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Kiwi May Have Lymphoma Or Leukemia

Katie1988

Katie1988

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Aug 21, 2015
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Location
England
Hi all as some of you may have seen, Kiwi has been battling illnesses recently.

I've treated her for mites, she's still shedding a lot of old skin, lost 80% of belly fur which I suspected to be down to a fungal infection but the vet has told me it's probably due to her Ovarian Cysts.

The cysts have gotten bigger and only yesterday she was bloated (I think my fault for giving her corn on the cob) she was given Infacol and passed a lot of wind and poo. Her belly was still swollen yesterday.

I took her to the vets yesterday with concerns of her enlarged Ovarian Cysts. Lumps under her armpits and chin which seemed to appear within days.

He said she may have lymphoma or leukemia and was left with the vets over night for some tests today. I am heart broken and hope she doesn't have cancer! He said we would be able to control the problem if it is cancer but not treat it.
 
Really sorry that the vet is preparing you for the worst case scenario. There is nothing I can say that is going to make this better but take solace in the fact that treatment can control the cancer and keep your kiwi happy for a while longer.
 
HUGS!

I am very sorry that the news are not good. Being faced with a potentially lethal problem is tough; it is one of the worst moments you can experience. :(

Hopefully Kiwi can come home again to you and spend some extra special time with you on some supportive medication.
 
Thanks guys. I am absolutely deverstated. The results from the lumps is that she has lymphoma. I had prepared for this result and he suggested treatment.

I can't remember what he said she'll be put on but it'll be a strong tablet for 4 days which by then should see if she is responding by the lumps being reduced. The doseage will then be reduced. She'll be on a steroid injection once a month too.

I am in strong hopes we'll have another year together as she is still fit and healthy. But the vet was being realistic and said it would be rare for her to live that long.
 
Katie1988 said:
Thanks guys. I am absolutely deverstated. The results from the lumps is that she has lymphoma. I had prepared for this result and he suggested treatment.

I can't remember what he said she'll be put on but it'll be a strong tablet for 4 days which by then should see if she is responding by the lumps being reduced. The doseage will then be reduced. She'll be on a steroid injection once a month too.

I am in strong hopes we'll have another year together as she is still fit and healthy. But the vet was being realistic and said it would be rare for her to live that long.
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HUGS!

Life expectancy with lymphoma can vary from less than two weeks to several months depending how aggressive the cancer is and how quickly it spreads. :(

Please be realistic about her prospects; you are not doing yourself or your piggy any favours with wasting precious time with wishful thinking. We all hate having to say goodbye to piggies with a severe illness and wish we had more time; but that is sadly out of our control. :(

The best way to cope is to take every day from now on as a gift. Make every day with her special - THAT is within your control! The good side (and it is actually a great boon) when you are dealing with somebody or somepig with a limited life span is that you can live every moment more consciously. Love transcends time. You can pack a lifetime's worth into a surprisingly short period, even just a moment! Be aware that a month in a piggy's life is a year in human terms.
This way, there is nothing undone and unsaid by the time you have to let her go; there is only the sadness of the loss, but none of the usual feelings of failure and guilt. Your grieving process starts when you get the news that a beloved one has a terminal illness, not at the moment of death. Don't be afraid of letting her go; with all the precious memories that you create now you will ensure that she lives with you forever, even if you can no longer touch her. ;)

I have learned this during the three years with massive ups and downs that my dad was fighting his terminal cancer and coming close to dying several times. You always have the anguish of having to face the diagnosis and then the loss at some point, but you can push past that to a place where time and everything else becomes immaterial.

This is how I can cope with all my own piggy losses and can enjoy adopting an elderly piggy just as much as a young one; it is the quality of the shared time that counts, not the length of it. We have got our piggies only on loan for a realitively short while. We cannot choose for how long; but we can certainly make the best of this short while, to the benefit of our pets and equally to our own benefit, as we are the ones that are left with so many heart-warming precious memory and so much love in our lives! ;)
 
Thank you for your kind words. Being positive is getting me through this and I know I am probably being unrealistic it's just that she is still her active and greedy self.

My worry is, I go on holiday for two weeks next Thursday and will be leaving my piggies with a friend.
Wiebke said:
HUGS!

Life expectancy with lymphoma can vary from less than two weeks to several months depending how aggressive the cancer is and how quickly it spreads.

Please be realistic about her prospects; you are not doing yourself or your piggy any favours with wasting precious time with wishful thinking. We all hate having to say goodbye to piggies with a severe illness and wish we had more time; but that is sadly out of our control.

