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My piggie may have cancer and may need spaying, she was bleeding, advice please?

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Wiggie

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Hi,
Last night my 3 year old guinea pig was sitting in blood. I turned her over and she had a lump hanging out of her back passage. She otherwise seemed ok, not quite herself. In the night she passed the lump it was red and solid, she was passing some blood. She is still eating and passing urine and poos.
I took her to the vet today, she had an x ray. The vet thinks she may have a tumour in her ovary as it not quite cyst like. This does not explain where the growth she passed came from (ie bowels or womb), or if it is related to the lump found on the x ray, or at worse she has cancer in a few places. The lump has been sent off today, the results may take a couple of days.
Tomorrow I will be speaking to a vet that can operate and discuss the risks with surgery and if it is suitable.
My piggie has been wiping her bum alot. She has stopped bleeding, she is still purring but not as much as usual. If I had not seen what happened in the night I would not know anything was wrong.
Has anyone experienced anything like this? Has anyone spayed a 3 year old and what do you think?
Obviously I am very sad and have alot of things to weigh up. I was told if they operate and find she is not operable they might need to put her to sleep. Surgery is not an easy choice but if she has cancer she does not have a good prognosis.
Thanks,
Wiggie
 
I have no experience but didn't want to read and run, the only thing I can think of similar on the forum is what happened to one of Glynis piggies Velvet, the thread is here http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?93382-Velvet-has-been-bleeding&highlight= hoping someone with experience may be around and able to shed some light.

Really hope your Girl will be ok and sending her lots of love and healing vibes, let us know how you get on at the vets
 
How big was the lump. I would wait until the histopathology came back on the lump before operating. It may be a polyp that bled and has now detached.
 
Oh gosh, sorry I cant help but just to let you know I am thinking of you xx
 
Ohh gosh, what devestating news. I don't have any experience or advice, just wanted to wish your wee girl lots of healing vibes x
 
Hi,
She has actually bleed a bit more since i put out my first message, not much though. Her lump she passed was the size of a large grape, the vet cut through it. Initally when it was coming out of her I thought it was a prolasped bowel so it is covered with skin like tissue. Inside it looked like blood jelly. I am hoping it is a benign polyp and she has a benign growth on her ovary. I fear that is being too hopeful. Her sister has poly cystic ovaries and has a hormone implant she needs another soon as she is getting her symptoms back. They present hugely different. I fear the worst for this little one. I am scared of surgery. I want to do the best by her. I feel physically sick today and have cried alot. Currently she is sitting on a snugglesafe heat pad. My other piggies know something is wrong and are licking her alot more than normal today. She is with them as I feel it is best for her and the others.
Any ideas on diagnosis and prognosis would be helpful. The vet said she has never experienced seeing a lump passed by a guinea pig and does not know how that relates to the mass on her ovary. She said the edges on the x ray looked rough and patchy as you would see with tumours.
Thanks for best wishes.
 
Hi Just wondering how things are today? Thinking of you and your piggie. Sending you lots of love

xx
 
Hi, my piggie is still bleeding but just a little bit. I spoke to another vet at the practice today, she decided not to have the lump that came out of her tested as it does not appear to be a tumour, but for her to have US scan as it will show if she has ovarian cyst or hard lump. Either way she feels there is a uterine problem and possbily cyst or tumour. My piggie appears not to bad in herself. She is liking sitting on heat pads. She is eating and drinking well. She will have next test on wednesday. It appears I may need her spayed either way. The vet has not heard of this type of thing before, losing a large lump from a guinea pig womb. I feel more collected today. If anyone had seen what I saw Saturday night they would have been horrified. I thought she was going horrendously. I feel more confident in the vet I spoke to today and feel they will recommend the right thing. I am so scared of her having an operation though.
 
I'm really sorry to hear your piggie is not well :( sounds very traumatic for you but you must remember you are doing your best for her. I hope you come to a prognosis soon and things get better for you and your piggy x
 
Thanks

sport_billy said:
I have no experience but didn't want to read and run, the only thing I can think of similar on the forum is what happened to one of Glynis piggies Velvet, the thread is here http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?93382-Velvet-has-been-bleeding&highlight= hoping someone with experience may be around and able to shed some light.

Really hope your Girl will be ok and sending her lots of love and healing vibes, let us know how you get on at the vets
Click to expand...

I have had a good read of the thread. It sounds like Glynis has had similar problems with her piggie. My piggie lost a lump which was bigger, more cylindrical. Like the top of a thumb. It makes me feel that my piggie is likely to need a spay and then to get the bits analysed then?
 
