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Poorly Ruby

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Leilalouise

Leilalouise

Junior Guinea Pig
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Help! Have any of you come across this symptom before?
I picked up Ruby earlier and noticed what I thought were dirty stains on her back leg & foot but when I cleaned it off it was actually dried blood. I had a good look at her but couldn't find any sign of injury and her bits looked normal with no sign of UTI. I then had a prod around and found quite a large finger-sized lump to the side of her nipple and extending down her tummy towards her bits. I felt my way around the lump to see if it was hard, soft, fixed, moveable etc. and to my horror when I squeezed the lump gently fresh red blood came running out of her nipple and ran down my hand! Only description which fits is like milking a cow! There's no sign of any infection such as redness, heat, pus or anything and I don't know what it could be, other than bad news - ?mammary tumour. I am taking her to the vets first thing Monday (she's behaving & eating normally otherwise) but just wondered if anyone could shed some light on this one for me. Any help would be very very much appreciated. Thanks. xx
 
Ooh, that doesn't sound nice. The only thing I would suspect would be mammary tumour, however I have no experience of this so don't really have a clue ?/. I hope it's not a tumour though. Wishing you luck at the vets on Monday. Fingers and paws are crossed for her.
 
Phew! Just to say that lovely vet has given Ruby the all-clear for mammary tumour. She has mastitis so just needs Baytril and Metacam and back for a check up in a week. Thanks for your help.
 
Update - several days later & I am doubting the vet's diagnosis. I've researched the symptoms of mastitis and Ruby has none of them. In fact I weighed her this morning and she has put on weight in the last week, something she wouldn't do if she was in pain and miserable with infection and inflammation? She's eating normally, running around like an idiot and doesn't care if you poke and prod her. The nipple is still bleeding when you press the lump but I can't see any sign of pus and the nipple is nice and soft. Could someone please let me know what their pigs were like with mastitis so I can compare? Reading symptoms isn't as good as someone with experience. Thanks.
 
Further update - Poor Ruby had to be put to sleep last night. After weeks of antibitoics with no effect it turned out that the lump was a mammary tumour after all. She had surgery to remove it two weeks ago then had to have another operation a week ago as the wound had opened up and some of the flesh had died. She went back to the vets three times since then and last night the vet advised that the wound just wasn't going to heal. There was a pocket of infected tissue in her stomach and the flesh was dying. She had two options, undergo yet another operation with likelihood of poor outcome due to the massive amount of tissue/organ involvement or PTS. The vet suggested that the second option would be kindest so after lots of cuddles and tears Ruby went away. She is now buried in the pot in my garden with BillyPig so they both have company.
 
Aw poor Ruby and you! I'm so so sorry that happened. You did your best for her to try and find out what it was. Sadly sometimes we just can't do enough.
Big hugs and at least she had you looking after her while she was poorly

xx
 
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