Mass found in stomach

[Jess565]

So today Maurice looked fluffy and unhappy so I got him an appointment promptly, his poops have become soft over the last couple of days and today he is off his pellets and I've not seen him eat hay today. He will eat vegetables though.
Anyway the vet came out to say he has a mass the size of a small apple in his abdomen it moves freely but she believes it's a tumor. She was Frank but said that surgery would be very risky with almost all odds of fatal as it is so big and she does not know if there is spread or that he would recover but it was an option she would do if I wanted.
I have never felt this on him and he's seemed so happy recently. I feel like I'm dying inside with despair that it's such a cruel thing for him to have.
Has anyone had experience of something like this? Did anyone go down the surgery route?

 

[Swissgreys]

I am so sorry you have had such a tough diagnosis.
The first thing to remember is that your sweet boy doesn't know, and if he seems happy then that is good.

A lot will depend on Maurice, his age and general condition and also your vet.
If they are experienced and he is generally in good health then you don't automatically need to rule out surgery.
Plus I would also ask what tests she used to diagnose the lump and it's size - x-ray, ultra sound?
Would it be possible ot take a small biopsy in the first instance to get a clearer picture.

There are lots of options, so give yourself time to think and also discuss things with your vet.

 

[Jess565]

At this stage it was just a physical feel as she was just doing regular appointments. They are not exotic specialists but they have always been very good. She said to go home and process it all. He was in good health just he has started to look fluffed up so he must be turning

 

[Wiebke]

At this stage it was just a physical feel as she was just doing regular appointments. They are not exotic specialists but they have always been very good. She said to go home and process it all. He was in good health just he has started to look fluffed up so he must be turning

Hi

BIG HUGS

I am ever so sorry. An abdominal cancer is never good news; it very much depends on whether it has spread or not. Please also be aware that a tumour can sit fairly deep in the body, so you wouldn't necessarily notice it with normal handling.

When I got the same shock diagnosis for my Llewelyn in January 2011 for seeing the vet over his mystery up and down weight and his hair standing up (a sign of pain inside the body), he was found to have a deep-seated tumor that was unfortunately already attached to the gut; so risking a make or break operation was not an option.

Sadly life with guinea pigs can throw these kerb balls right out of the blue to you.
Please take the time to read this guide here. It takes you through all the aspects involved and hopefully helps you with making a decision you can live with in the long term. It is never an easy situation because nobody can make this decision for you. And there are so many conflicting emotions involved in it.
A Practical and Sensitive Guide to Dying, Terminal Illness and Euthanasia in Guinea Pigs

 

[VickiA]

I am so sorry that this wasn’t better news for you. Hugs.

 

[artcasper]

Sorry to hear this ... what a big shock for you.. cx

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

I took Freddie to vets to get him neutered and a mass was felt in his abdomen. The neuter was put on hold and I waited a week to see if the lump changed. Sadly, a week later, it was bigger and the decision was made to open him up, to see what it was. It was an abscessed lymph gland, attached to his bowel. As it couldn’t be removed in its entirety, without damaging the bowel, it was opened, drained and Freddie was put on a long course of the antibiotic Zithromax. Today, Freddie is a fit and healthy guinea pig!

 

[Jess565]

Thank you all for the info, our vet gave us metacam to give once a day he had it last night and this did help him and he has been his usual self eating as normal, begging playing out and not looking fluffy. He only had one dose last night and he's not had today's yet and he seems normal which is amazing and nice to have him like this despite the terrible diagnosis. I'm just prossessing it and trying to think what is best for him but an x-ray or scan will help me make a decision, but I just want him to have a comfortable happy end of life, I don't want him to have to go through an operation if it doesn't make him well.
I feel bad for him he spent two years on his own in a rescue and was so happy to finally have a friend and luxuries in life. He loves a good snuggle sack or tunnel and never ignores a toy he will play with anything he can. It's like he's making up for lost time.
I hope we have more happy times ahead still for a while longer.
Maurice is the brown one and he looks so healthy and shiny in the picture of him in the garden!

 

[Bill & Ted]

Thank you all for the info, our vet gave us metacam to give once a day he had it last night and this did help him and he has been his usual self eating as normal, begging playing out and not looking fluffy. He only had one dose last night and he's not had today's yet and he seems normal which is amazing and nice to have him like this despite the terrible diagnosis. I'm just prossessing it and trying to think what is best for him but an x-ray or scan will help me make a decision, but I just want him to have a comfortable happy end of life, I don't want him to have to go through an operation if it doesn't make him well.
I feel bad for him he spent two years on his own in a rescue and was so happy to finally have a friend and luxuries in life. He loves a good snuggle sack or tunnel and never ignores a toy he will play with anything he can. It's like he's making up for lost time.
I hope we have more happy times ahead still for a while longer.
Maurice is the brown one and he looks so healthy and shiny in the picture of him in the garden!

