Oh No, Lump?

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

So I was just checking my little Tonks over and have found a lump just under one of her nipples

She doesn't seem overly concerned about it when touched (apart from that she hates her tummy being touched in general) and it moves around when you feel it. It's not visible but you can feel it, it's not open like a wound and there's no hair loss.

I'll be getting it checked by the vet when I have a day off I was just wondering what to expect as I'm super worried now. She's only a year and 8 months Any help is appreciated as I'm freaking out a bit!

 

[Janice C]

Difficult to say without seeing or feeling the lump but usually if a lump moves freely it’s less of a worry than a fixed or hard lump. You haven’t mentioned if you can feel any heat beneath it or any discharge at the nipple so doesn’t sound as if it’s a major problem. Keep an eye on it to see if it enlarges or changes in any way. Good to let the Vet know if you notice changes.

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

Difficult to say without seeing or feeling the lump but usually if a lump moves freely it’s less of a worry than a fixed or hard lump. You haven’t mentioned if you can feel any heat beneath it or any discharge at the nipple so doesn’t sound as if it’s a major problem. Keep an eye on it to see if it enlarges or changes in any way. Good to let the Vet know if you notice changes.

No extra heat or discharge, sorry I forgot to mention that. I'm now checking everyone's nipples, The Heart Of Darkness (Drom) is NOT amused.

 

[Wiebke]

Please have it vet checked. Keep an eye on it; if it is growing quickly, then it needs to be seen promptly; otherwise at your convenience. Lumps are one of these things that require a vet check. Thankfully the majority of any lumps are harmless or benign.

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

Omg now I'm freaking out big time, Cissy has 2 lumps around her nipples and one of them is hard. One I think is a cyst but she won't let me look at the second one but it's big and hard. I'm such an awful person, I had no idea she had it

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

I'm such an awful person I could cry, I only had her out yesterday and had no idea she had this I'm so scared.

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

Tonk's little lump was tiny compared to poor Cissy, oh my god. Cissy hasn't lost weight or changed in behaviour, this is completely out of the blue. I couldn't give her a very good check over as she despises being flipped to have her bits checked and I'm never able to do it

 

[Wiebke]

Omg now I'm freaking out big time, Cissy has 2 lumps around her nipples and one of them is hard. One I think is a cyst but she won't let me look at the second one but it's big and hard. I'm such an awful person, I had no idea she had it

Hi! Please take a DEEP breath and calm down!

Harmless fatty lumps (lipomas) are typical for the belly and come up very suddenly to quite a size. You can also get several in very quick succession. You are not a bad owner; you have most likely noticed them as soon as they have come up. One of my foster piggies developed three of them in just one week!

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

@Wiebke what could cause two of my five to have lumps all of a sudden? I was worried about Tonks' little lump but now Cissy has that horrifying mass I'm terrified, could it be environmental? I'm really scared for her, would she be able to wait for Wednesday for vets or should I try and get someone to take her tomorrow?

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

Hi! Please take a DEEP breath and calm down!

Harmless fatty lumps (lipomas) are typical for the belly and come up very suddenly to quite a size. You can also get several in very quick succession. You are not a bad owner; you have most likely noticed them as soon as they have come up. One of my foster piggies developed three of them in just one week!

Thank you, I literally weighed her on the 6th and she seemed to be fine

 

[Betsy]

Christian has a lump about an inch in diameter where his right testicle would be if he hadn't been neutered. I noticed it about a month ago and took him straight to the vet. It doesn't bother him in the slightest. He was even purring away quite happily while the vet examined him! It hasn't grown any bigger and he is eating, weeing and pooping as normal. He weighs the same too. I'm just adding it to his weekly check.

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

Christian has a lump about an inch in diameter where his right testicle would be if he hadn't been neutered. I noticed it about a month ago and took him straight to the vet. It doesn't bother him in the slightest. He was even purring away quite happily while the vet examined him! It hasn't grown any bigger and he is eating, weeing and pooping as normal. He weighs the same too. I'm just adding it to his weekly check.

So what does it mean? Is his a fatty lump? What did the vet say about it? Sorry for all the questions I'm just super freaked. I expected this might happen one day but my babies are so young

 

[Betsy]

The vet thought it was a fatty lump as he isn't bothered by it in the least. Christian is 2 on 5th May so not very old either. He is a lovely boy and enjoys his cuddles.

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

The vet thought it was a fatty lump as he isn't bothered by it in the least. Christian is 2 on 5th May so not very old either. He is a lovely boy and enjoys his cuddles.

Cissy is 2 years and 4 months What did you think of the pics? The lump is a weird shape, I'm not sure if it's two lumps or one weird big one. I'm guessing hers is a cyst and/or something more sinister

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

That's how big it is and rough shape estimate

Also I just noticed she is producing a poo in this photo so I apologise

 

[Betsy]

Hard to say from just just a picture. Best to get it checked at the vet. I can understand you freaking out but as @Wiebke said take a deep breath it may not be anything sinister at all.

 

[VickiA]

Just don’t panic. Get the vet to check them over. There are numerous benign lumps that can appear with speed causing US much alarm but causing the piggies no problems. Please just keep it in perspective. You are vigilant, you’ve found whatever these are early and you are going to get a vet to check them. Nothing more you can do tonight.

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate your support. I know I need to calm down but I feel like the worst piggy mum in the world for not noticing Cissy's sooner, they're so big

Also my main worry is that I don't have a day off til Wednesday, do you think that would be okay? I plan on taking them both to get them checked (typically the two that have lumps are the ones that hate their tummies touched the most).

