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Rocky's scan

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Lucinda

Lucinda

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Rocky is going for a scan on Thursday to confirm the presence of an ovarian cyst.

This has been a problem for Rocky for some time. Rocky is a charcoal coronet, who used to have thick flowing locks. Now Rocky is completely bald on the tummy, and her coat at the back is very thin and dry, feels more like hay than fur.

I am fairly confident it is an ovarian cyst, and I would much prefer that to anything more sinister. If it is, and the only symptom is the baldness, I would not be keen to go on to a hysterectomy.

Rocky is also a little incontinent of urine. It may be she has a urethral stone which I am told would not necessarily cause any obvious blood in the urine.

Please send positive vibes for my darling Rocky.

RiffandlittleRockyII.jpg


Rocky on the right, with Riffy.
 
Good luck with the scan Rocky - positive thoughts coming your way!

I hope everything works out Lucinda and you get the little one sorted soon :)
 
Thank you. I get so scared going to the vet, even if it's just for Ivomec!
 
Huge vibes to gorgeous Rocky! If it is an ovarian cyst, I am sure I read somewhere that hormonal treatment can be used to shrink it rather than resort to surgery?

I will see if I can find where I read it x
 
Yes,I remember your lads well,especially the travalin pig!.

Loure `s piggy had a Choralon inject(chorianic gonadatrophin).Several of my own girls have had this with good success rate.Quite large cysts were shrunk right down.I have heard of other people who have used this treatment on their piggies.Often just the one injection will work,sometimes a second one in 4 weeks is needed.
It does not work for all pigs,but is well worth a try.

Maryh
 
I think Ginger may have had an ovarian cyst? She has so much going on that I couldn't really tell what the problem was. I just read about it on guinea lynx and feel ashamed to say that she had all the symptoms listed :( I do hope things work out for Rocky.
 
Thanks everyone and thanks for the link, Fiona. I've heard of these injections and I would rather try that than surgery. Rocky is quite frail.
 
Ovarian cysts can be drained via a large bore needle, NO anaesthetic needed.
Often they will spontaneously rupture when the pig is being examined, with no problem to the pig. They can be rather like "bubble wrap", and sometimes it is possible to gently squeeze each small cyst and it will burst. I would certainly not consider surgical removal. They can reach quite a large size and, as in so many other conditions, cause the owner more concern than the pig. However, there is nothing to be lost by trying hormone treatment.
 
Good luck on Thursday to you and Rocky!

As AP said, large cysts can be drained via a needle directly through the abdomen. If the cysts are not large enough to justify draining, then hormone treatment is the first port of call, undoubtedly.

Surgery should be the absolute last resort if the cysts are causing significant issues, though it is still very common for vets to say that a hysterectomy is the only answer.

My lovely 'old' girl Lottie had a small ovarian cyst, she had four injections in all. The first two were to shrink the cyst; the third to shrink it a bit more, and the fourth to try to treat suspected hormone-related alopecia. (Months down the line it turned out to be thyroid issues causing the continued hairloss, the cyst had long gone.)
 
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Darling all my thoughts and loves to you both xx>>>xx>>>xx>>>
I know how you're feeling and it's cause you love Rocky so much that you care so much xx>>>xx>>>xx>>>
Special vibes coming thru xx>>>xx>>>xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 
Just spoken to Emmie.

Rocky has a 2cm ovarian cyst on the right side. It's what we thought, but I wanted confirmation that it was nothing more sinister. Emmie said that because Rocky is so tiny, she could not say 100% that it was not renal but, given Rocky's other problems like baldness, I think it's safe to say that it is ovarian.

Well done Rocky. And thank you all for your good wishes.
 
Good to have a sure diagnosis. Ovarian cysts are commonly diagnosed as kidney issues. Did your vet discuss treatment yet, or is that something you'll talk about when you collect Rocky?
 
Ovarian cysts are VERY commonly INCORRECTLY diagnosed as kidney issues.
 
Little Brambles send love and hugs to Rocky for being brave x x x

One very pampered piggy tonight I expect :)
 
At the moment the cyst isn't causing Rocky any problems - the only problem being the baldness, which is only cosmetic after all. I asked Emmie about the possibility of draining it, but she wasn't too happy on the idea because of this tiny chance - which I don't believe - that it could be renal.
 
It is good to have it confirmed though, I am sure Rocky doesn't mind being a little bald! glad she is ok x)
 
Rocky seems very quiet.... she didn't have any anaesthetic; any ideas why a scan might make her quiet, other than general stress?
 
Probably a little stressed from change in routine...I would syringe her some bio lapis for a couple of days to be safe :)
 
its possible stress. as you know lucinda my 2 girls had ovarian cyst. freddies were size of tangerine very big and she recovered after 5 days. Jacques werent so big but they operated straight away but as * know she took 3 weeks of being at vets.

My opinion is the sooner you can get it done the better but its not the cyst to be worried about its being put under. good luck. at least * know hwat it is. vet tonight hasnt a clue about Henry.

Michele
 
Hormone injections should help the alopecia issues, Lucinda, as well as treating the cyst. Even if the vet doesn't want to treat for a cyst because of her belief that it's only a 95% sure diagnosis, hormone injections can be given to correct hormonal hair loss.
 
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