Another appt

Hi,
I took my piggie to the vets today, she had an US she has cystic ovaries. The problem is that it does not explain why she lost a lump out of her uterus. As she is looking and behaving well the vet does not want to spay her at the moment. I have requested her lump gets analysed to see if there are any canerous cells to then get her spayed. We decided to give her a course of antibiotics anyway. The vet will spay her if I request it knowing the risks. I am anxious either way. I fear she has something really wrong inside her to produce a blood clot in her womb, but other than removing her womb there is no way of knowing. Unless the tests from the lump come back positive. I think the test results will be back in 1 week max.
What do you think? I want my Piggie to be well. It is unusual for me to be feeling an op is needed but I feel deep inside she has something pretty wrong with her reproducive system.
 
Hi Wiggie. I would wait and see what the results of the test are on the lump first. Would it be worth getting a second opinion from another cavy savvy vet? I don't know where you live but Simon Maddox near Northampton seems to be a brilliant vet. Mine is amazing too in Andover. Debbie from Furryfriends often boards piggies that are seen by Simon and there is always the piggie train that would help with transporting your piggie to another vet if needed. Dont think that you are own your own with this problem as lots of members on here will no doubt help if you need it. Let us know how things go

xx
 
As Belinda says depends where you are in the country and where you can get to - around this neck of the woods ie swindon / reading area i would reccommend Neil forbes at Vet referrals *.k in swindon - he has experience in spaying female guinea pigs whereas many vets only have experience neutering boys - Amanda1801 has taken her piggies to see him and tells me he also lectures at Bristol Uni, so is one of the few vets around the country who does have hands on experience of this proceedure.
 
Simon Maddock at The Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic here in Northampton is one of the most experienced vets for spaying guinea pigs. He does all the neutering ops for Tracy at Rabbit and Guinea Pig Welfare in Rugby, who neuters all the sows and the boars before rehoming. If you wanted Simon to either do the op or just advise on what you should do, you are more than welcome to board your piggie here at the sanctuary. I make no charge for boarding temporary sanctuary residents, and just rely on donations.
 
Nothing to add except how worrying for you. I hope she will be ok. :rose
 
Thanks for your advice. I feel quite confident in the vet at the moment. The vet in Northampton would be possible if I needed. I really need to find out what the results say. I will post details when I know further. If there are cancerous cells she will need a spay. I reckon the results of the biopsy should be back tuesday latest. My fingers are crossed.

I posted another thread today as my other piggy is very poorly and is in the vets now, she is not breathing well when I found this morning and she was in pain. I just hope she responds to treatment. I dont know whats going wrong, two poorly piggies at once. Its a tough time at the moment. They are such a part of my life. I have four Piggies I can only hope my other two keep good, as I can only cope with so much stress.
 
Well the results came back today she has cancer! Yesterday I was called by the vet to say Bo died and today called Peples has cancer. I lost my other piggy yesterday so I am crushed and mortified. I have to bury her tonight. I have booked Peples in to be operated on for a spay Thursday. I need I see if I can save her. She is well at the moment and I have I chance to stop her getting sick. Obviously there is a risk I will loose her. I so want my other piggy back but now I am focussing on my living piggy. I am not sure when I am going to stop crying.
 
Wiggie... thinking about you and your piggie for tomorrow (did add this to my own post but unsure if you would see it).
So sorry about Bo, its so heartbreaking but you know that you did all you could for her, no-one could have done more. Her time with you would have been very happy.

Take care and please keep us updated on what happens tomorrow. Hugs to you both x
 
Thank you so much. Its been so tough these last 2 weeks. I am crushed Bo died, she was so special, whenever I felt down she was my calmest piggy to cuddle and shes not here. I could not face burying her yesterday and I am waiting til the weekend as I need to plan what I am doing with her to make sure I do things right. Peples seems well and I am scared but I am finding it hard as I am grieving so much for Bo. I am confused if I am making the right choice for surgery but I said I would have her spayed if it is cancer and she is still healthy before Bo, so I am sticking to things. The fear is if it is bad inside. I want the vet to do her up and let her live. They warned me they sometimes euthinase if they find things are bad inside. I had four sisters and they were only just 3 yrs old a month ago I feel cheated. I am keeping all my girls together tomorrow. I cant do anything else. I never knew 3 years ago I would feel so attached when I go them. I have not even thought about what after care I will need to do for Peples. I just hope it all goes well. I am going to read your thread next. Thanks again, I appreciate it so much. xx
 
So sorry to hear of this. l;ets hope spaying her will sort things out. The vet will not euthinase without your consent, so dont panic. If they have problems they will call you mid way through surgery to discuss what you wish to do. I hope all goes well for your little one.

xx
 
Today... Peples has had her op, she has got through it. She had an abnormal womb and tricky large ovaries to move. The vet said she handled the bowels more than she wanted as it was hard to remove. I decided not to have the womb tested as we know she has already had a malignant tumour come from it and we cannot remove anymore from her. Apparently she has had a poo. She has her sisters with her, that makes me feel better. They are all in tonight.

