrelated but they follow different lines of thought. However, one vet did once say that anything that happens on one side but not the other rings alarm bells because all us mammals are basically symmetrical.

Good luck Dianna piggy x
 
Siikibam said:
With regards the nipple, any change in body or behaviour should be checked by the vet. So do book an appointment for her to be seen. We aren’t vets nor can we replace them. Let us know what the vet says.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much we will take her soon!
 
Wiebke said:
Hi and welcome!

Please see a vet for a possible mammary tumour as soon as you can get an appointment - I know that it often takes some time with Canadian vets. Ideally it should be seen within 24 hours. They can be both benign or malign and affect both genders, but they require an operation.

You generally get two swollen but still normal looking nipples with ovarian cysts or a pregnnacy. Any lump/swelling under just one nipple should be seen as promptly as possible.

All the best!
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Oh no... I hope it isn't a tumor, we will be taking her to the vets soon, thank you so much!
 
Free Ranger said:
That sure is a big nipple! I'm assuming there's no way she can be pregnant? (some people have younger brothers or sisters who think it might be fun for all the piggies to 'play' together and they don't tell anyone about it) I would def take her to see the vet and I would make a note of a few other things they might ask you about: her age, any behaviour changes (like is she suddenly more moody with the other pigs or is she completely normal). How long did it take the nipple to get that big - is it just the last few days? and are there any changes to the other nipple - is it also growing bigger but not as big as that one (yet?)

My vet sometimes asks me questions which seem weird and unrelated but they follow different lines of thought. However, one vet did once say that anything that happens on one side but not the other rings alarm bells because all us mammals are basically symmetrical.

Good luck Dianna piggy x
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I have 2 female piggies that ive had for 3 years so there is no possible way she is pregnant, also, she is acting completely normal, no dramatic mood changes. I noticed a couple days ago the nipple looked a bit bigger than the other, I was a bit confused but decided to wait, until today when it looked really big. as for the other nipple, looks 100% normal. Thank you for your kind message! We will take her to the vet :(
 
PigglePuggle said:
Yes please see a vet, not an immediate emergency but should be looked at in the next week or so. An enlarged nipple like that may suggest some sort of hormonal issue like ovarian cysts, but only a vet can say for sure and advise appropriate treatment.
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Thank you so much! We will be taking her to the vet soon!
 
Hello and welcome. I agree with the above posts about getting the vet to check her over to rule out a possible mammary tumour.
 
Welcome to the Forum.

Please don't forget to come back and update us after the vet appointment and remember we are all here to support you.
We have a lot of members so there isn't much that someone hasn't seen before.
 
Swissgreys said:
Welcome to the Forum.

Please don't forget to come back and update us after the vet appointment and remember we are all here to support you.
We have a lot of members so there isn't much that someone hasn't seen before.
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Thank you so much ❤ will call the vets this evening.
 
Hello and welcome!

I’m a little late to the thread but do agree with everyone else, a vet trip would be the right way to go. Good luck and keep us posted! Wishing all the best x
 
Thank you to everyone leaving such kind messages! I didn't think I would get this many replies! I will call the vets in the evening when I'm done work, and I will keep everyone posted! ❤
 
UPDATE! I took Dianna to the vet earlier today, but before I get into what the vet says, I want to tell everyone that yesterday I felt a bump, beside her nipple inside of her... and before we went to the vets, there was a clear substance coming out of the nipple. As for the vet visit, the vet thinks it is a mammary tumor. He said it possibly can shrink a bit, and she will be able to live with it, but it can expand and will have to be surgically removed. As of right now, I am not going to pay for surgery :( I have decided to wait and see what comes of it, if it gets bigger then we will look at our options... but right now she is eating and acting completely normal and it doesn't seem to bother her. Thank you to everyone for their responses, will let everyone know if anything further happens, thank you!
 
