• 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

Help! Just Adopted Our Pigs And One Has A Giant Sore

Status
Not open for further replies.
I am very glad you decided to heed the advice of everyone and take her to the vets.

I can understand your unattachment with them being so new that you have not formed a bond but it really was so very important that you agreed to have a vet take a look.
I took in some rescue rats recently and ended up having to have one of them euthanized because her problems were too far gone for her to have a good quality of life. She'd had more than one vet visit in the short time with me and although it stung a little financially, I could never have forgiven myself if I had just left her unchecked and suffering.

I read that your friends only agreed to take your dog if you took the piggies? That seems a little unfair of them, surely if they wanted your dog as much as they claimed then the piggies would not have been pushed on you? They could have just taken them to a rescue if they felt they no longer wished to care for them.

Good luck with the poorly pig, at least the vet can offer some treatment options once he/she takes a look.
 
Hope all goes well at the vets tomorrow, poor little mite.

Did you say the previous owners have only just bought the piggies from the pet shop a week ago? If so, they may be able to claim the vet bills back? Worth looking into.
 
You were thrust into an awkward situation there.

I looks like a sebaceous cyst (but I could be wrong) and these can grow shockingly large in a short amount of time. One of mine, Shadow, developed a lump that grew in size in just a few days. The vet took a sample with a needle and found only blood, so thought at that time it was a tumour. We booked surgery to get it removed within the week. However two days later it burst, revealing the cyst that it really was, and the cottage-cheese like substance that filled it.

It still required surgical removal though.

For yours: saline was a sensible move, but certainly you are dong the very best thing by getting it checked out, for several reasons:
1) to make sure of what it is
2) to get the relevant antibiotics if necessary, and pain relief
3) for advice on how to deal with it - cysts often grow back again
4) to check out that lump underneath, that you suspect could be a tumour
5) to discuss surgical removal, which in the end can be the best option for a cyst that size. It's a simple op.

I also have another pig, Freddie, who also developed a much smaller sebaceous cyst. This was cleaned out at the vet and the vet advised me to go with home-treatment. This involved squeezing it and washing it out several times a week. However it was painful for him and after a while it became clear that this thing wasn't going to go away. This became another cyst that was removed surgically, and it's a good thing too, because the vet surgeon found an actual tumour underneath.

So I have experienced a huge cyst without tumour, and a smaller one with tumour, and in both cases they definitely needed the vets. In both cases the outcomes were good, the cysts and tumour removed and no further issues along those lines developed again with them.

They may be small pets, but the medical treatment is just as necessary as it would be with a cat or dog, so I'm relieved that piggy is going to get the treatment required. Fingers crossed that it's one of those cysts that doesn't need surgical removal, just a good clean-out.

All the best of luck, please update us.

Here is a picture of Shadow's cyst before it burst, when the vet took a sample, found only blood and thought it was a tumour.
P1110234.webp

And here's a picture of it after it burst, on this day I took her back to the vets who confirmed what it was, squeezed it out, and a few days later removed it.
As I said, it had grown rapidly in a short amount of time, was initially misdiagnosed, booked for surgery, burst, and after cleaning it out it looked similar to the one on your new piggy. Like yours, it hadn't bothered her, though the squeezing did a bit, but it certainly needed sorting out once and for all and while it was open it was an infection risk!
P1110245.webp
 
Tiamolly123 said:
Here in the UK, you would be in the courts for animal cruelty. Rehome the poor little thing before an infection, gives a painful death.
Click to expand...

I know threads like this can drag up quite strong emotions in members but perhaps try and be a little less harsh on people. You are less likely to get people to come around to what action is needed and take advice on the forum if they feel under attack immediately.
 
It looks like a cyst or abscess that burst (they can easily grow to that size.) Unfortunately it will require at least a vet consult, if not actual vet care, and I am glad you have decided to take the piggie to the vet. I can understand firsthand that vet care is very expensive (trust me- I know!) and that it can hurt to spend that money on an animal that you just got and don't feel attached to yet. That said, I feel really strongly that when you take on an animal you owe them basic medical care and I'm glad you're following through. One of my pigs, Linney, had a cyst/abscess in that area and ended up having it surgically removed and made a full recovery. The vet tried to lance and drain it, but it kept refilling and the skin over top died off, leaving an open wound similar to what your pig has now. We then had the whole thing removed, never had a problem again with it for the rest of her life. Hope this helps!
 
I feel really strongly that when you take on an animal you need to give it proper care and attention including medical attention however little the animal may cost to replace. Glad you are going to the vet.
 
Critique said:
we just adopted 2 awesome pigs from friends of ours. One had a very swollen hind quarter and yesterday it seems to have burst open.
It is quite vile looking but seems way too big to be an abscess or a cyst.
Not sure what this is or what to do. View attachment 61755
Click to expand...
Oh
Critique said:
we just adopted 2 awesome pigs from friends of ours. One had a very swollen hind quarter and yesterday it seems to have burst open.
It is quite vile looking but seems way too big to be an abscess or a cyst.
Not sure what this is or what to do. View attachment 61755
Click to expand...
bless him, it could be an abscess, I would recommend salt water to clean and maybe some savlon antiseptic cream, you definitely won't do any harm trying that. Hope he's better soon. Be a brave boy xx
 
I think from your picture I would be looking at getting some professional help for your Pig...it looks very sore and possibly prone to an infection...is there a friend or relative who could maybe help you out with costs for seeing a vet? I hope your Pig will be ok x
 
Tiamolly123 said:
As far as I can see, she still hasn't taken the poor little mite to the vet! Sometimes I wonder why we bother to know that piggy is in a right mess & it could become infected. How can they say they are responsible as pet owners & leave the piggy in that state. Almost as bad as those with sick piggies, but have no money for a vet.
Click to expand...
Sorry to butt in but the original poster has told they're taking the piggy to the vet and hasn't posted since. Unless, I'm missing something ?
 
She said she would let us guys know, & we haven't heard. I know she's American but We would have heard something by now.
I will be the first person to apologise if she does get back to us
 
Could be busy? I am able to spend quite a bit of time on here given I do schoolwork at home, but many people don't have the time to go online or haven't remembered. I can relate to the second one as my memory is quite bad and even important things often pass my mind.
 
Please bare in mind that the poster is probably in the US and there is a time difference. They may also be too busy to post right now.

I sincerely hope that some of the comments made on this thread haven't scared the OP away as however much we may not have agreed with some of their posts, they did come here looking for help and advise which says something and all we can do is offer that advise and support.

Sadly, if they have been scared away, we may never no the outcome :(
 
Tiamolly123 said:
She said she would let us guys know, & we haven't heard. I know she's American but We would have heard something by now.
I will be the first person to apologise if she does get back to us
Click to expand...

Please don't jump to conclusions. We don't know anything for sure and speculation is not very helpful.
 
@Tiamolly123 I know you are concerned but please try not to be so quick to jump to conclusions. There are many times when people say they will update us and then it gets left for a few days (the updates I mean) due to various reasons.

Let's try to keep this thread to advice please. Thank you.
 
I'm hoping we hear an update soon but am also aware of the fact our poster might be busy with Easter preparations especially with children in the house.

I am sure he/she will update us when some time can be found.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top