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Tumour in Testicle...advice please

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first_time_piggie_mum

first_time_piggie_mum

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Hi people,

I am due to be looking after my mates piggie tomorrow for 2 weeks. Today she has taken him to the vet (Pets at Home, Milton Keynes) to have his nails cut and a general health check before I pick him up.

During this visit, she discussed with the vet the fact that 1 of his testicles looked bigger than the other, and the vet has said it looks like a tumour and that the best thing was for him to be castrated.

Shes always had a problem keeping his grease gland clean, and the vet said...that the tumour in his testicle, has probably caused his grease gland to be over active ?? That sounds like a load of crap to me, but maybe one of you more experienced people can confirm that?

So, Charlie is 4.5 years old.....This isnt a good diagnosis for a piggie of this age is it? I have strongly advised her NOT to have the op done there, and I will speak to Debbie (Furryfriends) tomorrow about whether this is something Simon in Northampton can do for him.

Vet gave him no anti-inflammatories or pain killers...is that right?

Anyone have any advice for me please? Thank you x
 
first_time_piggie_mum said:
Hi people,

I am due to be looking after my mates piggie tomorrow for 2 weeks. Today she has taken him to the vet (Pets at Home, Milton Keynes) to have his nails cut and a general health check before I pick him up.

During this visit, she discussed with the vet the fact that 1 of his testicles looked bigger than the other, and the vet has said it looks like a tumour and that the best thing was for him to be castrated.

Shes always had a problem keeping his grease gland clean, and the vet said...that the tumour in his testicle, has probably caused his grease gland to be over active ?? That sounds like a load of crap to me, but maybe one of you more experienced people can confirm that?

So, Charlie is 4.5 years old.....This isnt a good diagnosis for a piggie of this age is it? I have strongly advised her NOT to have the op done there, and I will speak to Debbie (Furryfriends) tomorrow about whether this is something Simon in Northampton can do for him.

Vet gave him no anti-inflammatories or pain killers...is that right?

Anyone have any advice for me please? Thank you x
Click to expand...

It could do...

A testicular tumour could well affect hormone levels, causing fluctuations, and the grease gland is used for scent marking and such - increased testosterone could make piggy want to scent mark more. All my boys are castrated and I've never had to clean their grease gland since they've been castrated....

Just a thought!

While it's not a great diagnosis, there's no reason he couldn't have the castration done by a good vet, and make a full recovery, assuming hes in otherwise good health.
 
I would see a vet who specializes in cavies/rodents/exotics before having any surgery done- sure, a lump could be a tumour, but it could also be an abscess, or a fatty lump, or any number of less significant things. Without a biopsy or any testing, this is really just an educated guess IMO.
 
Ive got Charlie here now...his grease gland looks VERY sore. Its swollen and was bleeding earlier when my friend tried to clean it so Ive told her just to leave it.

One of his testicles is definitely much bigger than the other.

What Ive done -

Taken him off shavings and put him on towels until I can get some fleece
Weighed him - 1.14k he looks tiny so dont know where this weight is?
He is eating, drinking and interacting fine.
Ive got Simon Maddocks number and going to call him tomorrow and take him in there to see him
I will post some pics of him in a bit

Anything I can do for him in terms of soothing his grease gland? It doesnt seem to be bothering him, but I just wondered if i could soothe it any for him with anything?

Thank you x
 
Not much advice for you really, but please get your friend to change vets, ive heard stories about that vets and i really wouldnt go there. But obviously your friends choice. Maybe they should get a 2nd opinion tho.

x.
 
I don't have any advice to give, but just wanted to say that you are a good person for doing this for your friend's piggy - good luck at the vet tomorrow and I'll keep my fingers crossed for good news.
 
? Simon is one of the best Cavy vets in the country. Hes come highly recommended and a lot of people on here go to him, are you getting him confused with someone else?
 
ahhh ok! lol

No I had a bad experience with them so I wouldnt take any of my animals there again.

Heres charlie and his grease gland :(

charlie1.jpg


Charlie.jpg


Charliegland.jpg
 
He does look small doesnt he, but like you said his weight is fine.

