lump below the eye

[ktsjs]

I was giving my girl cowie a good scratch when i noticed she has a pea sized lump a bit below her right eye. i’ve never noticed it before but she wasn’t keen on letting me investigate further, whenever i tried to get a closer look she’d start licking my fingers and nibbling at them which i’m assuming means it’s tender or uncomfortable for her. definitely going to try to make a vet appointment in the morning but does anyone have an idea of what it could be? her eating hasn’t changed at all (she’s the heaviest of all my pigs and practically married to the pellet bowl) but i’m so worried

 

[Siikibam]

I’m afraid we can’t tell you without a hands on exam, and neither are we vets. And you haven’t posted a photo so we can’t really go by description either.

I hope you get an appointment. Let us know what they say. I’d email them a clear photo of it and follow it up with the phone call tomorrow.

 

[ktsjs]

I’m afraid we can’t tell you without a hands on exam, and neither are we vets. And you haven’t posted a photo so we can’t really go by description either.

I hope you get an appointment. Let us know what they say. I’d email them a clear photo of it and follow it up with the phone call tomorrow.

unfortunately i can’t get a photo because she’s long haired so you can’t see it and she flinches when you touch the area but it’s the shape and size of a pea... i’ve made an appt for 9am tomorrow. wasn’t looking for a diagnosis, was just wondering if anyone else had had similar in their pigs to ease anxiety. thank you

 

[ktsjs]

update: took her to the vet yesterday and the lump is benign but she has to get surgery next tuesday to get it removed because since it’s close to her eye it would be more dangerous (and expensive) to remove if it got bigger. she has to fast for 9 hours before i take her to the vet first thing in the morning (i pick her up at the end of the day) and i can practically already her how much she’ll be squeaking!

 

[Piggies&buns]

update: took her to the vet yesterday and the lump is benign but she has to get surgery next tuesday to get it removed because since it’s close to her eye it would be more dangerous (and expensive) to remove if it got bigger. she has to fast for 9 hours before i take her to the vet first thing in the morning (i pick her up at the end of the day) and i can practically already her how much she’ll be squeaking!

Please don’t fast a guinea pig. They need to be fed right up until the operation. The vet will need to clean out your piggies mouth to my knowledge, but stopping a guinea pig eating is just dangerous and I’ve never heard of anybody being told to fast guinea pigs, rabbits etc (any animal that requires to eat constantly).
@Lady Kelly @Wiebke

 

[YvonneBlue]

You must not stop feeding your guinea pig. I am not a medical expert but know that guinea pigs must not fast as they need to always have food going through their digestive tract. As they have no vomit reflex having a full stomach is not a problem under anesthesia.

I would perhaps try and find a more guinea pig savvy vet.

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’d be doubtful of the vet now and I’d be looking for somebody else to do any necessary surgery

 

[ktsjs]

@Piggies&buns @YvonneBlue
that’s what the vet told me but they said they’d email me with the full details. maybe they don’t mean including hay? if they don’t clarify in the email i’ll ask. the vets i go to is the best reviewed guinea pig/rabbit/exotic place in my city and there aren’t really any other vet clinics in my city that specifically say they cater to guinea pigs. i used to go to a different vet but switched to this one as i’d heard lots of good things about it and it’s slightly less expensive as my old one as well

 

[ktsjs]

they also said there’s a 20% chance her breathing won’t be good enough to proceed with the surgery under anaesthesia in which case they’ll stop it and try again the next week

 

[Wiebke]

Fingers firmly crossed - it doesn't sound like your vets are comfortable with operating on guinea pigs!

Please never starve a guinea pig before an operation. Rodents don't have a vomit reflex and are not at risk of inhaling/choking on their vomit during an operation. Unlike predatory pets (cats, dogs) whose metabolism is laid out for irregular feeding and occasional starving, guinea pigs rely on a steady food intake to keep their guts going.

In fact, one of your main jobs post-op will be to monitor the food intake and if necessary step in with syringe feeding top up.
Tips For Post-operative Care

Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment (includes first aid kit and improvisation tips for an emergency)
Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide (including support care products)

Fingers crossed that all goes to plan!

 

[ktsjs]

Fingers firmly crossed - it doesn't sound like your vets are comfortable with operating on guinea pigs!

Please never starve a guinea pig before an operation. Rodents don't have a vomit reflex and are not at risk of inhaling/choking on their vomit during an operation. Unlike predatory pets (cats, dogs) whose metabolism is laid out for irregular feeding and occasional starving, guinea pigs rely on a steady food intake to keep their guts going.

In fact, one of your main jobs post-op will be to monitor the food intake and if necessary step in with syringe feeding top up.
Tips For Post-operative Care

Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment (includes first aid kit and improvisation tips for an emergency)
Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide (including support care products)

Fingers crossed that all goes to plan!

thank you! out of all my pigs she is the most in love with food (especially pellets) so i feel like even if she doesn’t feel great after she’s still going to eat haha but will definitely give those links a read just in case. as for the vet i think she’s just being cautious about the anaesthesia since guinea pigs don’t take it that well, the fact she let me know they’d stop it if she was struggling with her breathing actually makes me feel better about it but i’m still really nervous!

 

[ktsjs]

Surgery went well and she’s eating absolutely fine! Very cuddly and as soon as she got in the cage she got sniffed quite a bit by the other pigs because of the smell of the medication but is clearly back to working on her naughty pig agenda as she managed to knock the hay rack off the wall within 2 minutes of being in the cage


Mentions quiet in the first sentence... NO CHANCE haha

 

[Wiebke]

Glad that all has gone well!