Soft lump

[Little Ones]

Everything definitely does come at once. Little has gone through so much the past month or so with going blind in one eye, to have gut and dental issues completely out of nowhere, and now he has a lump
The lump is just behind his left shoulder blade area, feels soft, and seems to have appeared out of nowhere. I generally feel for lumps on him as he’s fuzzy, but also about 3 years ago he developed a puss-filled lump on his back which was removed (obviously what he has now isn’t the same thing). I don’t think it’s something I would’ve missed, so it seems like it’s getting bigger quite quickly - I could be wrong though. It’s 3cm by 2cm, but that’s a rough estimation and also could be wrong.
Anyway, what could this be? What should I do? I’d ideally take him to my vet but she is now not taking appointments due to the virus. Thanks in advance.

 

[Seven7]

Sorry to hear about this.
Thst doesn’t sound good especially if it is growing rapidly. Many clinics are closed in the US too.
Maybe experts here have some suggestions for you. @Wiebke and @VickiA

 

[Little Ones]

Sorry to hear about this.
Thst doesn’t sound good especially if it is growing rapidly. Many clinics are closed in the US too.
Maybe experts here have some suggestions for you. @Wiebke and @VickiA

Thank you. I could be wrong about it suddenly being there, but I’m sure I would’ve felt it otherwise

 

[Wiebke]

Everything definitely does come at once. Little has gone through so much the past month or so with going blind in one eye, to have gut and dental issues completely out of nowhere, and now he has a lump
The lump is just behind his left shoulder blade area, feels soft, and seems to have appeared out of nowhere. I generally feel for lumps on him as he’s fuzzy, but also about 3 years ago he developed a puss-filled lump on his back which was removed (obviously what he has now isn’t the same thing). I don’t think it’s something I would’ve missed, so it seems like it’s getting bigger quite quickly - I could be wrong though. It’s 3cm by 2cm, but that’s a rough estimation and also could be wrong.
Anyway, what could this be? What should I do? I’d ideally take him to my vet but she is now not taking appointments due to the virus. Thanks in advance.

Hi

Try to google for vets in your area that are still running an emergency service, especially if the lumps keeps growing fast.
Runaway lumps are not nice at the best of times but need to be dealt with as promptly as possible; it could be an abscess, a cyst or a fatty lump blowing up out of nowhere; only if you are very unlucky is it a tumour.
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment

 

[Bill & Ted]

Sending you hugs, hope it’s nothing serious x

 

[Little Ones]

Hi

Try to google for vets in your area that are still running an emergency service, especially if the lumps keeps growing fast.
Runaway lumps are not nice at the best of times but need to be dealt with as promptly as possible; it could be an abscess, a cyst or a fatty lump blowing up out of nowhere; only if you are very unlucky is it a tumour.
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment

Thinking about it, I’m not sure how we’d even get to the vets at all. All exotic vets are about at least a 40 min drive from me. In my household there is just me and my mum and neither of us drive, I usually rely on friends or a family member to take me there, so now I really don’t know what to do as everyone is isolating. I could get to a regular vet by taxi, but that appointment might be close to useless.
Should I keep my eye on it, or ideally do I need to treat this as a matter of urgency - which I would if the circumstances are different?

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

Is it mobile? Does it feel attached to anything? Does it feel like fluid under the skin?

 

[Wiebke]

Thinking about it, I’m not sure how we’d even get to the vets at all. All exotic vets are about at least a 40 min drive from me. In my household there is just me and my mum and neither of us drive, I usually rely on friends or a family member to take me there, so now I really don’t know what to do as everyone is isolating. I could get to a regular vet by taxi, but that appointment might be close to useless.
Should I keep my eye on it, or ideally do I need to treat this as a matter of urgency - which I would if the circumstances are different?

How is the lump this morning - has it doubled, tripled or quadrupled in size overnight? In this case, it needs to be seen by whoever asap. If the lump is still the same as yesterday, it is not an emergency and you can see a vet during normal opening hours at your discretion. Lumps can often come up suddenly to quite a size but then stay put while others just keep on growing at such a speed that you feel you can watch them - tripling or quadrupling in size within 24 hours. The latter variety is an emergency.

