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Specialist Large lump found on piggie - operating or not?

S

ScruffandGizmo

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Hi,

I am seeking advice about one of my piggies.

He Is called Scruff is about 4yrs old (rescue) Ive had him just over 2 1/2 years
he weighs 1200g stable and is a very strong piggy I think hes a Peruvian very woolly and bossy in fantastic health eating and pooping well showing no signs of any problems whatsoever
I spend a lot of time with my little chaps with regular cuddle time as well as lifting them outside to their run daily weather permitting.

Last night when I was bringing them inside I noticed a huge lump on Scruff near the top of his back leg, I groomed him thoroughly last Thursday and I am sure if it was there then that it must have been much smaller. Its about the size of a kiwi fruit!

I needed the vet to listen to my other piggy's breathing today so I got Scruff in as well, she tried to draw fluid from the lump to have a look under the microscope but got a lot of blood too so the cells cant be viewed.

I read everything I could about lumps last night and I am fairly certain that its not an abscess as there is no puncture wound - Its not appearing to cause him any discomfort even when its being felt/examined.
She suggested I bring him home with pain relief and antibiotics and observe returning him if it continues to grow - she did discuss surgery with me also.

My other little piggy also a rescue had a bad reaction to antibiotics which hit his gut hard - I got him stable and hes ok but its had a permanent impact on him (I think he was a little older than I was told and he was only 600g and poss vitC def - so he’s not as strong as scruff but doing ok)

I have asked for Scruff to have the lump removed asap, because I am afraid if antibiotics ravage his gut and he goes on to need an operation his chances of survival will be reduced.
I also think that the fact that she could only draw blood from it means that its possibly not a fatty cyst or an abscess.
I am staggered by the size and speed of this lump appearing and think its best to remove it rather than biopsy (that wasn't offered)
He’s a tubby lad with the cuddliest belly ever and I am worried that if it is cancer - although not attached to the leg muscle he may need to have his leg removed and I am so worried about how he would manage on 3 legs - although the vet did say that they do adapt.

Can you please tell me how you would proceed with this situation if Scruff was your piggy?
I am of limited means but I want to give him the best possible chance above everything else
in your experience how do piggies manage if they loose a back limb?
He is booked in for tomorrow morning, I am in shock because tomorrow I might loose him and this time yesterday I had no idea about the lump.
Any advice would be very much appreciated thankyou
 
Oh so sorry for Scruff, hope his op goes well tomorrow. I have no experience of lumps but I’m sure a more experienced member will be along soon. Fingers cross for Scruff x
 
My little Anna had an abscess on her neck with no wound visible anywhere. Hopefully is a harmless cyst or something easily removed and treated. Good luck tomorrow.
 
Its a worrying time for you. You are in the best place for the best support. Dropping Scruff off tomorrow and waiting for the call to say all's OK will seem like a lifetime. We've all been there and understand what you are going through.
 
Thank you All, Scruff is nestled under my chin as I type, precious little piggie.
 
Hi, I can't offer any advice etc regarding the lump, but I can say that I had a boar who had to have one of his rear legs amputated due to a tiny cut getting infected. He managed perfectly well for the rest of his life, the only concession to his 'disability' that I had to make was to move his nugget bowl downstairs as it wasn't so easy for him to jump up on his shelf anymore. Hopefully it won't come to that for yours, but if it does, you can be reassured that he can still lead a happy piggy life. :nod:
 
Qualcast&Flymo said:
Hi, I can't offer any advice etc regarding the lump, but I can say that I had a boar who had to have one of his rear legs amputated due to a tiny cut getting infected. He managed perfectly well for the rest of his life, the only concession to his 'disability' that I had to make was to move his nugget bowl downstairs as it wasn't so easy for him to jump up on his shelf anymore. Hopefully it won't come to that for yours, but if it does, you can be reassured that he can still lead a happy piggy life. :nod:
Click to expand...