 

[VickiA]

Unless they are hot or growing larger visibly (or by feel) then this will wait a day or 2. Don’t panic.

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate your support. I know I need to calm down but I feel like the worst piggy mum in the world for not noticing Cissy's sooner, they're so big

Also my main worry is that I don't have a day off til Wednesday, do you think that would be okay? I plan on taking them both to get them checked (typically the two that have lumps are the ones that hate their tummies touched the most).

They are quite a normal size for new lumps in my experience; they really come up like that out of nowhere - nothing to do with you being a bad owner! It always comes as more of a shock to the owner than the piggy.

As long as the lump is not growing so fast that could literally watch it (i.e. tripling in size in 24 hours), you have the time to wait until Wednesday. Most lumps settle down after the first initial growth, thankfully, and grow on much more slowly afterwards.

 

[VickiA]

They are quite a normal size for new lumps in my experience; they really come up like that out of nowhere - nothing to do with you being a bad owner! It always comes as more of a shock to the owner than the piggy.

As long as the lump is not growing so fast that could literally watch it (i.e. tripling in size in 24 hours), you have the time to wait until Wednesday. Most lumps settle down after the first initial growth, thankfully and grow on much more slowly afterwards.

I’ve had some dramatic lumps appear literally overnight that have had me running to the vets, only for them to be diagnosed as benign, left alone never to grow further. I’m much more relaxed unless they look and feel like an abscess (growing and hot and sore for the piggy).

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

Okay thank you so much guys, I'll check it again tomorrow and see if they've grown. I'll keep you posted. Poor babies

 

[Wiebke]

View attachment 80520

That's how big it is and rough shape estimate

Also I just noticed she is producing a poo in this photo so I apologise

It looks pretty much like my temporary foster piggy George's collection of 3 fatty lumps in 2015, to be honest. His came up in a cluster as well. Not very sightly, but totally harmless!
You can see the swelling on the right side - it is actually three different lumps when you feel around. It did come up like that! I took this picture for his owner.

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

It looks pretty much like my temporary foster piggy George's collection of 3 fatty lumps in 2015, to be honest. His came up in a cluster as well. Not very sightly, but totally harmless!
You can see the swelling on the right side - it is actually three different lumps when you feel around. It did come up like that! I took this picture for his owner.
View attachment 80521

Oh wow that does look very similar. Did he just live with it?

I think Cissy may have at least one cyst as the bald one almost looks like it has a head on it, idk if you can see from the pics. Hopefully the rest are fatty lumps, it does sound exactly like what you described, like a cluster. Lord knows how I'm gunna keep her clean!

 

[Wiebke]

Oh wow that does look very similar. Did he just live with it?

I think Cissy may have at least one cyst as the bald one almost looks like it has a head on it, idk if you can see from the pics. Hopefully the rest are fatty lumps, it does sound exactly like what you described, like a cluster. Lord knows how I'm gunna keep her clean!

Yes, he lived with them and died with them at the high age of nearly 8 years old over a year later. Some piggies can be very prone to fatty lumps for some reason and get up to 30. They are rarely operated as they are harmless (they are basically a lump of fatty tissue) and don't hinder the piggy at all, they are just unsightly.
As long as they do not change drastically, you do not have to hurry to the vet or worry yourself to shreds!

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

Yes, he lived with them and died with them at the high age of nearly 8 years old over a year later. Some piggies can be very prone to fatty lumps for some reason and get up to 30. They are rarely operated as they are harmless (they are basically a lump of fatty tissue) and don't hinder the piggy at all, they are just unsightly.
As long as they do not change drastically, you do not have to hurry to the vet or worry yourself to shreds!

Thank you, yes I worry so much about the piggies. They're my world, I just don't handle being so powerless with their health very well. I do feel a bit better now though, it's so easy to think the worst when you see a mass like that.

If it is a cyst would they have to sedate her to drain it? I highly doubt she would allow anyone to have her tummy out at all let alone if it'll be painful.

I don't mind if she's healthy but with unsightly lumps and bumps, she'll take after me if that's the case

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you, yes I worry so much about the piggies. They're my world, I just don't handle being so powerless with their health very well. I do feel a bit better now though, it's so easy to think the worst when you see a mass like that.

If it is a cyst would they have to sedate her to drain it? I highly doubt she would allow anyone to have her tummy out at all let alone if it'll be painful.

I don't mind if she's healthy but with unsightly lumps and bumps, she'll take after me if that's the case

Unlike ovarian cysts, most cysts in the skin are left be as much as possible. They tend to refill and regrow rather quickly. Fatty lumps are solid.

 

[Tim]

I have no more advise to add to what has already been said, but would like to send heart felt huge hugs and wish you all the best with the vet visit. Massive hugs once again hun xx

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

Unlike ovarian cysts, most cysts in the skin are left be as much as possible. They tend to refill and regrow rather quickly. Fatty lumps are solid.

Ah okay, thanks Wasn't sure if it was similar to an abscess being treated!

I have no more advise to add to what has already been said, but would like to send heart felt huge hugs and wish you all the best with the vet visit. Massive hugs once again hun xx

Thanks Tim I feel a bit calmer about it today but still worried, can't wait to get her to the vet and get her sorted out now. Hugs are always appreciated! xx

 

[Betsy]

Ah okay, thanks Wasn't sure if it was similar to an abscess being treated!



Thanks Tim I feel a bit calmer about it today but still worried, can't wait to get her to the vet and get her sorted out now. Hugs are always appreciated! xx

@Tim gives lovely hugs too!