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Help! Swollen Lymph Node Or Something Else?

Fluffbabies

Fluffbabies

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi everyone, I'm looking for some help from more experienced piggy owners.

One of my pigs Ginger has developed a hard lump under her chin. She is only 7 months old so I am very worried about it. She is however still eating, drinking, happy in herself, popcorning/running and squeaking a lot at the sound of food still. It grew in a couple of days to the size of a grape and I took her straight to the vet. This vet is recommended where I live for being good with guinea pigs.

The vet examined it and tried to use a needle to see what was inside but even the two of us couldn't keep her still enough to get much out at all. She shrieked the whole surgery down! He said he didn't think it was a cyst and that he believes it's a lymph node that's enlarged and only one on one side. He wasn't sure how it got swollen but he said she might have got a small wound in her mouth.

He didn't want to do anything else at this stage as she seems perfectly happy (unless you touch her around it then she isn't happy!) and said to bring her back if it's not gone by itself in 2 weeks or if her behaviour changes. He mentioned doing a biopsy if it wasn't gone by then.

I took her to the vet Friday morning. It's now Monday night as it's grown bigger that it almost touches the ground when she walks.. the size of a walnut maybe? She is still happy and acting normally but I am worried. Maybe it hadn't finished swelling when I took her to the vet? But I've seen a lot online about this being an abscess and having to be treated (drained/antibiotics/removal) or it can get worse/be fatal.

Are all lymph node lumps abscesses? Does what he said seem right or do I need to get him to take more action already? Should I try and find another guinea pig vet for a second opinion? Help!
 
Our Cuddles had a lump similar to your piggy's which turned out to be cervical lymphadentitis or cancer of the lymph nodes :( I'd be surprised if your young girl had that though! I think it's more common in older piggies!
My first thought would've been abscess but like your vet said it could be due to a wound? Usually with infection I think both lymph nodes would come up :/
I would perhaps ask for a re-try to see what's inside! Failing that, a tiny whiff of sedative might help keep her still enough!
Good luck, I hope it's nothing serious <3 xx
 
Hi , lymph nodes are situated around the body, but l don't think think there is one directly under the chin, the nearest to your pigs is at either side of the neck !
I will look in my book later just to make sure!

The speed at which the lump has grown would surjest it is an absess, which should firstly be drained before anything else!

Question did your vet wrap her in a towl to examin ? If not would see another vet,
 
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I added my location (Southampton) Vet didn't wrap her in a towel. :/ My pigs are very calm at the vets it was only when the needle came out and touched her she freaked out.. wouldn't anyone!
 
Did the vet give her any sort of medication?
Antibiotics to treat a potential infection?
If it were me and it was growing that quickly I would get her back to the vet asap for further investigations.
Good luck with it.
I hope she is feeling better soon.
 
No, no medication. I've asked on a local rabbit and guinea pig rescue for a reliable and knowledgeable guinea pig specialist to get a second opinion tomorrow
 
Hi everyone, an update from me. It's been 3 weeks now since I first took Ginger to the vet with the lump. In that time it grew even bigger and then shrunk back to its original size and then grew even bigger again. The vet said originally to take her back after 2 weeks if it hadn't gone but neither my boyfriend or I could get her there until today, which they said would be fine as she's well in herself.

Well today the vet tried again with the syringe and got a whole small syringe of milky creamy liquid out and then used a bigger needle and got another half a bigger syringe of the stuff out and said it's an abscess. I don't know if he drained all of it but he didn't seem to be able to get more out. He's given Ginger a 2 week course of antibiotics by mouth. It says Septrin paediatric suspension on it? And I'm to give 0.3ml once daily. He said to bring her back after the two weeks regardless and if it hasn't worked then surgically removing the whole abscess would be something to consider.

He also said as she's only 7/8 months it's strange she has an abscess as her teeth are really good and he couldn't see anything wrong in her mouth. He thinks she must have wounded inside her mouth somehow and it's got infected.

So I was just wondering what you guys thought.. does this sound more like we're on the right track? I might well make an appointment with another vet to get their opinion especially about the surgery as I don't think this vet has operated on guinea pigs much other than spaying by what he said.
 
gizzy said:
Hi , lymph nodes are situated around the body, but l don't think think there is one directly under the chin, the nearest to your pigs is at either side of the neck !
I will look in my book later just to make sure!

The speed at which the lump has grown would surjest it is an absess, which should firstly be drained before anything else!

Question did your vet wrap her in a towl to examin ? If not would see another vet,
Click to expand...

Now it's grown bigger it's clear it's on one side of her neck not in the centre like I previously thought. The vet thinks it's an abscess now and has drained quite a bit from it. I forgot to ask him if he had drained it all but I don't think he could get any more out. I asked for a towel and a bigger needle this time!
 
Once you've got the antibiotics it should clear it quite, quickly just make sure they are given regularly with even spaces. If there is no improvement in 7/8 days I'd take, her back to be checked.
 
Tiamolly123 said:
Once you've got the antibiotics it should clear it quite, quickly just make sure they are given regularly with even spaces. If there is no improvement in 7/8 days I'd take, her back to be checked.
Click to expand...

Thank you I will do. It's only once per day so I'll do it midday
 
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