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Multiple lumps

KirstyGP

KirstyGP

Junior Guinea Pig
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We have an appointment with our exotics vet on Thursday but just looking for some advice/reassurance in the meantime.

Alfie, one of our guinea pigs currently has several lumps on him, which I noticed on Sunday night (I called the vets Monday morning and they gave us an appointment for Thursday). I'm a physio so used to palpating lumps and bumps. Two of the lumps are on his lower belly and feel like lipomas to me (smooth and not attached to anything). However, he also has a small cluster of 2-3 in his groin on one side and another couple near his armpit on the other side. These feel smaller and firmer and are making me more concerned as my mind is jumping to possible lymphoma. They don't feel completely "separate" from the underlying tissues, the way the larger two do.

Also, the two larger ones are in exactly the same place on each side, near the nipples but not directly beneath them.

Other than the lumps he is eating and drinking well, pooing normally, is bright and active and looks very healthy - Bright eyes, very shiny coat and interacting normally with Elsie, his piggy friend. His weight is stable at 1.3 kg.

I just wondered if others had had similar experiences and it not be something terrible. We've lost two of our other guinea pigs in the last two years and our cat last week (to cancer) and the thought of losing another of our furry family members feels unbearable, especially when he's so young.
 
I have had a boar with a lump under one nipple which was mammary cancer, but it was successfully removed with no issues. The vet explained that this type of cancer was very slow to spread, although that depends on whether it is even cancer! It’s interesting that there is one on each side - I suppose that would suggest mammary tissue is involved.

The lumps in the lymph nodes are concerning though 🤔

Best of luck for your appointment! It’s good he is well in himself 👍
 
Thank you both.

I've had another feel and the lumps near his armpit are actually within the webbing between his front leg and belly, rather than deep in the axilla, which I think is where the lymph nodes are located. He's looking the picture of health still, running, climbing, jumping, exploring and very vocal. I know that all prey animals mask illness but he currently looks in peak fitness! Trying not to overthink everything it could be before we see the vet tomorrow.
 
Thank you to everyone who offered advice and support before Alfie's appointment today. I thought I'd update you, as I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who's had experience of something similar.

The vet gave him a thorough examination and is very confident that the larger lumps on his abdomen are mammary growths. Unfortunately, she can't tell from examining them whether they're benign or malignant.

He has fairly large, smooth, mobile lumps on both sides of his abdomen, close to his nipples. On one side, there are several smaller nodules extending towards his groin. He also has some smaller lumps in his armpits, which are a bit of a mystery. The vet was confident that these didn't feel like enlarged lymph nodes, which was a huge relief, as lymphoma had been one of my worries.

The really positive news is that she's extremely happy with Alfie's general health. He's only two, is maintaining his weight, has a lovely glossy coat and is eating, drinking, pooing and behaving completely normally. He's his usual happy, cheeky and very demanding little self!

The vet explained that the literature suggests roughly a 50/50 split between benign and malignant mammary tumours in guinea pigs, although interestingly, most of the mammary growths she's personally removed have been benign.

She's offered us the option of monitoring the lumps or having them surgically removed and sent for histopathology. She didn't recommend a fine-needle aspirate beforehand, as she felt it might not provide sufficiently useful information to guide the decision. I've asked her to clarify that a little further in an email.,

Surgery is provisionally booked for the week after next. Because he has growths on both sides, there's also a possibility that removal would need to be done in two separate procedures, depending on whether there would be enough skin to close the wounds comfortably.

I'm feeling really torn about what to do.

If they're benign, I worry about putting an otherwise happy, healthy guinea pig through potentially two operations unnecessarily. Equally, if they're malignant but localised, I understand that surgery could potentially be curative, and I wouldn't want to miss that opportunity.

I've sent a few follow-up questions to the vets, but I'd also really value hearing about other people's experiences.

Has anyone had a male guinea pig with mammary tumours, particularly multiple or bilateral growths? Did you opt for surgery or monitoring, and what was the outcome?

I'd also be interested to hear whether anyone had a fine-needle aspirate before deciding on surgery, and whether it provided useful information.

I know every guinea pig is different and that ultimately we'll need to make the decision with our vets. I'm just hoping to learn from others who've been through something similar.

Thank you so much. ❤️
 
I feel the same about Polo. The decision to operate or not is a very difficult one. I have heard that lumps can become more complicated with veins and more difficult to remove as they increase in size. It may be easier to remove them while they are small. Your vet sounds good and has experience of this surgery. I hope things work out OK ♥️🙏
 
Hello again - I’m glad Alfie is doing so well
Just to tell you my experience
My Vet discovered a lump under Freddy ( my 4 year old Skinny pig) chin - it was moveable and he had lost a weight. As she couldn’t tell what it was she did a fine needle aspiration but the results were inclusive and he would have needed a biopsy under ga.
 
Just caught up with thread.
Sorry that you have a difficult choice to make.
I can’t advise as I don’t have the experience but offer support.
Hugs 🤗
 
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