The best way to cope is to take every day from now on as a gift. Make every day with her special - THAT is within your control! The good side (and it is actually a great boon) when you are dealing with somebody or somepig with a limited life span is that you can live every moment more consciously. Love transcends time. You can a lifetime's worth into a surprisingly short period, even just a moment! Be aware that a month in a piggy's life is a year in human terms.
This way, there is nothing undone and unsaid by the time you have to let her go; there is only the sadness of the loss, but none of the usual feelings of failure and guilt. Your grieving process starts when you get the news that a beloved one has a terminal illness, not at the actual death. Don't be afraid of letting her go; with all the precious memories that you create now you will ensure that she lives with you forever, even if you can no longer touch her.

I have learned this during the three years with massive ups and downs my dad was fighting his terminal cancer and coming close to dying several times. You always have the anguish of having to face the diagnosis and then the loss at some point, but you can push past that to a place where time and everything else becomes immaterial.
This is how I can cope with all my own piggy losses and can enjoy adopting an elderly piggy just as much as a young one. We have got our piggies only on loan for a realitively short while. We cannot choose for how long; but we can certainly make the best of this short while, to the benefit of our pets and equally to our own benefit, as we are the ones that are left with so many heart-warming precious memory and so much love in our lives! ;)
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Katie1988 said:
Thank you for your kind words. Being positive is getting me through this and I know I am probably being unrealistic it's just that she is still her active and greedy self.

My worry is, I go on holiday for two weeks next Thursday and will be leaving my piggies with a friend.
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You have to take this leap of faith as long as your friend is OK with that. I have to make it every time I visit my family in Switzerland.

What I do is to leave a note giving the carer the authority to make any necessary decisions at the vets on your behalf if you cannot be reached. these things tend to always happen just when we are planning to go away or are at the busiest. :(
Tips For Organising Your Holiday Absence
 
Thanks for that. If the worse does come to it when I am away. What can be done with my beloved Kiwi's body? I really don't want to think of this but I need to consider this.

I know my friend will spoil her and Peri, she did last time.

Kind regards,
Katie
 
Katie1988 said:
Thanks for that. If the worse does come to it when I am away. What can be done with my beloved Kiwi's body? I really don't want to think of this but I need to consider this.

I know my friend will spoil her and Peri, she did last time.

Kind regards,
Katie
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Vets generally offer to send a body for pet cremation, so your friend would have nothing to do on that score. It takes a little while for the urn or scatter box to come back, so you should be home by then or the box can stay at the vets for collection if it comes back quicker than you. I would speak with your vet clinic about their service and what choices you have so you can leave clear instructions with your friend. Make sure that your friend registers with the forum, so we can support her as much as possible if there are problems or questions.
 
Thank you. I would like her to be buried next to her former cage friend Yogi but needs must.

I don't want to scare her too much as she will be worried about looking after Kiwi as it is. She can contact me on WhatsApp as well as on Facebook.
 
I am so sorry for the diagnosis :(

I have lost two guinea pigs to lymphoma and one of my current guinea pigs is currently fighting a different kind of cancer although she is still doing very well 6 months past diagnosis.

What I am doing is treating each day as it comes and making lots of memories by spending a lot of time with her, treating her and taking lots of photo's.

Sadly, both my girls lymphoma was aggressive and they didn't live long past diagnosis but again, I treated each day as it came and took lot's of photos etc. Please make sure that your vet gives you some decent pain relief such as metacam xx
 
We lost a piggy to Lymphoma, just treasure each day you have with them and treat every day as your last that way you'll have no regrets.

If she is on a steroid, she will need opiate pain relief such as vetergesic or tramadol. Metacam can not be used alongside a steroid. Please make sure the vet gives adequate pain relief, quality of life is vital

Here is our piggies thread Treacle following her story with the disease, it does not end happily as you can guess but netherless details her journey, we kept her pain free until the day she left to the bridge.

I am really sorry
 
sport_billy said:
We lost a piggy to Lymphoma, just treasure each day you have with them and treat every day as your last that way you'll have no regrets.

If she is on a steroid, she will need opiate pain relief such as vetergesic or tramadol. Metacam can not be used alongside a steroid. Please make sure the vet gives adequate pain relief, quality of life is vital

Here is our piggies thread Treacle following her story with the disease, it does not end happily as you can guess but netherless details her journey, we kept her pain free until the day she left to the bridge.

I am really sorry
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Sorry, I missed the part that Kiwi was having steroid treatment
 
I just wanted to add that having a word with your vet prior to your hols is a good idea.
When one of our dogs died suddenly and unexpectedly while we were away our vet actually kept her body for us (in a freezer) until we came home and decided what we wanted to do.
It was good because it gave us the chance to think through our options and not make a rushed decision.
 