Have a feel whether the lump is sitting loosely in the skin (i.e. harmless) or whether it is firmly attached to the body (needs to be vet checked sooner rather than later).

In any emergency, if a general vet is what you can see, then a general vet it is! You do what you can. You do not necessarily need a Rolls Royce to save your piggy's life when a bicycle can do the trick just as well and give your piggy that precious chance to make it through. I am certainly not choosy in that kind of situation!

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

If it's not growing quickly, I would wait to find an experienced vet. I am going through a nightmare at the moment, due to an abscess not being dealt with properly, resulting in a huge percentage of the guinea pig's body being invaded by the abscess! This all happened due to a vet doing a fine needle aspiration of an abscess, causing it to leak under the skin!

However, if it is growing quickly, then you will need to get an earlier appointment.

 

[alpacasqueak]

Hope all goes well with Little @Little Ones and it’s nothing to worry about xx

That poor piggy @furryfriends (TEAS) he’s really been left with a lot to deal with after that useless vet appt Hope he improves soon xx

 

[Little Ones]

Is it mobile? Does it feel attached to anything? Does it feel like fluid under the skin?

How is the lump this morning - has it doubled, tripled or quadrupled in size overnight? In this case, it needs to be seen by whoever asap. If the lump is still the same as yesterday, it is not an emergency and you can see a vet during normal opening hours at your discretion. Lumps can often come up suddenly to quite a size but then stay put while others just keep on growing at such a speed that you feel you can watch them - tripling or quadrupling in size within 24 hours. The latter variety is an emergency.

Have a feel whether the lump is sitting loosely in the skin (i.e. harmless) or whether it is firmly attached to the body (needs to be vet checked sooner rather than later).

In any emergency, if a general vet is what you can see, then a general vet it is! You do what you can. You do not necessarily need a Rolls Royce to save your piggy's life when a bicycle can do the trick just as well and give your piggy that precious chance to make it through. I am certainly not choosy in that kind of situation!

The lump seems to be the same size as yesterday, and is sitting in the skin rather than attached to the body as the lump moves around with his skin. I want to say that it feels kind of like it is filled with fluid, it’s not obvious though but it seems very slightly squishy and it gives me the feeling like it could burst if I feel it too hard rather than feel to be a solid but soft lump.
If necessary then going to a general vet seems the sensible thing to do if I can’t get to the exotics.

If it's not growing quickly, I would wait to find an experienced vet. I am going through a nightmare at the moment, due to an abscess not being dealt with properly, resulting in a huge percentage of the guinea pig's body being invaded by the abscess! This all happened due to a vet doing a fine needle aspiration of an abscess, causing it to leak under the skin!

However, if it is growing quickly, then you will need to get an earlier appointment.

Yes, I’ve been following Zoltan’s progress on the Facebook page, it’s so sad what happened to him, he seems like such a sweetheart.
Does what Little have seem like an abscess? If so, what’s the correct thing to do? Ideally, I want to wait until Ellie starts working as I trust her the most now with guinea pigs as she has so much experience, but I’m not sure when this will be and I don’t know then how comfortable I’d be with my previous exotic vet as things still could be a bit iffy at times, and if Zoltan’s aspiration went horrible then I’m not sure I’d have much confidence in a general vet. Is an abscess something that can wait, if that’s what I appear to be dealing with?

 

[Wiebke]

The lump seems to be the same size as yesterday, and is sitting in the skin rather than attached to the body as the lump moves around with his skin. I want to say that it feels kind of like it is filled with fluid, it’s not obvious though but it seems very slightly squishy and it gives me the feeling like it could burst if I feel it too hard rather than feel to be a solid but soft lump.
If necessary then going to a general vet seems the sensible thing to do if I can’t get to the exotics.


Yes, I’ve been following Zoltan’s progress on the Facebook page, it’s so sad what happened to him, he seems like such a sweetheart.
Does what Little have seem like an abscess? If so, what’s the correct thing to do? Ideally, I want to wait until Ellie starts working as I trust her the most now with guinea pigs as she has so much experience, but I’m not sure when this will be and I don’t know then how comfortable I’d be with my previous exotic vet as things still could be a bit iffy at times, and if Zoltan’s aspiration went horrible then I’m not sure I’d have much confidence in a general vet. Is an abscess something that can wait, if that’s what I appear to be dealing with?

