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Sebaceous Cyst?

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Gem789

Gem789

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Hi everyone.My guinea pig Guiseppe has had a lump on his face for a while now and has been checked out by my local vets and Simon maddock.When I got him to Simon the lump had gone down loads and Simon could hardly see it and said it's most likely tissue damage.The lump swelled up again and I was gonna book him in with Simon again but this morning it has burst and some liquid has leaked down his chin.Hes on metacam just in case and hes still eating etc.His eye is weepy too so I imagine the lump must be effecting it as he's been on eye drops but to no effect.Does this sound like a sebaceous cyst?
 
It could possibly be, as sebaceous cysts can burst. In my experience the contents of a sebaceous cyst tends to be more of a thick paste like consistency, which wouldn't run.

If his eye is weepy too, then it could be an abscess that is affecting his eye also. I'd definitely get it checked out as an abscess would need antibiotics.
 
Jaycey said:
It could possibly be, as sebaceous cysts can burst. In my experience the contents of a sebaceous cyst tends to be more of a thick paste like consistency, which wouldn't run.

If his eye is weepy too, then it could be an abscess that is affecting his eye also. I'd definitely get it checked out as an abscess would need antibiotics.
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I thought abscess too but Simon said if it was there'd be a hole from where it had burst so I'm not sure x
 
If it were tissue damage though, then there'd be nothing to leak out.

My avatar boy had a lump on his face last year, it was just under his eye. Simon wasn't able to determine exactly what it was, but we decided to have it surgically removed for a few reasons. 1) We didn't want to let it become a problem and affect his eye or teeth 2) there's not much skin in that area so if we let it grow and then it needed to be removed there wouldn't be much skin to sew over a big hole.

Simon did the surgery, and he was fine afterwards. He was a tough looking guy for a while, shaved face and a few stitches!
 
I don't know about cysts or abscess, maybe a trip to Simon though. He'll know straight away what it is. Also about the eyes.
 
If you noticed a horrible smell then yes it'll be an abscess. I nearly passed out at the vet's with Isobels lol it's so grim
 
You can't miss the smell of an abscess. I can constantly smell abscess. Not sure if it's because I deal with abscesses every day of my life, so the smell just stays with me, or whether it is because Benji cuddles into me and then the smell gets on me. I am probably known locally as 'the smelly woman'. ha ha
 
You can't miss the smell of an abscess! The sooner it gets treated, the better!

It is very likely that the eye is affected by the abscess, too.
 
Gem789 said:
I've got him booked in tomorrow evening as I didn't have a way to get there today.
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Wash the abscess with saline solution (1 teaspoon of salt in 1/2 pint of boiled, cooled water).

All the best! Abscesses tend to come up very quickly once they get going.
 
Wiebke said:
Wash the abscess with saline solution (1 teaspoon of salt in 1/2 pint of boiled, cooled water).

All the best! Abscesses tend to come up very quickly once they get going.
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Thanks for the advice.What I can't understand is that he seems fine in himself and was even popcorning earlier.Id imagine him to be in pain with an abscess x
 
Gem789 said:
Thanks for the advice.What I can't understand is that he seems fine in himself and was even popcorning earlier.Id imagine him to be in pain with an abscess x
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It depends on where the abscess sits and what it impacts on. Normally all discomfort from the pressure from the growing abscess disappears instantly as soon as the abscess is burst or lanced.
 
Wiebke said:
It depends on where the abscess sits and what it impacts on. Normally all discomfort from the pressure from the growing abscess disappears instantly as soon as the abscess is burst or lanced.
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Ah that makes sense then that it burst today and he's popcorning so it must be a relief for him x
 
Guiseppe has got an abscess, Simon wondered if his cage mate had bit him as his teeth are fine but that seems unlikely.Ive got to flush it out twice a day and he's on Zithromax and metacam.
 
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