Lets Talk Sebaceous Cysts (yuck!)

[kerry]

Hi all,

Just been trailing through the threads that contain sebaceous cysts and there seems to be a lot of them, poor pigs!
One of my rescued pigs had a sebaceous cyst behind her left shoulder, it is about the size of a 50p on the surface but you can feel a huge ball under the skin. I took her to the vet a few months ago and they said it was just a sebaceous cyst and drained all the pus (while i heaved in the corner). A few months later the pus is back and i managed to drain it without throwing up my breakfast. I bathed it in salt water and have parted the hair around it so it can dry (abyssinian breed and right where a rosette is).

She does not seem to be in any pain and lets me squeeze it and bathe it, I discussed having it removed with the vet and she was hesitant to put a 5/6 year old guinea pig under anesthetic, especially when it is not restricting her leg movement (yet).

Could you tell me what else you do for your pig? I read that someone used Hipiscrub on their pig and we have this for one of the dogs, should i water it down and then apply it? Luckily it is in a spot that she cannot lick. What is your routine?

Thanks!

 

[Wiebke]

Hi all,

Just been trailing through the threads that contain sebaceous cysts and there seems to be a lot of them, poor pigs!
One of my rescued pigs had a sebaceous cyst behind her left shoulder, it is about the size of a 50p on the surface but you can feel a huge ball under the skin. I took her to the vet a few months ago and they said it was just a sebaceous cyst and drained all the pus (while i heaved in the corner). A few months later the pus is back and i managed to drain it without throwing up my breakfast. I bathed it in salt water and have parted the hair around it so it can dry (abyssinian breed and right where a rosette is).

She does not seem to be in any pain and lets me squeeze it and bathe it, I discussed having it removed with the vet and she was hesitant to put a 5/6 year old guinea pig under anesthetic, especially when it is not restricting her leg movement (yet).

Could you tell me what else you do for your pig? I read that someone used Hipiscrub on their pig and we have this for one of the dogs, should i water it down and then apply it? Luckily it is in a spot that she cannot lick. What is your routine?

Thanks!

Sebaceous cysts have a habit of coming back; this can happen even if you have you have them removed. Just have them drained and disinfected whenever they fill up again, but as they are not malign and as long as they are not impeding movement, it is best to just leave them, especially in older piggies that are prone to lumps and bumps - as long as you have the nature of the various bumps checked by a vet as to whether they are harmless or not.

Hibiscrub or saline solution are suitable disinfectants for guinea pigs.

 

[VickyMidlands]

We are using hibiscrub as the last time it was drained the puncture wound has become infected so he's also on baytril and another medicine for soft tissue inflammation. we were advised against surgery as Rio is 7 next month but the most recent vet suggested thinking about it after the infection has cleared but I'm reluctant. How long gas your piggie had the cyst for?