If it is not a runaway lump, then it is most likely a sebaceous cyst with the typical soft cheesy filling. An abscess on the go would have been much larger this morning and would have needed to be seen and lanced asap.

Just keep it under observation for the time being and see a vet if it grows further. But it is not an emergency at the moment. it may need removal at some point, especially if it is impeding movement.

 

[Claire W]

I am so sorry that you are going through this

 

[Little Ones]

If it is not a runaway lump, then it is most likely a sebaceous cyst with the typical soft cheesy filling. An abscess on the go would have been much larger this morning and would have needed to be seen and lanced asap.

Just keep it under observation for the time being and see a vet if it grows further. But it is not an emergency at the moment. it may need removal at some point, especially if it is impeding movement.

Right okay, thank you. I’ll keep my eye on it!

I am so sorry that you are going through this

Thank you, I’m more sorry for him really, he’s dealing with a lot in a short space of time he’s going to be 6 this year so I think I’m just hoping that all the issues he’s facing are isolated instances rather than it meaning he’s running out of time. I don’t know what I’d do without him.

 

[Claire W]

Right okay, thank you. I’ll keep my eye on it!


Thank you, I’m more sorry for him really, he’s dealing with a lot in a short space of time he’s going to be 6 this year so I think I’m just hoping that all the issues he’s facing are isolated instances rather than it meaning he’s running out of time. I don’t know what I’d do without him.

Hopefully he’s got plenty of time left with you yet

 

[Wiebke]

Right okay, thank you. I’ll keep my eye on it!


Thank you, I’m more sorry for him really, he’s dealing with a lot in a short space of time he’s going to be 6 this year so I think I’m just hoping that all the issues he’s facing are isolated instances rather than it meaning he’s running out of time. I don’t know what I’d do without him.

Concentrate on making the best of what time he has left ( hopefully quite a bit more) and cherish every day with him as a special gift! Pets have by their very nature a shorter life span than humans; if you make the best of whatever time you have, then it is going to be much easier to deal with the loss for you in the longer term. I always reset the clock at zero and count every extra day as a special boon in this kind of situation.
How long a pet is with you and what they ultimately die from is out of your control, but how much love and fun you fill the time with that you have them on loan from above is well within your means. It is never the length of life but the quality of what you do with it that is crucial. You can fill a surprisingly short space of time with a life time's worth of love and fun.
That is why my golden oldies adoptees always seem to have been with me for much longer than the calendar says - I have given them the best time and they have repaid me tenfold with their joy.

The more happy and precious memories you can create, the better - they are what stays with you and warms your heart for the rest of your human life. You never lose a beloved one completely but it is up to you to fill the nest in your heart with a treasure trove of happy memories or to leave it empty to be overtaking by your dread and your feelings of loss.
Enrichment Ideas for Guinea Pigs

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

It sounds like a sebaceous cyst. Just monitor for now. The scary thing with Zoltan’s issue, is that it was an exotic vet who caused this total disaster and then failed to notice what had happened. It’s still very touch and go as to whether he’ll recover, as the abscess is still producing a huge amount of pus and tracking through a huge part of his body.

 

[Wiebke]

Right okay, thank you. I’ll keep my eye on it!


Thank you, I’m more sorry for him really, he’s dealing with a lot in a short space of time he’s going to be 6 this year so I think I’m just hoping that all the issues he’s facing are isolated instances rather than it meaning he’s running out of time. I don’t know what I’d do without him.

PS: Lumps in older guinea pigs are not at all uncommon. My Tesni was 6 years old when a relatively small sebaceous cyst sitting very awkwardly right next to her genitalia burst and got infection and my Hafren was just short of 7 years when a long term monitored sebaceous cyst decided to pick up speed and promptly burst while my piggy savvy vet was on summer holiday. Both girls have come through their removal ops well and have lived some time longer. More of my elderlies have died with (but not from) larger sebaceous cysts in places that would not impede their movement or at increased risk of obstruction/infection.

