Sudden death 3 year old sow

[Lazw]

Hi all,
So yesterday morning I went to check on my 2 sows and I found milly, my lovely 3 year old dead in her wooden house. I lost my other sow, molly in May this year and she was only 2. She was diagnosed with cancer, probably lymphoma and we decided to have her pts. Having lost milly yesterday at a relatively young age too, I am really concerned there is a link between the two. Is lymphoma contagious? I had found a soft lump under Millys chin a couple of days before, for which she was booked into the vets. She also had what felt like gravelly tissue under her armpits. She never got to see the vet so this wasn't diagnosed . She was happy and eating, pooping as normal etc Monday night so to find her dead yesterday morning was a huge shock and I'm terrified there is something more going on here, given I lost my other sow prematurely back in May. I have an 8 month old left behind, bramble and I'm so scared the same thing will happen to her. She's booked into the vets today just for a check up given the circumstances, but is otherwise healthy I think. I already have plans to get her a new friend tomorrow but I don't want to risk exposing another piggy to something contagious if that's what we're dealing with. This is the main reason for the vet visit, she's very cavy savvy so I'm hoping I might be able to get some sort of answer to my questions.

Has anyone got any idea if lymphoma is contagious, does it sound like what I'm dealing with here? I'm honestly so shocked and confused to lose yet another piggy this year unexpectedly.

 

[Claire W]

I’m so very sorry for your losses Lymphoma isn’t contagious but it can run in families. Were your piggies related? Chances are it was just sheer bad luck that you lost them both so young x

 

[Lazw]

I’m so very sorry for your losses Lymphoma isn’t contagious but it can run in families. Were your piggies related? Or it was just sheer bad luck x

Thank you so much for your response. OK so we got milly and molly from the rescue section at pets at home in January 2017, they were estimated to be 6 months old at that point. They were actually "excess stock" that hadn't sold as babies and had needed treatment for ringworm, hence their stint in the adoption corner. In honestly both had been incredibly unlucky the whole time I had them, having severe ringworm a number of times the first 6 months we had them, followed by URI's, UTI's, digestive issues, then milly needed a spay in June this year which went well. Molly became unwell quite quickly and following 2 vets visits was diagnosed with cancer, most probably lumyphoma and we decided there and then to pts as she was clearly suffering.

They didn't look related, molly was a lilac cross and milly a self black cross, however both were plagued with constant illness and I have spent an awful lot of money at the exotics vet for both of them.

Bramble I got at 8 weeks old in May to become millys new buddy, and she has never been to the vets yet, this afternoon will be her first visit since her initial health check up when I first brought her home. I really need to get her a friend, she is so sad on her own and has never not had company. But I want to be sure there is no risk to a new piggy before I introduce her to someone else.

Are pet shop pigs usually related? Even if they don't look the same? Sorry if these are obvious or silly questions, I'm just so worried I've got something horribly contagious going on.

 

[Claire W]

I’m sorry that both piggies have been plagued with illness. Sadly, it’s not uncommon in pet shop pigs. Not all pet shop piggies are related no.

It sounds to me that you have just been extremely unlucky Cancer isn’t contagious

 

[Lazw]

I’m sorry that both piggies have been plagued with illness. Sadly, it’s not uncommon in pet shop pigs. Not all pet shop piggies are related no.

It sounds to me that you have just been extremely unlucky Cancer isn’t contagious

Thanks, I'm glad to hear you don't think it's related. Perhaps we have just been exceptionally unlucky. I scared myself reading about contagious viruses that can cause lymphoma in piggies . Bramble's got her vets appointment in an hour.

 

[Claire W]

All the best at the vets with Bramble. If it helps you, I lost 3 piggies within weeks of each other back in 2013 all unrelated illnesses. But please rest assured that lymphoma is not contagious x

 

[Lazw]

All the best at the vets with Bramble. If it helps you, I lost 3 piggies within weeks of each other back in 2013 all untreated. But please rest assured that lymphoma is not contagious x

Thank you so much . I'm so sorry to hear what you went through with yours, that must have been so difficult . X

 

[Claire W]

Thank you so much ❤. I'm so sorry to hear what you went through with yours, that must have been so difficult . X

Thank you, it was a horrible time but sadly, it’s luck of the draw x

 

[Bill & Ted]

So sorry you have lost Milly, it’s such a shock when their death is so sudden like this. I lost my Bill in February, he had died overnight and he was happy and fine the day before. I hope you can find a little friend for Bramble x
Sleep tight Milly

