Possible Ovarian Cysts

[Jude]

Off to the vets tomorrow with Miss Margaret who has gained weight since we took her in last November but who has also turned into a pear!

I suspect ovarian cysts but, of course, it could be more sinister. She appears absolutely fine in herself but it must be so uncomfortable so I've booked an appointment tomorrow morning with a piggy expert vet.

Fingers crossed x

 

[Wiebke]

Off to the vets tomorrow with Miss Margaret who has gained weight since we took her in last November but who has also turned into a pear!

I suspect ovarian cysts but, of course, it could be more sinister. She appears absolutely fine in herself but it must be so uncomfortable so I've booked an appointment tomorrow morning with a piggy expert vet.

Fingers crossed x

View attachment 41200

How old is your girl?

The bum shape in adult sows is genetically determined and has nothing to do with ovarian cysts. Sows generally develop her figure while still pre-adolescent long before they reach the age when ovarian cysts can start to develop (from about 2 years onwards). Some sows are naturally more pear- or wedge-shaped than others, and some can be VERY large at the back without being pregnant or ever having cysts!

A classic example for a very round bum (typical for rex-type piggies) is my Nerys:

 

[Jude]

The bum shape in adult sows is genetically determined and has nothing to do with ovarian cysts. Sows generally develop her figure long before they reach the age when ovarian cysts can start to develop. Some sows are naturally more pear- or wedge-shaped than others, and some can be VERY large at the back without being pregnant or ever having cysts!

A classic example for a very round bum (typical for rex-type piggies) is my Nerys:
View attachment 41201

Thanks for your reply, Wiebke. I was worried as these are the first piggies I have owned. She is definitely a pear shaped pig (compared to Primrose who is more aubergine!) but I can feel lumps either side of her (just in front of her hind legs.

 

[Kerrie74]

One of my sow's was taken for a scan just before Christmas because I suspected she had ovarian cysts, her fur was coming out on both sides, she was being sexually aggressive, her nipples were enlarged and she had lost a little bit of weight even though she was eating and drinking normally. The scan showed that she had masses consistent with cysts and she's had hormone injections, her fur started growing back after the first, quite impressed but will be keeping an eye on her.

I hope everything works out for your sow and it's nothing serious

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks for your reply, Wiebke. I was worried as these are the first piggies I have owned. She is definitely a pear shaped pig (compared to Primrose who is more aubergine!) but I can feel lumps either side of her (just in front of her hind legs.

How old is she?

Piggies on a good diet develop little fat balls where you describe once they reach the end of their quick growth phase around 5-8 months old, so any excess calories go towards fat storage. They are always the same on both sides while ovarian cysts are not symmetrical.

Please reduce the amount of pellets you are feeding to 10-20g per adult piggy per day (i.e. about half to one handful).
Recommendations For A Balanced General Guinea Pig Diet
The Importance Of Weighing - Ideal Weight / Overweight / Underweight

 

[Jude]

How old is she?

Piggies on a good diet develop little fat balls where you describe once they reach the end of their quick growth phase around 5-8 months old, so any excess calories go towards fat storage. They are always the same on both sides while ovarian cysts are not symmetrical.

Please reduce the amount of pellets you are feeding to 10-20g per adult piggy per day (i.e. about half to one handful).
Recommendations For A Balanced General Guinea Pig Diet
The Importance Of Weighing - Ideal Weight / Overweight / Underweight

Thanks for your reply - I really do appreciate the information.

She is about 18 months old. I got her last November and she was underweight (700g) then - she now weighs around 1100g. I feed 2 handfuls of pellets between the 3 pigs each day plus veg in the morning and of course good quality hay throughout the day/night. She definitely loves her veg - not sure what she was fed before but she's the one who whistles for her breakfast.

Perhaps she is just a large girl - she is really long and the same sort of build as Jambo (husboar) so we thought when we got her that she would be bigger than Prim when she filled out - she's just filled out a lot! x

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks for your reply - I really do appreciate the information.

She is about 18 months old. I got her last November and she was underweight (700g) then - she now weighs around 1100g. I feed 2 handfuls of pellets between the 3 pigs each day plus veg in the morning and of course good quality hay throughout the day/night. She definitely loves her veg - not sure what she was fed before but she's the one who whistles for her breakfast.

Perhaps she is just a large girl - she is really long and the same sort of build as Jambo (husboar) so we thought when we got her that she would be bigger than Prim when she filled out - she's just filled out a lot! x

She is a good weight and has obviously caught up now and maximised her genetically determined potential.

She is still a bit young to have large ovarian cysts. At her age, it is just about the earliest possible onset of usually very small cysts that cause the hormonal behaviour typically associated with ovarian cysts. Thankfully, the majority of cysts never cause any problems although many older sows have them.