Tumours?

[Rachy1412]

Hi there. I'm new to the forum and was looking for some advise as I'm in limbo at the moment over what to do with my piggie. Bare with me while I ramble a little!

I have a seven year old female called Holly. Back in December/January she got a uti, she went down hill very quickly and the vet told me she had only days to live. A couple of days later she completely did a uturn and was her normal self again!

When she had a uti they tested her urine and said that her kidneys were beginning to possibly fail and upon examination one of her kidneys was all 'nobbly'. About a month ago she started bunny hopping and stopped eating again. So we rushed back to the vets. She has arthritis and a build up of fluid in her abdomen. The vet could also feel a mass in her abdomen but couldn't determine what it was. After being told again that she didn't have long we put her on metacam and she sprung back, putting back on the 200g is lost.

Now she's not eating again and has lost just over 50grams. I can also feel that huge mass still, plus loads of little pea sized ones. They're not on her skin, they're actually inside her body which worries me even more. I don't know what to do, I want to get an X-ray to see what all these lumps are but I'm not sure if it's fair on her at her age.

Has anyone come across these lumps before? I love her to bits and don't want to lose her but I don't know if it would be fair to have her prodded and probed any more.

Help!

 

[helen105281]

The other lumps may be harmless fatty lumps but she would need one of the lumps aspirated to check for cancer cells or a biopsy done and sent to histology to tell for certain. I would go for the xray as it can be done conscious and if your vet is not happy with doing that have a look at our recommended vets locator. Also the fine needle aspirate and biopsy can be done under local anaesthetic if the vet is competent enough.

Please could you confirm your location.

 

[Elwickcavies]

Ovarian cysts are often mistaken for enlarged kidneys by vets who aren't familiar with piggies. I agree with Helen that a conscious X-ray would be the way to go. From what you say, it sounds like when she is on the Metacam, she starts eating, which would point to the pain being the problem, which needs investigating further. Definitely worth getting one of the recommended vets to have a look.

 

[Rachy1412]

Many thanks for your reply guys! I live in Chelmsford, Essex. I currently use the companion care within pets at home. I'll have at the vet locator!

 

[poohbear01]

Be careful with companion vets rachy I took my old piggy there for a check up they didn't even look at his overgrown teeth I had also brought alfie my old guinea pig from there with badly misaligned teeth which the vets should of picked up before pets at home could sell him so be warned they are great with kittens just not piggies in my opinion

 

[Pebble]

Hi Rachy

It's difficult to know what to do for the best isn't it? - especially when you have an elderly piggie. But Holly sounds like a feisty girlie and has clearly bounced back from two "events" where your vet gave initially a poor prognosis

Leaving aside her current issue of the abdominal; mass for a moment, it sounds to me that the last two bouts of not eating "could" be connected with stones forming in the urinary system and, thankfully, they have been small enough for her to eventually pass them. Hence why Holly then bounces back after being in lot of pain/not eating for a bit. The stones may have been forming in the kidney and been gradually passed down through the system and out. (But some stones may still be in the kidney if they have grown too large to be passed - which could also account for the kidneys beginning to fail and the nobbly feel to one of them). Incidentally, many elderly guinea pigs have arthritis but, as bunny hopping is also indicative of a stone lodged in the urethra, then personally I would want my vet to do an Xray and proper diagnosis rather than assume arthritis was the (only) cause.

Moving on to the abdominal mass - without an Xray it is difficult to determine if this is indeed a tumour or cystic ovaries or other issue. The fluid build-up in the abdomen is concerning and I wonder if this is still present? (It could indicate a tumour - but it can also occur if the kidneys, heart or liver aren't working properly for some other reason other than cancer....and given Holly is a very respectable 7years old, it could just be old-age-related.)

Personally, rather than focus the vet on the little lumps, I would perhaps concentrate on determining whether there are stones in the kidneys/urinary system and/or a tumour in the abdomen with an Xray. A cavy-savvy vet is needed and if they can't do a conscious Xray then a small whiff of gas (rather than the injectable anaesthetic) should hopefully not be too risky.

Once you know what you are dealing with, this will help determine Holly's ongoing care and what signs to look out for that tell you when she is eventually ready to go to (or be helped to) The Bridge. From my own experience with pigs with either abdominal masses or kidneys full of stones, this could be many months away yet providing they are kept pain-free and are happy to continue eating for themselves. In these situations my vet has increasingly been using tramadol (with or without metacam) as this appears to be much more effective at relieving the pain often associated with these conditions. I have also found that wet softened nuggets encourage the piggie to eat more than hard nuggets or meusli to keep their weight maintained..

Incidentally, my very experienced cavy savvy vet detected what he thought was an abdominal mass in blind old Ginger piggy 6 months ago. Surgery was not an option so rather than do an Xray we opted for regular check-ups and at the last one 3 months ago he confirmed a large mass by palpation. We have agreed pain mamnagement and Ginger will be helped to the Bridge once he can no longer eat for himself. The difference between his and Holly's situation is that I think there is enough evidence in terms of Holly's past history to warrant an Xray for the stones issue (if only to rule it out as a complicating factor).

I hope this information has helped you to decide on how best you want to proceed.
x

 

[Pebble]

Can you get to Broxbourne to see Amir?

Vets &; Pets LTD
Amir Kashiv
Unit 11 Nazeing Industrial Estate
Nazeing New Road
Broxbourne, EN10 6SU
01992 478657

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