Lump Removal

[Guinea_Lover]

Hello,

I have a 2 year old guinea pig who suddenly developed a soft small lump on her lower abdomen a few months ago. I took her to vets to have it looked at in which the vet suggested to see how the lump goes and if it grows, to come back as it wasn't causing her any harm and the lump didn't seem to alert the vet.

A few days ago I noticed her lump has got bigger, about a golf ball size. I took her to the vets again (as I worry about my piggies!) and the vet assessed the lump and agreed it has grown quite a fair bit. The vet suggested the possible removal route as it's only going to grow again - which of course I don't want that to happen. The vet done a needle test just to see if any liquid or fats come out of the lump. Turns out to be it's a fatty lump that has grown within the skin layer, rather than deep down.

Now, I have gone for the surgery route, because as it's got bigger I find she finds it difficult to move at times, she is quite a big piggy anyway with very long hair (she's Peruvian) and I don't want her to feel any discomfort. What I would like to ask is, has anyone experienced lump surgery before? How did it go? What is after care like?

The vet said to me because her lump is in the skin region, it will be a fairly easy incision and she will then do internal stitches. She also said she can be put in the same cage as her other mate - would this be okay? Of course I will asses them, making sure that the other one doesn't try to eat the stitches!

Also, what about medication? I know for a fact antibiotics can cause issues in pigs (my old piggies ended up with gut stasis issues from using that medication so I worry a hell of a lot). Will she just be on pain killer? Will probiotics be needed?

Sorry for all the questions! She has surgery on Friday so I'm very nervous about it

Thank you for taking your time to read,

A very worried mummy x

 

[Wiebke]

Hello,

I have a 2 year old guinea pig who suddenly developed a soft small lump on her lower abdomen a few months ago. I took her to vets to have it looked at in which the vet suggested to see how the lump goes and if it grows, to come back as it wasn't causing her any harm and the lump didn't seem to alert the vet.

A few days ago I noticed her lump has got bigger, about a golf ball size. I took her to the vets again (as I worry about my piggies!) and the vet assessed the lump and agreed it has grown quite a fair bit. The vet suggested the possible removal route as it's only going to grow again - which of course I don't want that to happen. The vet done a needle test just to see if any liquid or fats come out of the lump. Turns out to be it's a fatty lump that has grown within the skin layer, rather than deep down.

Now, I have gone for the surgery route, because as it's got bigger I find she finds it difficult to move at times, she is quite a big piggy anyway with very long hair (she's Peruvian) and I don't want her to feel any discomfort. What I would like to ask is, has anyone experienced lump surgery before? How did it go? What is after care like?

The vet said to me because her lump is in the skin region, it will be a fairly easy incision and she will then do internal stitches. She also said she can be put in the same cage as her other mate - would this be okay? Of course I will asses them, making sure that the other one doesn't try to eat the stitches!

Also, what about medication? I know for a fact antibiotics can cause issues in pigs (my old piggies ended up with gut stasis issues from using that medication so I worry a hell of a lot). Will she just be on pain killer? Will probiotics be needed?

Sorry for all the questions! She has surgery on Friday so I'm very nervous about it

Thank you for taking your time to read,

A very worried mummy x

Hi! If your vet is fine with companionship, then please leave your two piggies together as much as possible. I have done just that with my recently neutered youngster and his boarmate. It keeps the stress levels down a lot. If necessary, rub them over the with the same rag so they carry the same scent when they are reunited.

A lot depends of course on how well your piggy reacts post-op. With an experienced vet, it should be pretty smooth. Especially as your lump is not sitting deep in the body and therefore is not expected to require any tricky surgery.
You should get all the necessary information and medication when you pick up your piggy. If you have any particular questions re. the actual medication, please ask the nurse when you pick up your piggies or ask to speak to your vet before you bring in your piggy for the operation. Techniques and methods have advanced a lot, so depending on the operating vet, things can be quite different.

You may find our post-op guide helpful, as it answers most of your questions in detail:
Tips For Post-operative Care

 

[Freela]

One of my prior pigs, Linney, had surgery to remove a large cyst right below the skin. It was near the grease glad, we had a needle biopsy done to try to empty it out, but after that it refilled and the skin that was over top began to die off, leaving the cyst/abscess capsule exposed so we did surgery to remove it completely. She actually did really well- we dropped her off in the morning, picked her up mid-afternoon, and it was really like nothing even happened because it was such a superficial surgery. She was given antibiotics (chloramphenicol, as I remember... there are safe antibiotics for pigs, and you may want to offer probiotics as well.) The vet gave her pain relief (metacam) which we gave her for the next day or so, but she really did not appear to need it. It was really a very easy procedure/recovery for her... much easier than having an abscess lanced/drained and left open as one of my other pigs did. Hope all goes well!