Natalia_W_500 said:
UPDATE! I took Dianna to the vet earlier today, but before I get into what the vet says, I want to tell everyone that yesterday I felt a bump, beside her nipple inside of her... and before we went to the vets, there was a clear substance coming out of the nipple. As for the vet visit, the vet thinks it is a mammary tumor. He said it possibly can shrink a bit, and she will be able to live with it, but it can expand and will have to be surgically removed. As of right now, I am not going to pay for surgery :( I have decided to wait and see what comes of it, if it gets bigger then we will look at our options... but right now she is eating and acting completely normal and it doesn't seem to bother her. Thank you to everyone for their responses, will let everyone know if anything further happens, thank you!
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Hey I just noticed a similar tumor in my Guinea pig. Although, it is a bit larger than yours. I live in India and the I fear the vets here have no experience with Guinea pigs as they are not as common pets. Did you ask the vet about future of a mammary tumor? Does the guinea pig suffer without treatment or do they live a healthy life however long it may be?
I am feeling to not take the risk of surgery for my guinea pig but I fear if she will lose hairs or have any health issues because of it. If your vet answered any of these questions, can you please help me? 🙏🏿
 
Bingobub said:
Hey I just noticed a similar tumor in my Guinea pig. Although, it is a bit larger than yours. I live in India and the I fear the vets here have no experience with Guinea pigs as they are not as common pets. Did you ask the vet about future of a mammary tumor? Does the guinea pig suffer without treatment or do they live a healthy life however long it may be?
I am feeling to not take the risk of surgery for my guinea pig but I fear if she will lose hairs or have any health issues because of it. If your vet answered any of these questions, can you please help me? 🙏🏿
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You should start your own thread. What your piggy has may be different to what the poster’s was diagnosed with. And at the moment it’s not a tumour (you can’t tell by feeling) but a swelling.
 
Bingobub said:
Hey I just noticed a similar tumor in my Guinea pig. Although, it is a bit larger than yours. I live in India and the I fear the vets here have no experience with Guinea pigs as they are not as common pets. Did you ask the vet about future of a mammary tumor? Does the guinea pig suffer without treatment or do they live a healthy life however long it may be?
I am feeling to not take the risk of surgery for my guinea pig but I fear if she will lose hairs or have any health issues because of it. If your vet answered any of these questions, can you please help me? 🙏🏿
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Hello! The vet said that once he removes the tumor he can do a hystopathy, to see weather it is a benign( non cancerous/ probably wont happen again) tumor or a maIignant ( cancerous/ will cause other tumors to grow ) tumor. My guinea pig is eating, drinking, and acting normal so I believe she is most likely not in pain, once the tumor gets bigger it will be harder for them to function, I do not know if they are painful themselves but moving around with a huge thing on you probably isn't comfortable. In my case, I am probably not going to do the surgery, I will let her live until the tumor gets too big and Ill have to say good bye, although I'm heart broken, everyone must go. Hope this helped!
 
Natalia_W_500 said:
Hello! The vet said that once he removes the tumor he can do a hystopathy, to see weather it is a benign( non cancerous/ probably wont happen again) tumor or a maIignnt ( cancerous/ will cause other tumors to grow ) tumor. My guinea pig is eating, drinking, and acting normal so I believe she is most likely not in pain, once the tumor gets bigger it will be harder for them to function, I do not know if they are painful themselves but moving around with a huge thing on you probably isn't comfortable. In my case, I am probably not going to do the surgery, I will let her live until the tumor gets too big and Ill have to say good bye, although I'm heart broken, everyone must go. Hope this helped!
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Yes. Thank u so much! I had emailed a guinea pig expert and she suggested judging whether the tumor is affecting other muscles. If not, it is probably benign. Although, I don't know to what extend this way of diagnosis is correct.
 
Natalia_W_500 said:
Hello! The vet said that once he removes the tumor he can do a hystopathy, to see weather it is a benign( non cancerous/ probably wont happen again) tumor or a maIignant ( cancerous/ will cause other tumors to grow ) tumor. My guinea pig is eating, drinking, and acting normal so I believe she is most likely not in pain, once the tumor gets bigger it will be harder for them to function, I do not know if they are painful themselves but moving around with a huge thing on you probably isn't comfortable. In my case, I am probably not going to do the surgery, I will let her live until the tumor gets too big and Ill have to say good bye, although I'm heart broken, everyone must go. Hope this helped!
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Did the vet tell you about the success rate in this surgery?
 
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