My sweet little Caramel had a checkup today. She is 5.5-6yo sow who was rehomed to me in late January, so I have only had her a few months. She is sassy and sweet and just a beautiful little girl. When she came to me I instantly knew she had arthritis problems and we begun pentosan treatment which seemed to help. The last couple weeks something seemed off - I thought the arthritis was getting worse so brought her next injection sooner. The vet clocked things that I didn't - bladder at first seemed tight - and ultrasounded her. That has found a mass in her uterus. They took a biopsy and now I am waiting to find if it is cancerous. Then potentially an xray to see if it is spread/surgically removable. I am devastated - I knew when I adopted her I wouldn't have her as long as taking a younger pig but 6ish months is just heartbreaking. I really did not expect that as a finding. She has been putting on a bit of weight and her overall body condition is good for her arthritis. Her other systems are good. Her coat is nice, she loves to eat and explore. Now I am struck with what ifs. I realistically clocked an uncomfortable feeling about her a few weeks ago, odd looking poo etc, - I should have made an appointment sooner for nothing else but getting her on pain meds. Doubtless I missed other signs. Her last pentosan injection was about 2.5 months ago and she was still popcorning and being silly so we didn't immidiately start it. She has started meloxicam now and I just wait to hear from the vet and give her extra little bit of love.
Hi
BIG HUGS
I am very sorry that you are either facing a make or break full spaying operation (if you have access to a vet you trust) or having to let her go.
The oldest sows I had successfully emergency spayed were coming up to 6 years old but that was with a very experienced vet who had done this operation numerous times.
What I want to say to you about taking in older piggies and not having them for long is that guinea pigs don't have a concept for an average life span. They count their own life in happy todays in good care. As long as you give them those, then you cannot lose because you are making each day count and give them that happiness they want out of life.
That is why I have never had a problem with taking on the odd older widowed rescue sow that would not integrate into a rescue's pensioner herd or a friend's last piggy; the oldest of them was a depressed 7 year old sow who lived to celebrate her 9th birthday just because she had that all important company and - after 10 months of living with a divider - even another peru diva to snuggle up with over a shared outlook on life...
But what I have done with each of my older intakes is to reset their life clock at zero and see every day as a bonus so it doesn't matter how long or short I have them. Just that they have a happy time with me in a place where they have friends and are made welcome and loved. By cherishing every day with them, it doesn't matter how they are here, whether that is just a few weeks or several years. Their sheer joy makes that extra time worth and makes the time with me feel longer than it actually is.
Including 4 years old Fflur ('Fflowers' in Welsh, formerly Flower) who sadly only had just two months with me because she arrived with not just one but another hidden large runaway ovarian cyst that my then local general vets had not accounted for before they anaesthetised her; she never woke up from her spaying op because her remaining body weight was too low.
But that was 16 years ago and things have moved on a lot since then, including diagnostics.
I still cherish Fflur's happiness in finding new love with my own older patriarch and snuggling up friendship with a sow with similar unusual markings during her time with me; even if it was not for long, after she was summarily dumped by her family when her companion died at Christmas; they didn't even wait until the holidays were over.
Whichever way you decide to go with your own girl, please hold onto the fact that you have given her in her own much faster life the very rough equivalent of 6 human years in those 6 months of happiness that she may not have had otherwise and that are making her own life worth living, irrespective from any old age and other health concerns that are not in your own control. It is highly likely that she may have already arrived with her cancer in its very early undetectable stages.
What you have done is make a big difference where you
could make a difference to the good in her life. That counts for a whole lot - and that is something nobody can take away from either of you.
I am keeping my fingers very firmly crossed for your old lady and you.
Sending support 
