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Lump On Freddie's Back

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Last night I found a lump on Freddie's back, and I don't know what it is. It doesn't look like a lump from a burst caebatious cyst to me, having seen one on Shadow, but I can't be sure. You can't see the lump until you part the fur and it's only a bit raised, i.e. the lump appears very much to be growing on the surface as there doesn't appear to be any raised bulge underneath it. I would never have noticed it had I not been handling him last night, as he has no symptoms of any other kind - no itching, or irritation, and he is his usual vigorous self in every way. It is not clear on the photo but the lump is a dark brown almost black thing, with no other colours that might hint at an infection. It doesn't look like dried blood either - not a scab I don't think, but more like some scaly mole that's gone 'manky'.

We're taking him to see the piggy expert at Alfreton Park Vet Hospital later on, and I am in the process of packing his things in case they decide to keep him in and operate to remove it.
In the mean time any opinions are most welcome.
We'll be leaving for his appointment at 2:15 pm and will not have internet access from then until we get back.

Oreo will be accompanying him for comfort, as neither of them like to be alone.

P1120546.webp

As you can see it's very well hidden by fur, so not a huge thing.
P1120548.webp
 
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I can't say how long it's been 'brewing', as he gets handled one a week due to him not liking to be handled. Same with Oreo, his wife. My other two get handled much more, almost daily, but they like it. I don't like to stress the 'don't touch me' pigs out by forcing the issue - I would rather they develop a trust that I'm not going to do stuff they hate very often, but now I wish I had been a bit more forthcoming.
 
It does look a bit like a sebaceous cyst to me as they tend to be black, or at least the ones that I have seen have been. Good that you are getting it checked though.
 
Please have him checked by a vet. it can be just a harmless sebaceous cyst, but it is impossible to diagnose lumps via the internet.
 
Thank you for the good vibes @anniedabannie :hug:x Thanks @Kerrie74 for the well wishes and the referral :) xx

@Wiebke the vet appointment is at 3:10 today :) @helen105281 (and Wiebke) I hope you are correct, as that should be treatable with cleaning and antibiotics, as before with Shadow, and then perhaps a small op, as Shadow had, to get rid of the affected skin and close the gap. Of course he will hate me seeing to it!
It's just that Shadow's cyst looked different and had a lump underneath it. She first developed a very fast-growing lump, which, when it finally burst, you could see the gunk, it never really went black like Freddie's, though now when I compare the two picture I do see a black crust around the edge, and as you say, they are normally black, so hopefully you are right :) The lack of lump underneath it makes me wonder though.
Anyhow, I will of course update you, and thank you all again for the replies xx

Shadow's cyst:
P1110246.webp

Shadow's grew massive before it burst because the vet, expecting it to be a cyst, syringed up a sample to prove his theory, except that all he drew up was blood. Not gunky blood, simply fresh blood, making him believe it was a tumour. She also had another lump, so suspecting a nasty tumour that had spread I took the decision to take her home and let her live while she was still happy, and help her on the way once the tumour made her feel rough. However, a few days later, after growing even larger, the thing burst, revealing the cyst that it actually was :)
 
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Just got back :)
It's a sebaceous cyst, just as @helen105281 and @Wiebke suspected :) She gave it a good squeeze and only a little came out - it's just a small one. I'm to squeeze it and cleanse with Hibiscrub daily for 2-3 weeks, and give a daily dose of Metacam :)
So nothing sinister :)
Thank again everyone xx
 
Glad it was something that's easily treatable, these little angels do scare us from time to time don't they.
 
I'm struggling to do the squeeze and clean to be honest - the squeeze part anyhow. He's like a bucking bronco and wimpering like a puppy, poor love. I literally cannot hold him down and squeeze it, I managed a couple of small squeezes but that was that, and all I could do was give it a good soaking with the Hibiscrub. Shadow let me squeeze her's though she hated it. Poor Freddie is a bit traumatised. And as for the Metacam - forget it! I've forced a struggling piggy before with meds, but Freddie I really can't!

He's had a Hibiscrub-scrub and some coriander, but if I can't get the knack of this I may have to discuss things with the vet to see if anything else can be done. I can't wrap him very well, the lump in in the middle of his back so in the wrong place for wraps.
 
It's hard to do this kind of thing when you have a wriggly objecting piggie, but it is really important to squeeze and clean, otherwise it won't heal properly and may well lead to complications. Is there anyone who can help you hold Freddie?
 
Elwickcavies said:
It's hard to do this kind of thing when you have a wriggly objecting piggie, but it is really important to squeeze and clean, otherwise it won't heal properly and may well lead to complications. Is there anyone who can help you hold Freddie?
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I'm going to have to go down that route. I could squeeze Shadow's, and I've never had a piggy I can't administer meds too, but Freddie turns into a power-house when I try! Tomorrow I will have to ask my lads to help hold him down, poor little guy!
Thank you x
 
It's the worst thing to deal with. Some piggies are really good and seem to know that you are trying to help, but there's the odd one who fights like a demon! I end up an emotional wreck! Keep at it. x
 
Elwickcavies said:
It's the worst thing to deal with. Some piggies are really good and seem to know that you are trying to help, but there's the odd one who fights like a demon! I end up an emotional wreck! Keep at it. x
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Thank you, I'm glad I'm not the only one who's had to treat a fighting determined pig! Yes I definitely feel guilty about it too.
I'd press that 'like' button several times if I could x
 
Right well good news, with the help of my 16 year old I got some gunk out of Freddie's cyst and it's had a thorough Hibiscrubbing. He whimpered like a puppy, but he was calmer. x
 
Elwickcavies said:
Well done. It's tough love. :clap:
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Thank you.
He had some coriander to calm his nerves and was back to his usual self soon after, hinting at me to set his run up. Popcorned around as soon as he knew I was setting it up for him :) So it can't have been THAT traumatic :)
 
Freddie's cyst appears to be clearing up very nicely. Yesterday we couldn't find ANY gunk at all, so we are leaving it today and trying again tomorrow, giving it chance to build up enough to squeeze out (if there is any left to squeeze).
If there's nothing in the way of gunk tomorrow, should I keep on picking the scab off and Hibiscrubbing it, or leave it alone now to heal over itself? I'm thinking leave it, but give it a daily wipe of the Hibiscrub.
For those of you who have dealt with these thing before, is this the right thing to do please?

The other one I dealt with, Shadow's cyst, was massive, as like I say, the vet thought it was a tumour so it kept on growing until it burst. Well this left a massive crater behind which was still a little gunky after three weeks, so the vet surgically removed the affected skin and sewed her up. It solved the problem for her, but it means I have no experience of seeing to a cyst until it heals.

Thank you.
 
Is it a sebaceous cyst? I've had piggies with them in the past & currently my pig Ziggy has a huge one on her back, which is now completely flat but forms a black crust every couple of weeks or so, which I gently pick off so it exposes the skin underneath, that stops the gunk from forming. Before squeezing etc it really was quite large, at least 20 pence piece size. It never bleeds as the crust is basically the gunk that would have formed inside if it had still been closed.
 
Yes it's a sebaceous cyst :) Freddie's if less than 5p size, so not as large as Ziggie's. Shadow's was more like 50p and ball-shaped!
There's a picture of Freddie's cyst on page 1 of the thread if that helps :)
So do you recommend me trying to remove the entire crust (after giving it a good soaking) and see if anything else forms?
 
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