 

[Little Ones]

Concentrate on making the best of what time he has left ( hopefully quite a bit more) and cherish every day with him as a special gift! Pets have by their very nature a shorter life span than humans; if you make the best of whatever time you have, then it is going to be much easier to deal with the loss for you in the longer term. I always reset the clock at zero and count every extra day as a special boon in this kind of situation.
How long a pet is with you and what they ultimately die from is out of your control, but how much love and fun you fill the time with that you have them on loan from above is well within your means. It is never the length of life but the quality of what you do with it that is crucial. You can fill a surprisingly short space of time with a life time's worth of love and fun.
That is why my golden oldies adoptees always seem to have been with me for much longer than the calendar says - I have given them the best time and they have repaid me tenfold with their joy.

The more happy and precious memories you can create, the better - they are what stays with you and warms your heart for the rest of your human life. You never lose a beloved one completely but it is up to you to fill the nest in your heart with a treasure trove of happy memories or to leave it empty to be overtaking by your dread and your feelings of loss.
Enrichment Ideas for Guinea Pigs

Thank you, you’re completely right (as always). Little has been healthy all his life, and vet visits were only ever few and far between for him, so now that he’s got several things wrong with him at once reality is hitting me that he’s not going to be here forever. I’d had it in my head that he’d love to being very old because of his resilience and good health, but problems really do sneak up on you. I know that if I’m constantly doing my best for him, then I won’t feel any guilt when he does pass. He and I have cuddles almost every day which we both love equally, it’s a nice feeling to know that he is always up for one no matter what and he’ll just snuggle down and close his eyes.
Thank you for sharing about your own piggies, it is very reassuring. I’ll definitely be making sure to fill his days with as much fun as possible - besides with the quarantine situation I have nearly all the time in the world right now.

 

[Little Ones]

It sounds like a sebaceous cyst. Just monitor for now. The scary thing with Zoltan’s issue, is that it was an exotic vet who caused this total disaster and then failed to notice what had happened. It’s still very touch and go as to whether he’ll recover, as the abscess is still producing a huge amount of pus and tracking through a huge part of his body.

I have everything crossed that he’ll make a full recovery, he’s in the best hands anyway it’s awful because you think you’re doing the right thing by going to an exotic vet to sort out the problem, only to make it worse. My previous exotic vet knew a lot about Guinea pigs but had more knowledge about (and preferred to work with) other exotic species, it definitely shows that picking your vet is so important.

 

[Gadzy]

Hi,

I had a guniea pig pass away before Christmas, but she had a lump in exactly the same area underneath her shoulder near her foot which started off fairly small and went to like the size of a golf ball or maybe bigger. The vet checked it to and she called it a "fatty lump" because the small amount of liquid which came from there was rather oily. The only worry was if he hampered her walking but she lived to about six and a half and ate like a horse and seemed rather chirpy. Sadly she had a lump grow on the bridge of her nose which got bigger and bigger and made her blind in one eye. She was eating still but it was really bothering her. She was trying to whack it off every day and was constantly bleeding. The vet IMMEDIATELY said it's time to put her to sleep. I still worry if I made the right choice, but she was definitely bothered by it and constantly bashing it. It had grown rapidly in weeks and was pressuring her eye. However, the lump on her shoulder she didn't seem to mind

It sounds like a fatty lump which are non cancerous.

 

[Little Ones]

Hi,

I had a guniea pig pass away before Christmas, but she had a lump in exactly the same area underneath her shoulder near her foot which started off fairly small and went to like the size of a golf ball or maybe bigger. The vet checked it to and she called it a "fatty lump" because the small amount of liquid which came from there was rather oily. The only worry was if he hampered her walking but she lived to about six and a half and ate like a horse and seemed rather chirpy. Sadly she had a lump grow on the bridge of her nose which got bigger and bigger and made her blind in one eye. She was eating still but it was really bothering her. She was trying to whack it off every day and was constantly bleeding. The vet IMMEDIATELY said it's time to put her to sleep. I still worry if I made the right choice, but she was definitely bothered by it and constantly bashing it. It had grown rapidly in weeks and was pressuring her eye. However, the lump on her shoulder she didn't seem to mind

It sounds like a fatty lump which are non cancerous.

I’m so sorry for your loss id like to get it checked out at the vets but the current situation just makes it so difficult, hopefully it doesn’t get bigger or cause any issues! Bless her, I think you will have made the right decision, you know in your heart that you wouldn’t have had to her PTS if there was another kinder option, so don’t question yourself.