I feel relief today I know Peples is robust. I feel positive at the moment for her. I will collect them tomorrow all being well.

I have coped better with the loss of Bo today, less tears, although I keep thinking what else I could have done to save her and my heart is saddened.... I know I got her to the vet as soon as I knew she was ill... I so wish I could have her back. I feel my Piggies are not appearing to different the fact Bo is not here.
 
Hi... good to hear that the surgery went well. Lots of information on this site about post operative care (as you and I know from the last week!).

Regarding Bo, you did ALL that you could and couldn't have done anything more, it was just her time to go. I have had many guinea pigs over the last few years and have lost them all suddenly (no ongoing illnesses or accidents). The thing with small animals is that they don't show signs of illness until it is normally too late, and all you can do is make them as comfortable as possible for their last days/hours.

You sound like you love and care for your piggies very much, so just keep on doing that for the girls that you now have. Please keep us updated on here as to how Peples is doing.
 
((copied) I just visited Peples at the vets. I fed her parsley and cucumber she didnt want anything else. They said she has not had a wee or poo today. WHile I was there she has a huge wee and a tiny poo. They said they still want to keep her there. I will hear from them later, if she poos she comes home if not she stays in. I saw my other girls there to. Peples jumped up onto my lap and climbed up my body, it was a job to keep her from being so active. She ran back and forth and I think ? cried. She has a large scar. I just need to wait and see. She licked my hands alot. I am temped to say I will like to take all meds needed and take her home tonight. I have been told if she comes home she needs to stay separate so I can monitor her toileting)).

Leigh thanks for your support regarding Bo. I guess I was in a false sense of security. She was part of a family of 4 and my first ever guinea pig pets. I have never experienced the loss of a guinea pig before now and this is the first time I have lost a pet which is 100% mine. My hubby really misses her too. She did not run away and climbed up when being picked up so she made us feel loved by her to. I could never have imagined when we got them 3 years ago we would become so attached and I have become guinea pig mad.

I will keep posting on Peples progress. I hope to hear soon if not I will call the vet.
 
Peples has come home in the last few hours. She seems bright and is making a cherping sound more than I am used to and am not sure what she is saying? She was in last night (at the vets) as she had not pooed yesterday, she apparently did a few last night. She is tucking into food no problem. She has baytril (anti-biotic) x2 per day, a gut mobility one x3 a day and metacam (anti-inflammatory) x1. I am keeping her with my other two and have just put paper down and hay in a rack not to catch on her tummy. She has nothing she can jump on. She has her belly raised up more when she is walking ? because it is sore. I dont think I have herd her cry. We dug Lucys grave today (in the last hour), I plan to put her in tomorrow morning in the day light. x
 
Peples appears relaxed and ok at times but I am a few concerns as she did not eat as much this morning. Lily is trying to mount her as I think she is trying to get dominance with the fact Bo has died. Peples gives agitated cherps to her to get away. Lily is mounting Debs and Debs does not mind. Peples had gooey poo in her mouth when I syringed her meds this morning. I got up twice in the night to check she was ok and she was seeming ok.
 
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Hi. Hope Peples is ok. It might be worth keeping an eye on her weight and maybe syringe feeding if need be. You can either use some softened pellets (such as Burgess etc) or get hold of some Critical Care. I use Critical Care with my piggies and they seem to like it.

Bee x
 
I got some critical care from the vets. No poos today, but I think she is eating some? Vets wanted her in but they cannot offer anything extra, I will keep close eye on her and take her if I need to. I can give cuddles, encourage eating, give all meds, keep her warm and syringe feed. They can offer no more. I have weighed her and will do each day now.
Its been a tough day missing Bo, I cried Sunday last week preying the vets could save her, maybe thats why I need Peples here. Lots of beating myself up today. I am wondering if dying age 3 is something that happens to lots of people. Bo had a few health problems in her life and I tried my best. I feel I lost my best friend in Bo. She would have helped me be happy if she was here.
 
oh blimey, i have just read through all this thread, dont know how ive missed it, I'm so sorry for your loss and i really hope your little lady comes through all this ok.

I know how you feel re the age 3, i have never had a piggy get past 3 1/2 and I'm getting nervous as my two current piggles are close:(

Anyway, just wanted to send lots and lots of healing vibes to your lady and a virtual hug for you for all you have been through x
 
Thank you for the support. She seems to have pooed? although i am not certain as she is in with her other sisters. I have given her, her other meds. She will get syringed food tonight about 3 am and before I go to work. She is sitting on her snugglesafe. I just hope she continues to pull through. She is definately fighting taking her meds now hard work for one person.
Virtual hugs help although I cry when one is offered. x
 
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