Thankyou :)
 
Scruff had his surgery today, the lump successfully removed, I am awaiting a call from the vets to say I can go and pick him up. The lump was successfully removed but the tissue it contained was nasty and the vet was viewing slides from it when they rang to say he had come around and she will want to speak with me when I collect him
thankyou all for you messages
 
Hi, Sorry I havent got back before now, Scruff has been doing really well thanks. The cyst was nasty and contained dead tissue which would have released toxins into his body and made him very poorly. He came home on Wednesday evening and has kept me busy ever since - He had loxicom, enrocare, emperid and ranitidine meds, his antibiotics finished on tuesday. Swelling has gone down and the wound is clean and sound. He is eating quite well but preferring fresh leaves to hay and pellets. He has lost 150g though and his poops are very soft and smelly so I am watching him and what he eats very carefully.
 
ScruffandGizmo said:
Hi,

I am seeking advice about one of my piggies.

He Is called Scruff is about 4yrs old (rescue) Ive had him just over 2 1/2 years
he weighs 1200g stable and is a very strong piggy I think hes a Peruvian very woolly and bossy in fantastic health eating and pooping well showing no signs of any problems whatsoever
I spend a lot of time with my little chaps with regular cuddle time as well as lifting them outside to their run daily weather permitting.

Last night when I was bringing them inside I noticed a huge lump on Scruff near the top of his back leg, I groomed him thoroughly last Thursday and I am sure if it was there then that it must have been much smaller. Its about the size of a kiwi fruit!

I needed the vet to listen to my other piggy's breathing today so I got Scruff in as well, she tried to draw fluid from the lump to have a look under the microscope but got a lot of blood too so the cells cant be viewed.

I read everything I could about lumps last night and I am fairly certain that its not an abscess as there is no puncture wound - Its not appearing to cause him any discomfort even when its being felt/examined.
She suggested I bring him home with pain relief and antibiotics and observe returning him if it continues to grow - she did discuss surgery with me also.

My other little piggy also a rescue had a bad reaction to antibiotics which hit his gut hard - I got him stable and hes ok but its had a permanent impact on him (I think he was a little older than I was told and he was only 600g and poss vitC def - so he’s not as strong as scruff but doing ok)

I have asked for Scruff to have the lump removed asap, because I am afraid if antibiotics ravage his gut and he goes on to need an operation his chances of survival will be reduced.
I also think that the fact that she could only draw blood from it means that its possibly not a fatty cyst or an abscess.
I am staggered by the size and speed of this lump appearing and think its best to remove it rather than biopsy (that wasn't offered)
He’s a tubby lad with the cuddliest belly ever and I am worried that if it is cancer - although not attached to the leg muscle he may need to have his leg removed and I am so worried about how he would manage on 3 legs - although the vet did say that they do adapt.

Can you please tell me how you would proceed with this situation if Scruff was your piggy?
I am of limited means but I want to give him the best possible chance above everything else
in your experience how do piggies manage if they loose a back limb?
He is booked in for tomorrow morning, I am in shock because tomorrow I might loose him and this time yesterday I had no idea about the lump.
Any advice would be very much appreciated thankyou
Click to expand...

Hi!

My Hafren needed a large burst cyst removed shortly before her 7th birthday. She's got though it well. Thankfully, cancer fears have not materialised.
Lumps can come up very quickly in guinea pigs and grow very fast. They always come as a shock because people think that they should have noticed, when in fact there hasn't been much to notice until very shortly before.

I have also had two very large and fast growing ovarian cysts successfully removed in a 5 year old sow.

Piggies can deal well with amputations. I know of a few 'tripod' piggies in private hands and in rescue that are leading pretty much normal lives with some extra care for the areas that get rubbed due to the missing limb.

Here are our post-op care tips which you may hopefully find very helpful. Make sure that you have got the necessaary support care stuff at home or get it from your vet if necessary.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
First Aid Kit For Guinea Pigs

All the best! Whenever you feel like panicking, try to concentrate on sending that energy in the form of positive and loving and supporting throughts to your piggy instead. ;)
 
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