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pumpkin's post-mortem results are back

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pig in the city

pig in the city

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Pumpkin had a post-mortem a couple of weeks ago done by a keen vet in Alfreton. He had been losing weight for 6 months or so and was found to have an abdominal mass.
The mass turned out to be a rare type of cancer called a 'soft tissue sarcoma'- it needed more special tests to find out what 'soft tissue' it came from (muscle, nerve etc) but these were not done (as not really necessary and v expensive!).
His kidneys also showed signs of 'Moderately severe Chronic Nephropathy' (chronic kidney failure) -the report said this is a common condition in guinea pigs of all breeds causing weight loss, protein in the urine, passing urine a lot and drinking a lot. The cause is unknown as yet. It wasn't bad enough in Pumpkin to have caused his death (he did drink and pee a lot!).
So it looks like it was the cancer that killed him, poor little darling. I do wonder now if I should have insisted on surgery when the lump was first detected, but I have had bad experiences with open surgery on guinea pigs in the past. I console myself that he had good health up until 2 days before he died, and he died peacefully with his daughter and sister nearby. RIP Pumpkin xx
 
Oh how sad for you :( At least you know now and you were so brave watching the post mortem being performed. Plus, you have allowed a vet to learn more so this will be an advantage to another piggy(s) in the future.

I don't really have any advice but please do not beat yourself up with the 'what if's'

(((hugs))) x
 
awww, well at least you know now, little Pumpkin will be running free popcorning over the bridge x
 
Sorry for your loss, hope that it makes Pumpkins passing more bearable knowing what has happened to him. I recently lost Archie my boar, pictured in avatar. He had an x-ray and a white mass was showing between his organs, we are still waiting for Molly Varga to comment on the x-ray to see if she can shed any light on what it could have been. At least Pumpkin and Archie are at peace now, and I look at it this way, all these opportunities for vets to see guineas like ours should help other guineas in the future.
RIP now Archie and Pumpkin, hope you are both munching grass together over the bridge.
 
sharonS said:
Sorry for your loss, hope that it makes Pumpkins passing more bearable knowing what has happened to him. I recently lost Archie my boar, pictured in avatar. He had an x-ray and a white mass was showing between his organs, we are still waiting for Molly Varga to comment on the x-ray to see if she can shed any light on what it could have been. At least Pumpkin and Archie are at peace now, and I look at it this way, all these opportunities for vets to see guineas like ours should help other guineas in the future.
RIP now Archie and Pumpkin, hope you are both munching grass together over the bridge.
Click to expand...

Thank you. I am so sorry about Archie, he was beautiful, I hope you get some answers soon about his x ray and why he died.
My vet has been consulting with Molly about some of my other pigs with ovarian cysts. Hopefully, the word will spread and more vets will give guinea pigs the attention and respect they deserve!
 
Thanks for letting us know the results. Rest in peace little Pumpkin. x
 
Poor little Pumpkin........... :(
You could never have known what was right at the time love!
You did your best for Pumpkin and he passed over to the bridge knowing he was loved and cared for XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

RIP Pumpkin still missed so much by your whole family XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
 
pig in the city said:
Thank you. I am so sorry about Archie, he was beautiful, I hope you get some answers soon about his x ray and why he died.
My vet has been consulting with Molly about some of my other pigs with ovarian cysts. Hopefully, the word will spread and more vets will give guinea pigs the attention and respect they deserve!
Click to expand...

Sounds as if Molly is very busy, good to see that other vets are willing to ask for her advice, all good news for our piggie friends.
 
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