 

[Lazw]

So sorry you have lost Molly, it’s such a shock when their death is so sudden like this. I lost my Bill in February, he had died overnight and he was happy and fine the day before. I hope you can find a little friend for Bramble x
Sleep tight Milly

Thank you, it is truly awful isn't it. I miss her little ways already . My other piggy has just had a check up as I wanted to make sure she was well in herself given it was so sudden, and the vet thinks she is so she will hopefully be getting a new friend tomorrow

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you so much for your response. OK so we got milly and molly from the rescue section at pets at home in January 2017, they were estimated to be 6 months old at that point. They were actually "excess stock" that hadn't sold as babies and had needed treatment for ringworm, hence their stint in the adoption corner. In honestly both had been incredibly unlucky the whole time I had them, having severe ringworm a number of times the first 6 months we had them, followed by URI's, UTI's, digestive issues, then milly needed a spay in June this year which went well. Molly became unwell quite quickly and following 2 vets visits was diagnosed with cancer, most probably lumyphoma and we decided there and then to pts as she was clearly suffering.

They didn't look related, molly was a lilac cross and milly a self black cross, however both were plagued with constant illness and I have spent an awful lot of money at the exotics vet for both of them.

Bramble I got at 8 weeks old in May to become millys new buddy, and she has never been to the vets yet, this afternoon will be her first visit since her initial health check up when I first brought her home. I really need to get her a friend, she is so sad on her own and has never not had company. But I want to be sure there is no risk to a new piggy before I introduce her to someone else.

Are pet shop pigs usually related? Even if they don't look the same? Sorry if these are obvious or silly questions, I'm just so worried I've got something horribly contagious going on.

Hi!

I am very sorry for your loss.

Even litter siblings can be different breeds and colourings as they can come after any of their parents or grandparents or be a mix of any two of their ancestors. There is a chance that piggies from the same commercial supply breeder can be related and that a genetic disposition can run in a breeding group that is kept up over several generations. In your case, with the same string of health issues this is a not unlikely scenario.
However, coincidences are more common than you'd expect. But as humans we are strongly wired to connect dots, even more so when we try to make sense of a loss.

There is however little likelihood that your new companion will die young from the same problem, which is assume is at the bottom of your question? If you are worried, I would recommend to deep clean any housing and furnishings and to wash any fabrics at a higher temperature so you can help yourself feeling better on this issue and that gives you something positive to do.
To our knowledge, we haven't come across lymphoma affecting whole groups or more than the odd piggy here and there, and owners of lymphoma piggies have gone on to have another generation of new piggies without being confronted with another case.

You may find the information via this link here helpful in dealing with the emotional and practical fall-out of a loss: Death, Dying, Terminal Illness, Grieving and Bereaved Companions: Information and Support for Owners and Their Children

 

[Lazw]

Hi!

I am very sorry for your loss.

Even litter siblings can be different breeds and colourings as they can come after any of their parents or grandparents or be a mix of any two of their ancestors. There is a chance that piggies from the same commercial supply breeder can be related and that a genetic disposition can run in a breeding group that is kept up over several generations. In your case, with the same string of health issues this is a not unlikely scenario.
However, coincidences are more common than you'd expect. But as humans we are strongly wired to connect dots, even more so when we try to make sense of a loss.

There is however little likelihood that your new companion will die young from the same problem, which is assume is at the bottom of your question? If you are worried, I would recommend to deep clean any housing and furnishings and to wash any fabrics at a higher temperature so you can help yourself feeling better on this issue and that gives you something positive to do.
To our knowledge, we haven't come across lymphoma affecting whole groups or more than the odd piggy here and there, and owners of lymphoma piggies have gone on to have another generation of new piggies without being confronted with another case.

You may find the information via this link here helpful in dealing with the emotional and practical fall-out of a loss: Death, Dying, Terminal Illness, Grieving and Bereaved Companions: Information and Support for Owners and Their Children

Thanks so much @Wiebke, this is really helpful. Bramble my bereaved piggy has been for a vet check up today who said she seems OK and recommends i go ahead with getting her a new companion tomorrow, she is not doing so well on her own as a young and nervous piggy herself.

The vet thinks that a stomach twist is more likely the culprit in my lovely milly.... She had a long history of illness, especially digestive issues and the fact that it happened so quickly makes her think this is the case, and the lumps were possibly just fatty deposits. Obviously she can't say for sure at this point, but she seemed fairly certain it was that, and she's very cavy savvy. Thanks again for everyone's input on this.