I have to keep on top of a couple of my boars grease glands otherwise they start getting in a mess, its not just the grease the skin gets very uncomfortable looking and big yellow clumps of wax. Minty has to be Swarfegad and bath every 6 weeks otherwise he'd get sore :(
Don't know about the enlarged testicle though

Please keep us updated, and update us once you've seen Simon too.


Was nice to meet you today :)p
 
Whee wish Charlie all the very best XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

If you're seeing Simon i'd be happy with whatever he says :)
 
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I do hope Charlie gets the help he needs from your experienced vet, get well soon little piggle. Sending some healing vibes.... :laluot_15:
 
If you can arrange to have him seen by Simon, that would be great.

The weight depends on his overall "feel" - is he generally a small boy or does he look like he's lost quite a bit of weight? He is one of the smaller boars, but by no means dramatically so, just at the lower end of average.
 
Thanks Wiebke.

He's just a small build piggie but I still cant see where all this weight is as you can feel his hip bones and he looks tiny. His feet are huuuuge though bless him :)

My friend hasnt been weighing him so have no idea what his weight was before :{

I'm just hoping this swelling in his grease gland and testicles isnt a tumour :(

Heres a photo of him having a cuddle earlier, hes such a cute little guy :)

Charliecuddles.jpg
 
Awww, your taking good care of him, you make a brilliant piggy sitter.


Do you have an appointment with Simon?
 
He's being spoilt rotten Paula, he wont want go go home and I wont want to give him back lol!

Yes we are seeing Simon at 5.40pm on Wednesday, so fingers crossed.
 
Yes sorry, just had the time to get on here today to update -

Simon cant really tell me what the swelling is until he goes in to operate.

Best case scenario is that its an "innocent" swelling that can be solved with a castration. So, an abscess or non malignant tumour.

Worst case is that its a "naughty" tumour that has spread and cannot be removed without risk. In which case he will abandon the op and give me any meds necessary to keep him confortable until my friend gets back in 2 weeks.

He will also sort out the mess that is his grease gland while hes under GA.

I am hoping that its a simple castrate....He is such an adorable, gentle, loving little pig he deserves to come through it and carry on.

I am very tempted not to give him back as she clearly hasnt been looking after him properly :( Hes been so happy here with me, I would be really upset for him to go back to a miserable existence :(

So fingers crossed for him tomorrow, I know he will be in good hands.
 
Charlies home! :(|)

What a brave little fella he is too.....Tumour and a ruptured testicle sorted, and the mess that was his grease gland was a "mass growth" so thats also been removed.

He came round from the GA very well, hes eating and drinking fine. I have Metacam to give him twice daily (0.1ml) from tomorrow.

Dissolveable stitches.

Hes back in his lovely warm snuggly house in my lounge, safe and sound where I can keep a close eye on him ;)

I'm so relieved rolleyes
 
YEY! I'm so glad charlie is doing well! I hope your friend will be alarmed at the seriousness of his condition and it will make him/her worry more about him, taking better care. I'm sure he/she does love him lots.

Youve done a fantastic thing. Hope his recovery goes well!
 
To be honest Connie, I dont really want to give him back. Shes never really looked after him properly, and we've "had words" about him so many times before.

If she had been paying him a lot of attention on a daily basis, she would have noticed his testicle getting bigger, and I dont know how many times Ive told her how to keep his grease gland clean and to weigh him weekly.

Maybe now with the seriousness of the op hes had today, she will start looking after him better and if she doesnt then I will just take him off her.

She phoned me today to see how he was and I told her I wanted to keep him, so hopefully she will think about it while shes away and let me keep him.
 
I really hope she does the right thing, and lets you keep him. He would have a lovely life with you, and could have a little lady friend soon.

I am so glad he's come through this ok and at least he will get lots of love and attention over the next couple of weeks.
 
Brilliant news! Hope you are busy giving him lots of tlc tonight & that's why you aren't on here :)

Does that mean he is a neutered boar now? That opens up lots of possibilities for the future should she give him to you :))
 
Thanks guys.

yes Ive been sitting watching over him. Hes had lots of grass, hay and some dry food. His poo's look normal as well.

The area of the op looks quite swollen though, I suppose it will be for a day or so will it?

He sleeping off his very difficult day now :)
 
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