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Multiple Lumps

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Topcat

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Hello

I have joined this site hoping that someone can give me some advice as I am worrying about one of my piggies, Maisie.

I have 4 piggies (I bought two females 2 years ago, Izzy and Maisie, but didnt know that Izzy was pregnant resulting in 2 more females, Gizmo and Slinky).

All 4 of them are extremely long haired and because of this we bath them every 6 weeks and have to cut their hair.

Today when we bathed them I felt some lumps inside Maisie, when I took a closer look I could see loads of them, I counted at least 10 some fairly small but some really quite big, they are all under her stomach, groin, around her rear legs and on her side. I have read that these could be fatty lumps but I am concerned at the rate in which they must have grown as I didnt feel these 6 weeks ago. She has always been the fattest piggy and so my boyfriend hadnt noticed anything wrong when he picks her up every day when cleaning out the run etc.

She doesnt appear distressed and still eats the most out of the 4 of them so I am sure that the vet will diagnose fatty lumps tomorrow but because of the amount of them I am worried about what this could do if they keep growing, as there are so many and in so many places surely it would be difficult for a vet to remove them?

Does anyone have any advice please.

Thank you
 
Common lumps are fatty lumps (lipomas), fibrous lumps (fibromas), and sebaceous cysts.
I would not expect any of those to be the problem, from your description. It is worth considering the condition where there are multiple enlarged lymph nodes. Are there any lumps around/between her front legs and in her neck?
 
alcesterpigs said:
Common lumps are fatty lumps (lipomas), fibrous lumps (fibromas), and sebaceous cysts.
I would not expect any of those to be the problem, from your description. It is worth considering the condition where there are multiple enlarged lymph nodes. Are there any lumps around/between her front legs and in her neck?
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I cant feel any lumps in her neck or her front legs, the one near her rear leg is huge much bigger than a grape :(

I am going to take her to the vet today. she is bright enough this morning and as usual munching away so I am really hoping that this is something that can be sorted out easily.
 
Fingers crossed - at least with that info, you have a bit better idea what you can be in for and what the vet is talking about!
 
Well we went to the vets and it wasnt great news :(

The Vet seems to think that she is full of tumors along her mammary glands he was really quite shocked at the amount and size of some of them.

He said that it is either a condition that affects the mammary glands that can be cured by having her spayed and that hopefully they will shrink down or it is tumors that will continue to spread and grow which can not be treated. To do a biopsy is £200 so he doesnt suggest we follow that route as it is so costly so he has suggested that we have her spayed in the hope that this will be the cure.

We have booked her in for next Wednesday but are anxious as there is a risk that if the tumors have got into her lungs she could die :(

She seems so full of beans and normal at the moment so we are hoping that it is the mammary gland condition and that we are doing the right thing.

Will keep you all posted.
 
I am sorry for the bad news; it must have been quite a shock!

Mammary gland lumps are a lot more frequent than cancerous tumors; I hope that the op will help!
 
"stomach, groin, around her rear legs and on her side."

I would get a second opinion, something does not quite add up. The mammary gland tumours I have seen are around/in the mammary glands, not in the stomach area, around the rear legs and on the side.
Maybe I am wrong but ...
 
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alcesterpigs said:
"stomach, groin, around her rear legs and on her side."

I would get a second opinion, something does not quite add up. The mammary gland tumours I have seen are around/in the mammary glands, not in the stomach area, around the rear legs and on the side.
Maybe I am wrong but ...
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I think our vet is right as he pointed out to me where the mammary glands are and all the lumps are in those areas although there are a lot of them.

He specialises in small animal surgery so I do trust what he says, when I said rear legs I didnt mean actually on the legs I meant at the top underneath the trouble is a few of them are so big that they have taken up large areas.

Also he found some others on the chest area that I had missed.
 
Mammary gland tumours on the chest?
Mammary gland tumours when gently squeezed will often produce a discharge from the relevant nipple. I am sorry but I still question what you have been told, unless your description is not entirely accurate. I cannot imagine a mammary gland tumour at the "top of the leg". A mgt tends to be a discrete lump.
I await further information with interest, I am somewhat intriqued!
 
alcesterpigs said:
Mammary gland tumours on the chest?
Mammary gland tumours when gently squeezed will often produce a discharge from the relevant nipple. I am sorry but I still question what you have been told, unless your description is not entirely accurate. I cannot imagine a mammary gland tumour at the "top of the leg". A mgt tends to be a discrete lump.
I await further information with interest, I am somewhat intriqued!
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Oh :(

I wouldnt know where to go for a second opinion as our vet is the onlty advertised as being a small animal specialist in our area.

A lady at work has guinea pigs I will ask her where she goes.
 
I am sorry to hear the bad news, I do hope you can get a firm answer one way or another. It is such a worry when lumps appear so suddenly.

Maybe we can help you find a good vet in your area? Even seeing a rodentologist, if there is one locally, would help somewhat - even if a rodentologist may not be able to treat the condition, they could at least give you an opinion on what the lumps could be/what they are "attached" to.

You could try phoning Vedra at the Cambridge Cavy Trust on 07721 026401 and see if she knows of a vet or rodentologist in your area.
 
Vedra's phone is often not switched on if she is busy. Where are you (approximately)?
 
alcesterpigs said:
Vedra's phone is often not switched on if she is busy. Where are you (approximately)?
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I live in Middlesex.

I have read on line that lumps in the chest are associated with the mammary glands.

I have 2 dogs, 2 cats and 3 other piggies and had a hamster before the piggies and my vet has never been wrong and is extremely good, in the past when he hasnt been sure about something (one of our dogs had a very strange illness at one point) he has researched etc so I am sure that if he had any doubts as to what it could be he would say so.
 
I am having some concerns this evening about having Maisie spayed, she seems so happy at the moment and I am really scared that the op will kill her or make her really poorly and then she will die :(

No matter what the lumps are there are far too many to have them all removed she would be cut all over the place, and the vet has said that there is only a chance that spaying will actually solve the problem.

What do you think we should do ?
 
With reference to what you have read on, line are you referring to human mammary glands which are in the chest, or gp mammary glands which are in the abdomen?
 
alcesterpigs said:
With reference to what you have read on, line are you referring to human mammary glands which are in the chest, or gp mammary glands which are in the abdomen?
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Oh I am sure I was reading about Piggies.

But as I say it doesnt actually matter what it is, there are too many to remove :(

Are you a vet?
 
Claire K said:
So sorry to hear your news - please keep us updated. Sending lots of hugs. xx
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Thank you :)

I have spoken to my vet again today and questioned the mammary gland diagnosis and he said that he believes that the lumps are definately tumors associated with the mammary glands and spread elsewhere, he also said that he thinks that spaying is unlikely to change anything. I said we were more worried that we would make her poorly by having her spayed by putting her through an op etc so the spaying has been cancelled and he has told me to monitor the situation and to call him as soon as I am concerned.
 
So sorry for you - you must be feeling really down!
 
We are just feeling really gutted that they appeared so quickly and that there are so many :(

At the moment Maisie seems her usual self munching away quite happily which is good so we are kind of hoping that they are nothing sinister and just stay as they are.
 
I shall keep my fingers crossed that she remains comfortable and can stay with you for some time yet. Sending lots of *hugs* to you, enjoy spoiling her!
 
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