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Ovarian cyst problem - pics

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hils78

Any advice or opinion would be appreciated please. My Himilayan Margalo in the following pics is having problems with ovarian cysts. As you can see on the pics she's MASSIVE. She has had an Ultra sound plus treatment at the CCT with injections which is meant to halt them growing further. Apparantly they are solid cysts which can't really be drained by a needle. They've definantly grown in the past week. She is approx 5yrs & I'm not sure she would survive a hystorectomy. What would you do? Risk a hystorectomy, send her to the R-bridge? I'm scared that they will do some serious damage soon. She doesn't seem her self at the moment either.
H78
ps the odd cage set up is due to fireworks - they're not permanantly in there!
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My piggy Meeka had exactly that problem but she was a bit older than your girl - about 6 when diagnosed. She did end up really huge but lived with them for a long time. In the end, she got so huge it prevented her from being able to groom properly etc. I then made the decision to pts. :'( She was 7 and a half by this time. I decided to let her live her days with the cysts as she didn't really seem bothered by them and certainly wasn't in any pain - in fact if it wasn't for the fact that you could see the lumps, you never would have known anything was wrong with her.

You know your girl - if she is unhappy or in pain then I probably would try to do something. Have the CCT/your vet given any indication of what her chances would be if she had the hystorectomy? With my girl, her chances weren't rated high (due to her age) which is why I didn't consider it as an option. But then my girl didn't seem bothered by them anyway.... Hard choice :(
 
She's eating fine - but she's not the first at the cage door anymore. She gets phased by things now - never used to... this is how she is seeming different. CCT said that draining them would be a problem as they are solid cysts. I think I'll call Vedra tomorrow. My vet says put everything to sleep >:( when I told Vedra that he wanted to do an exploritary to see what the lumps were (thought she was preg but would have only been a couple of weeks - & a male hadn't been with her....?) she thought it was rediculous esp as he's 'the guinea pig vet'.

I'd not though of the grooming aspect. I'll have to keep an eye on her.

Thought these were good reference pics for how cysts can look like pregnancy.
 
It does look very much like pregnancy - my girl looked like she was developing 'handles'. She had never been with a boar so I knew she couldn't be pregnant but it is easy to see how people could think that cysts were pregnancy.

Sorry to hear that your vet isn't the most sympathetic. One of the vets done my local surgery is always recommending put to sleep for things. Luckily my usual vet doesn't.

Hopefully Vedra can offer some sound advice for you. It is very difficult in situations like this - fingers crossed for you.
 
I'm so sorry to hear this. Your girl is lovely.

Personally I would have a hysterectomy done. Even if she doesn't make it, you know you did everything you could. Having a guinea put down is not something I would consider. Roger (my vet) phoned me from theatre when Scarby was on the table having the liver re-section done. He never suggested anything other than he was going to attempt to remove the cancer and a lobe of liver. I thought I was going to lose scarby, but I knew I had done everything possible.

My vet is excellent with guinea surgery. Where are you? Could you get to Bath?

These days animals have the same anaesthetic agents as humans, which only stay in the body about a day. scarby had a terrible reaction on an intra-muscular injection anaesthetic for his throat abscess, but when he had the liver tumour removed Roger used ISOFLURANE (which is v v common in human hospitals) and Scarby woke beautifully and with no bad effects - after having a 200g tumour and lobe of liver removed!

Good luck with your little one. It's a horrible situation you're in.
 
I don't think that there is a right or wrong answer here, I'm not sure what I would do if I am honest.

The only thing that is "clear" is that if she is a bit under the weather now, you are likely to have to come to some decision in the not too distant future.

My immediate thoughts were to go for the operation, as it's really the only chance she has of a better quality of life and if she passed under the anaesthetic, it would be no worse than opting for pts.
However the fact that these cysts are so large and solid, means that it is likely that your vet will need to make a large incision to remove them, perhaps making recovery more difficult and uncomfortable?

As said, you need to speak to your vet and take it from there.

I once took a rescue sow in, age unknown who had massive ovarian cysts. She wasn't 100% in herself and we couldn't pin down why, other than these cysts. We opted to spay her, again solid cysts so a big incision. Sadly, though the wound healed wonderfully, she never really iproved and we opted for pts a week later >:(
I guess that there was something else going on somewhere?

I did beat myself up thinking of what I had put her through (operation) but at the end of the day we had given her the only chance possible.

Good luck and whatever path you decide to take, you won't be wrong.

Barbara
 
Ok I've spoken to Vedra & I'm taking her in on Friday. She's going to see what she can do & advise from there. I'm dreading it!
 
Good luck Margolo & Hilary, Vedra is infamous even here in Oz.
I'm sure she will give you the best advice for your little furbaby.
Piggie kisses and cuddles to help :-*
 
Well I'm back & so is Margalo :D

I turned up & Vedra took her inside - less than 5 mins later she came out with Margalo wrapped in a towel saying she just needs an injection now to stop them getting bigger. I just thought that she had examined her but she had actually drained the cysts! One side had 3 individual pockets to the cyst & the other had 2 I think.
I am SOOOOO happy!
Got her back home & put her back with the other girls & Emily started to lick her side where there was a little bit of blood I nearly cried which is not like me.

Margalo now feels like a deflated balloon!

Well worth the 3 hr round trip :)
 
Well after a couple of days Margalo look as if shes had 3 years taken off her - she looks great! She's moving so much easier and is also grooming her rear end & back legs much more too. She was grooming before but it was difficult for her - didn't realise at the time but seeing her now has made me realise. I had them all out on the front room floor with lots of boxes to explore with hidden treats & she was actually running and trying to jump up on things. My sister came over today and she actually asked if it was Margalo - she couldn't believe the difference.

I am feeling so pleased about the outcome. She's got a sparkle back in her eyes too. And she was the first at the front of the cage today :)

I have to go back to the CCT in 4 weeks, even with the drive it is so worth it.
 
Thats great! Well done, Margalo :)

And so cute of the other piggies to take care of her..

she can be glad to have such a wonderful piggy mum like you, it must be like, 4 hours drive for you to the CCT?
Alot of people wouldnt spend that much time on a poorly piggy. Thumbs up!
 
Its a 3 hour round trip if I'm lucky with traffic. Its the time more than anything. Costs about £15 in petrol if the traffic is steady. Costs that for a consultation at my vet now.
I'll try & get some pics of her to show you how she has deflated! still does have a little middle age spread though!
 
Margalo did a popcorn today - I haven't seen her do one ever!

Will post a picture of her in a bit to show how much volume shes lost. Keep telling my OH that I'm going to send him to Vedra for the same treatment to get rid of his beer belly!
 
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