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Likely tumour in abdomen

aimzer

aimzer

Adult Guinea Pig
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Daisy turned 8 in December and has been keeping well.

She was started on metacam last week as thought she was getting a bit stiff on the back legs.

Last night she produced long thin poops which is not like her and lost a little weight. She wasn't interested in veg but was eating hay. I gave her some critical care.

At the vet this morning. Poops improved but small. The vet has felt a lump in her abdomen. He's think it may be a tumour and has taken her for a conscious ultrasound. He said depending where it is there could be a chance they could operate.

Given her age I'm really not keen on surgery. I'm so upset. I've had her since she was a baby 😭
 
Ultrasound showed a mass on her uterus. Liver does not look good either so he thinks it has spread 😭😭

Not much options other than palliative care as they can't do anything if in the liver.

Has anyone else dealt with anything similar?

We are continuing with the metacam to keep her comfortable.
 
Oh I am so sorry to hear Daisy isn’t well, what an awful shock for you. Sending you hugs, enjoy lots of special time with your little lady x
 
I am so sorry :( I haven't been through the exact same illness but I have had piggies with terminal cancer (lymphoma twice and a cancerous tumour). My advise is to make each day special. Feed favourite treats and spend lots of time together taking lots of photos. (((hugs)))
 
So sorry to hear your this. I think you are going down the right, at 8 she doesn't want complicated surgery. Sending healing thoughts xx
 
aimzer said:
Ultrasound showed a mass on her uterus. Liver does not look good either so he thinks it has spread 😭😭

Not much options other than palliative care as they can't do anything if in the liver.

Has anyone else dealt with anything similar?

We are continuing with the metacam to keep her comfortable.
Click to expand...

HUGS!

Never good news when your piggy has been diagnosed with an incurable issue and never easy when it is a problem where you have to decide when the time has come. It is emotionally a very difficult situation as your grieving process has start right now.
Please make sure that you put your piggy's wellbeing/pain before any desires of your own and that you reassess constantly. We have at least this last, most heart-breaking but also most loving and kind gift to give.

You need to evaluate just how much support you want to give in terms of syringe feeding as the discomfort of the mass is boviously already affecting her because it is very easy to get caught in the trap of supporting longer than in your piggy's interest. You can support feed her from a spoon instead of a syringe, so it is your piggy who controls the process and not you.
I have found this very helpful with borderline piggies of mine in comparable situations to help me balance quality and zest for life with a life-threatening problem and to allow me to make the decision when to pts/euthanise on a clearer basis and with less in the way of the inevitable doubts and feelings of guilt that come afterwards and that are an integral part of the grieving process.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

Your girl is a grand old age; take pride in that! Please concentrate on making the best of what time you have left with your precious girl to say and do whatever needs saying and doing. Love transcends time; you can pack a lifetime's worth into just a mere moment. This is the one great gift that comes with a terminal diagnosis; it is a very bitter-sweet gift, but please do not squander it as it is going to make dealing with your bereavement afterwards a lot easier on you if you are only left with the pain of the loss and the sadess but not any unsolved conflicts and anger.

Sadly it is an experience of mine that the more you minimise the risk of any avoidable illness/condition with your good care the more likely your old piggies are coming up against something nasty when the body is going wrong or an illness hits with lightning speed due to a no longer flexible and fully working immune system. Internal masses seem to be one of the more regular problems, as are major organs like kidneys, liver or the heart going wrong.
None of us can choose what our pets or our human beloved ones die from, but gently drifting away in your sleep is very much the exception and not rule, unfortunately, even though it has become our very sanitised nebulous concept in a society where death as been very much pushed to the side and as a result is leaving us without any coping tools and mechanisms. :(

PS: If it is any consolation for you, I am currently in a similar situation with my 7 year old Hafren and have been assessing on a daily basis whether she still has the will and the quality of life since the new year while on palliative care. You have my sympathy!
 
Wiebke said:
HUGS!

Never good news when your piggy has been diagnosed with an incurable issue and never easy when it is a problem where you have to decide when the time has come. It is emotionally a very difficult situation as your grieving process has start right now.
Please make sure that you put your piggy's wellbeing/pain before any desires of your own and that you reassess constantly. We have at least this last, most heart-breaking but also most loving and kind gift to give.

You need to evaluate just how much support you want to give in terms of syringe feeding as the discomfort of the mass is boviously already affecting her because it is very easy to get caught in the trap of supporting longer than in your piggy's interest. You can support feed her from a spoon instead of a syringe, so it is your piggy who controls the process and not you.
I have found this very helpful with borderline piggies of mine in comparable situations to help me balance quality and zest for life with a life-threatening problem and to allow me to make the decision when to pts/euthanise on a clearer basis and with less in the way of the inevitable doubts and feelings of guilt that come afterwards and that are an integral part of the grieving process.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

Your girl is a grand old age; take pride in that! Please concentrate on making the best of what time you have left with your precious girl to say and do whatever needs saying and doing. Love transcends time; you can pack a lifetime's worth into just a mere moment. This is the one great gift that comes with a terminal diagnosis; it is a very bitter-sweet gift, but please do not squander it as it is going to make dealing with your bereavement afterwards a lot easier on you if you are only left with the pain of the loss and the sadess but not any unsolved conflicts and anger.