Aw, I hope Maurice has many more happy times with his buddy and you x Hugs to you, it’s such a shock to get such a diagnosis but maybe it’s not as bad once you have the x-ray/scan done x

 

[VickiA]

What gorgeous photos. Here’s hoping he has many more happy days.

 

[Merab's Slave]

Getting that kind of diagnosis feels like a major kick in the heart - it starts off the grieving process.
Jemimah was diagnosed with an abdominal mass earlier this year - not too long after lockdown started so the vet gave me the news over the phone.
I asked about surgery but the vet said she felt the trauma of surgery for an uncertain outcome wasn’t the best choice given Jemimah’s age.
She came home and lived happily until June. She needed Metacam towards the end and slipped peacefully away.

Only you can make the decision you feel is right and best for your gorgeous Maurice.
We are here to support you through whatever lies ahead.

 

[Qualcast&Flymo]

Last year my local vet found a lump under my sow Winifred's nipple and thought it was a tumour and that it wasn't worth going down the surgery route. I took her to the Cat and Rabbit clinic for a second opinion, Simon Maddock said it could be something else, and even if it was a tumour it might be possible to remove it all and cure her. So she had the surgery and it turned out to be some kind of benign growth, and she's been happy and healthy since.
Her lump wasn't as big as Maurice's, and she wasnt showing any signs of illness beyond losing some weight in the weeks before surgery, but I would say there's still hope and if you have a good vet it's worth considering trying to remove the lump.

 

[MollythePiggylover]

I AM SO SORRY

 

[Swissgreys]

I am sure he probably appreciates his wonderful life more, simply becasue it wasn't always that way.
You are doing an amazing job offering him the best possible life however long it may be for.
Be kind to yourself.

 

[Jess565]

My update on Maurice he has passed away this evening.
We took our usual vets diagnosis and were just treating him for end of life care and he has seemed quite well but steadily declined and became very ill that we though we were close to the end. But he picked up and seemed to improve which made me want to get a better diagnosis to see if we could treat him. We have just taken him to one of the vets we saw recommend on here this evening and they x-rayed him and he had a large stone in his bladder that was blocking it and I had to make a decision to let them go in to try and get this out or put him to sleep as he was in a lot of pain and was not able to pass urine properly. I chose to try and help him.
On my way home they called and he passed away when they went in. She said he did also have a massive tumor that was possibly steaming from his kidney area that would have been impossible to remove but because his bladder was in the way she did not see it on the x-ray.
I feel so guilty leaving him with strangers, so far from home. I will miss listening to radio Lancashire with him tonight while Vinnie runs around like a mad man.
I hope they go to a good place when they pass he deserves to be happy and pain free now.

 

[Siikibam]

I’m so sorry for your loss. Please don’t think of it as leaving him with strangers. Rather you were giving him the best chance to come to you and Vinnie. Hugs and do take care of yourself. Hopefully Vinnie will be okay with his loss.

 

[David Piggie Lover]

@Jess565
Sorry missed this thread. .
Oh you have had a lot of heartache and Maurice has gone to world most of us here have said bye to deeply loved piggies.
Sounds like little chap had lots internal problems. . Be kind to yourself and you have another piggie that needs you and watching as piggies feel a loss very much. .
Thread will help
I'm really sorry about Maurice. X
Behaviour, Bonding and Bereavement

 

[Betsy]

I hope they go to a good place when they pass he deserves to be happy and pain free now.

The Rainbow World is a lovely place where piggies are in their prime once more and out of pain and suffering. They have all their favourite food and lots of grass and hay to eat. They meet up with passed friends and are waiting for their friends in this world to meet them once more when their time comes. You gave Maurice a life full of love and happy todays and that's all piggys want and need. He will know that the last decision you made for him would have been made out of love for him. He was just too ill to come back to you and the call of the Rainbow Bridge was just too strong and he had to go.

 

[David Piggie Lover]

The Rainbow World is a lovely place where piggies are in their prime once more and out of pain and suffering. They have all their favourite food and lots of grass and hay to eat. They meet up with passed friends and are waiting for their friends in this world to meet them once more when their time comes. You gave Maurice a life full of love and happy todays and that's all piggys want and need. He will know that the last decision you made for him would have been made out of love for him. He was just too ill to come back to you and the call of the Rainbow Bridge was just too strong and he had to go.

@Betsy
Imagine that was written from the heart . Lovely lass.

 

[Rivervixen]

The Rainbow World is a lovely place where piggies are in their prime once more and out of pain and suffering. They have all their favourite food and lots of grass and hay to eat. They meet up with passed friends and are waiting for their friends in this world to meet them once more when their time comes. You gave Maurice a life full of love and happy todays and that's all piggys want and need. He will know that the last decision you made for him would have been made out of love for him. He was just too ill to come back to you and the call of the Rainbow Bridge was just too strong and he had to go.

has me teary eyed, you have a big heart