Thank you for that thought. I will have that chat tonight when I pick trouble up. It's deverstating to discuss but it's the sensible thing to sort out should the worst happen.
 
Just an update on Kiwi's progress:
My lil solider is not being phased by this horrible lymphoma! She was put under yesterday for the sampling of the lymph nodes, given her first dose of chemo via injection and she is still happily eating and drinking bless her so proud.

She had 1 and half tablet of the steriod prednisone this morning, she cooperated. She'll have a 1 and half tablet again later via syringe feed.

She'll be on this high dose for 3 more days and then it drops to one tablet twice a day for two weeks.

Then one tablet daily for 4 weeks and then 1 tablet every second day longterm unless it flares up again.

She has her second injection of chemo on the 19th Dec.
 
Katie1988 said:
Just an update on Kiwi's progress:
My lil solider is not being phased by this horrible lymphoma! She was put under yesterday for the sampling of the lymph nodes, given her first dose of chemo via injection and she is still happily eating and drinking bless her so proud.

She had 1 and half tablet of the steriod prednisone this morning, she cooperated. She'll have a 1 and half tablet again later via syringe feed.

She'll be on this high dose for 3 more days and then it drops to one tablet twice a day for two weeks.

Then one tablet daily for 4 weeks and then 1 tablet every second day longterm unless it flares up again.

She has her second injection of chemo on the 19th Dec.
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What chemo medication have you been prescribed for her? How is she tolerating it? xx
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
What chemo medication have you been prescribed for her? How is she tolerating it? xx
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Hi she's on cyclophosphamide 500mg amp injectable once a month currently. Her behaviour hasn't change so that's a good thing, she's having a bit more of a rest than usual but I suppose that's a side effect bless
 
Sending lots to love to Kiwi, has the vet discussed pain relief?
 
Thanks @sport_billy I asked him whether she needs any pain relief and he advised she is not in pain but get in touch if I have any concerns
 
Thanks @Ellen Cookie I tell you what she's fighting this! She's still her happy self, eating away. She feels a lil heavier, possibly due to the steriods?

Her belly was a bit bloated this morning, not sure whether it's because of all the Evergreen I've given her or because of the steriods/chemo?

Does anyone know of any natural things that can help Kiwi with her lil gas problem? I've heard barcarbonate of soda is good? I just don't feel comfortable using infacol on a regular basis
 
Katie1988 said:
Thanks @Ellen Cookie I tell you what she's fighting this! She's still her happy self, eating away. She feels a lil heavier, possibly due to the steriods?

Her belly was a bit bloated this morning, not sure whether it's because of all the Evergreen I've given her or because of the steriods/chemo?

Does anyone know of any natural things that can help Kiwi with her lil gas problem? I've heard barcarbonate of soda is good? I just don't feel comfortable using infacol on a regular basis
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I know a lot of people use gripe water so maybe that would be worth trying.I'm very sorry to hear about kiwi but glad she’s still going strong xx
 
Thanks @Gem789 I meant Readigrass not Evergreen haha.

So is gripe water all natural then? No side effects? Infacol is full of sugar that's why I don't want to be using it daily, altho it works wonders!
 
Katie1988 said:
Thanks @Gem789 I meant Readigrass not Evergreen haha.

So is gripe water all natural then? No side effects? Infacol is full of sugar that's why I don't want to be using it daily, altho it works wonders!
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I think it’s natural but you may have to google the ingredients as I’ve never used it lol xx
 
Hi all, just wanted to update you all regarding my poorly girl. It's been over 4 weeks now since Kiwi's cancer was diagnosed and treatment started.

She had her second dose of chemo the week before I went on holiday, on that check up... One lump shrung marginally but not much of a change on the others. He said he would have expected a big reduction in size but said she may need more regular chemo sessions.

I had been on holiday for two weeks and had to leave my girls in the care of my friend. She had given Kiwi her medication in my absence. However, when I collected her I noticed her lymphnode lumps had gotten bigger, in particular her neck lump has doubled!

I was flapping but my friend assured me that Kiwi has been herself, cheeky and eating and drinking.

However, Kiwi was due for her dose of chemo today but I took her in yesterday instead to check out the lumps. He confirmed her lumps had enlarged but was happy to continue treatment as Kiwi was still herself.

I managed to convince the vet to increase Kiwi's steroid intake, as I believe the lump size had increased due to the reduced steroid treatment. She is now on 1.5 tablet of steroid daily, she was reduced to 1 tablet daily on the second week I was on holiday. She is also now on weekly chemo injections.

Really hope she overcomes this awful disease. I'm so proud she's not letting this get her down and hasn't changed her character
 
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