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Livy

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Sep 29, 2015
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Location
Ohio, United States
Hello
I normally do a body check at least once a week on my piggies to check for lumps etc. Unfortunately today I did find a small lump on my 5 year old piggies neck. It is around the size of a pea and is free moving. I called the vet and got an appointment same day. She was diagnosed with having inflamed lymph nodes. Currently I am giving antibiotics and going back in 10 days to see how everything is going. My question is if anybody else has experience with this. Did antibiotics help your piggy? Is there anything else I can do to help her asides from keeping fresh bedding and checking to ensure she is still eating, drinking, etc.? I’d hate for this to come down to surgery. I’m a worried pig mom. Any advice or sharing experience is helpful. Thank you so much
 
I would also like to note that although she has the lump she is very active, happy, healthy and has not lost any weight. It does not seem to be bothering her at all.
 
Hello
I normally do a body check at least once a week on my piggies to check for lumps etc. Unfortunately today I did find a small lump on my 5 year old piggies neck. It is around the size of a pea and is free moving. I called the vet and got an appointment same day. She was diagnosed with having inflamed lymph nodes. Currently I am giving antibiotics and going back in 10 days to see how everything is going. My question is if anybody else has experience with this. Did antibiotics help your piggy? Is there anything else I can do to help her asides from keeping fresh bedding and checking to ensure she is still eating, drinking, etc.? I’d hate for this to come down to surgery. I’m a worried pig mom. Any advice or sharing experience is helpful. Thank you so much

Hi!

Fingers firmly crossed that it is just a minor infection and that you have caught it early.

All you can do is care as normal and monitor the weight more closely than the regular once weekly weigh-in. If you do that, please weigh always at the same time in the feeding cycle like before you give the dinner in order to minimise the normal up and down during day, which is about 30-40g (ca. 1 oz).
Over 80% of the daily food intake is hay which cannot be controlled any other way, but with is usually the first food group that is impacted if your piggy is starting to feel unwell.
You may want to give a pinch of probiotic either 1 hour before (US recommendation) or 1-2 hours after (UK recommendation) you give the antibiotic if you feel that that helps to bolster the guts.
Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links

If you notice the lump getting bigger or other lymph nodes swelling up despite the antibiotic, please see your vet promptly for lymphoma (cancer of the lymph nodes).

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Thanks for the reply, and I have updated my location. I give a probiotic normally 1 hour after I give the antibiotic. Unfortunately I checked the lump moments ago and it seems to have gotten a bit bigger 😞 Still eating normal and everything, I give unlimited hay and fortunately it’s all my piggies favorite thing to eat, so if they stop I really know something is up.
 
I am sorry about the swollen lymph node :( If the antibiotics don’t help or you find anymore lumps on the lymph nodes including in the dew lap, I suggest that you ask your vet to perform a fine needle biopsy on the lump to check for lymphoma :( I’m not saying that your piggy has lymphoma but it is something to consider
 
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