Sadly it is an experience of mine that the more you minimise the risk of any avoidable illness/condition with your good care the more likely your old piggies are coming up against something nasty when the body is going wrong or an illness hits with lightning speed due to a no longer flexible and fully working immune system. Internal masses seem to be one of the more regular problems, as are major organs like kidneys, liver or the heart going wrong.
None of us can choose what our pets or our human beloved ones die from, but gently drifting away in your sleep is very much the exception and not rule, unfortunately, even though it has become our very sanitised nebulous concept in a society where death as been very much pushed to the side and as a result is leaving us without any coping tools and mechanisms. :(

PS: If it is any consolation for you, I am currently in a similar situation with my 7 year old Hafren and have been assessing on a daily basis whether she still has the will and the quality of life since the new year while on palliative care. You have my sympathy!
Click to expand...


Thank you for your kind words.

I'm a so lucky to have had her for a wonderful fun packed 8 years! However, that does not make it any easier 😪

I will do my best to make sure she enjoys what time she has left but I will be devastated when I have to let her go but she will tell me when shes had enough I'm sure.

Sorry to hear about Hafren. I'm sure you're doing a wonderful job as you do with all your piggies x
 
aimzer said:
Thank you for your kind words.

I'm a so lucky to have had her for a wonderful fun packed 8 years! However, that does not make it any easier 😪

I will do my best to make sure she enjoys what time she has left but I will be devastated when I have to let her go but she will tell me when shes had enough I'm sure.

Sorry to hear about Hafren. I'm sure you're doing a wonderful job as you do with all your piggies x
Click to expand...

I fully agree that it is not any less painful when you have had a pet for such a long time. But knowing that you have had her and have given her long and happy life allows you to put your mind and heart at rest more easily when they come back together at the end of the grieving process.

The grieving process is not any less whether you know that the end is coming soon or whether you have to deal with an unexpected loss, but the dynamics are very different. By making the most of the taking leave period now, you can already work through quite a lot of it before you actually have to say goodbye, but you still have the grace to laugh and enjoy the moment and all the little things so much more. ;)

If I have learned anything in the three years my dad battled his terminal cancer, then that it reall helps to face the inevitable with compassion but courage and honesty to yourself and your feelings. We grieve as much as we have loved; they are two sides of the same thing.
 
I have both pigs out for floor time and Daisy fell over. It's as if she was trying to scratch herself with her hind leg and toppled and sort of got stuck. I tipped her back up and she seemed fine. Then she did it again but wouldn't get up. I picked her up. She was curled up with eyes closed then came ok.

On way back to get
 
So sorry to hear this news. I lost a piggy a few months ago to a mass in his stomach. It's so heartbreaking. Treat each day as special with lots of hugs and treats.
You are in my thoughts.xx
 
I’m so sorry.
I lost my beautiful Keziah to a tumour last year.
It is devastating but Daisy was a fantastic age and has had a life filled with love and care.
 
Wiebke said:
HUGS!

Never good news when your piggy has been diagnosed with an incurable issue and never easy when it is a problem where you have to decide when the time has come. It is emotionally a very difficult situation as your grieving process has start right now.
Please make sure that you put your piggy's wellbeing/pain before any desires of your own and that you reassess constantly. We have at least this last, most heart-breaking but also most loving and kind gift to give.

You need to evaluate just how much support you want to give in terms of syringe feeding as the discomfort of the mass is boviously already affecting her because it is very easy to get caught in the trap of supporting longer than in your piggy's interest. You can support feed her from a spoon instead of a syringe, so it is your piggy who controls the process and not you.
I have found this very helpful with borderline piggies of mine in comparable situations to help me balance quality and zest for life with a life-threatening problem and to allow me to make the decision when to pts/euthanise on a clearer basis and with less in the way of the inevitable doubts and feelings of guilt that come afterwards and that are an integral part of the grieving process.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

Your girl is a grand old age; take pride in that! Please concentrate on making the best of what time you have left with your precious girl to say and do whatever needs saying and doing. Love transcends time; you can pack a lifetime's worth into just a mere moment. This is the one great gift that comes with a terminal diagnosis; it is a very bitter-sweet gift, but please do not squander it as it is going to make dealing with your bereavement afterwards a lot easier on you if you are only left with the pain of the loss and the sadess but not any unsolved conflicts and anger.

Sadly it is an experience of mine that the more you minimise the risk of any avoidable illness/condition with your good care the more likely your old piggies are coming up against something nasty when the body is going wrong or an illness hits with lightning speed due to a no longer flexible and fully working immune system. Internal masses seem to be one of the more regular problems, as are major organs like kidneys, liver or the heart going wrong.
None of us can choose what our pets or our human beloved ones die from, but gently drifting away in your sleep is very much the exception and not rule, unfortunately, even though it has become our very sanitised nebulous concept in a society where death as been very much pushed to the side and as a result is leaving us without any coping tools and mechanisms. :(

PS: If it is any consolation for you, I am currently in a similar situation with my 7 year old Hafren and have been assessing on a daily basis whether she still has the will and the quality of life since the new year while on palliative care. You have my sympathy!
Click to expand...
So sorry you are going through this with Hafren.
Holding you in my heart
 
I hate to have to write this. Thats it, she's gone. Fits wefs getting worse so o ly fair on her so have her PTS. Heartbroken. I've had her since she was a baby, will be lost without her ❤
 
So sorry you have had to say goodbye to Daisy.
She was a good age which is a testament to your love and care, and you spared her further pain in helping her to the Bridge once it was clear it was all too much for her.
Take care of yourself and remember all the good times with her :hug:
 
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