Pea sized lump behind guinea pig ear

[littlewinng]

I recently adopted a baby guinea (5 weeks old) I've had him for a week now and just this morning I noticed that he has a decent sized lump behind his ear. It's firm. And theres some white crusty stuff around it

I'll post pics but it was hard for him to stand still.

Obviously I'm going to take him to the vet but wanted to know what you guys might think this could be? Is it harmful to him and how much will it typically cost to get it checked out at the vet?

 

[Piggies&buns]

We cannot diagnose what it is, only a vet can do that, so all we can do is guess based on what it looks like (which might not be accurate as we can’t have hands on) - it could be a cyst or wound which is oozing, or ringworm infection.
He needs to be checked by the vet.
As for cost, then it is going to depend on many things - where you are located, US vets tend to be more expensive than UK ones but even between UK vets there is a difference between their charges, and then whatever treatment is prescribed based on what is wrong with your piggy. My vet charges a normal surgery rate of £30 just for the consultation, medication, treatment/surgery is on top of that. (You aren’t dealing with an emergency here, but my out of hours emergency consultation rate is £13@ plus medication etc).

Do he live with another guinea pig? If not, when he is well, please look into getting another piggy for him to live with. Guinea pigs are highly social animals and get lonely if they are by themselves. Your boy can live with one other character compatible male piggy. If you need advice on how to get a new friend for him, do let us know. Be aware that you cannot just go and buy a new piggy and expect them to get on.

Please add your location/country to your profile as it can help us to advise you.

 

[Freela]

It looks kind of scabby and flaky- has he been scratching? It's definitely worth a vet visit, as some guinea pig skin issues (like ringworm) are really contagious and can be passed to humans and other pigs or pets. Practice really good handwashing after you touch him to be safe! Costs really vary based on the vet in question, so do some phoning around. Some vets have a 'small animal consultation' fee that is less than a dog or cat fee. In North America, vets with experience with guinea pigs tend to describe themselves as taking care of exotics or pocket pets... they don't necessarily cost more than other vets and their expertise can be essential in an emergency, so it's worth finding a vet with experience with piggies even for a minor problem like this, it can be a lifesaver for a more serious problem down the road. Good luck!