Mavis and the Ovarian Cysts

[McVoudian]

Hey everyone,

Took my pig Mavis to the vet today as she had a bit of a weepy eye (they have given some antibiotics to clear it up)

While we were there they gave her the once over. Now Mavis has always been a bit of chunk, she had a urethra stones last year and I've been very strict with her diet since then, but shes never lost any weight but has been fine since.

The vet had a feel around her tummy and said it feels like Mavis might have some ovarian cysts and isn't actually as overweight as we think she is (she weighs 1kg). Vet said this is fairly common in older lady pigs (shes 4years old) and basically we can decide to have them removed or just watch and wait, but that if they rupture its kind of a to late situation.

Her heart and lungs are healthy and other then the eye infection shes very well in herself, loves her food and runs around with her sister (Edna) very happy. So anaesthetics risk is the same as it would be if she was a younger pig.

I'm so worried about making the wrong decision, i would hate for a cyst to rupture and her die prematurely but id also hate for her to have the surgery and die that way when it would have been fine for me to wait.

Just wondering what peoples experiences are with this kind of thing, if anyone has a guinea the same age thats had the same problem. They didn't do any scans or anything to confirm the cysts, so should i ask for anything specific before deciding?

Any advice/people own experience would be much appreciate.

Thanks,
Sarah

 

[Eriathwen]

I'm sorry you've found yourself in this position, it's always a worry. It very much depends on your vets experience and success history with removal, either full spays or just removing the ovaries.

Personally I've had at least 13 spayed, all have done extremely well, I have however lost one to a cyst rupture a few years ago, she was booked for a spay but it ruptured before it could go ahead. I have access to at least 2 excellent surgeons so for me, the decision is easy, as soon as they're suspected, they're booked in immediately for a spay.

Mine have ranged from 18 months to 5 years old for their surgeries in all stages of health, so at a healthy 4 years and with a confident vet I personally would go ahead with surgery.
I do have one at the moment with cysts who we have decided against surgery for, she is over 8 years old and very neurologically impared so she likely wouldn't survive. But I would probably go ahead with surgery at almost any age in an otherwise healthy animal.

I hope your piggy does well, whichever option you take!

 

[Merab]

I’ve had sows spayed because of cysts and they recovered well.
It’s never an easy choice because surgery is always a risk.
Unless it’s urgent why not make a decision, reflect and see if that feels comfortable.
If it does that’s probably the right decision for you.