What Do You Know About Lymphatic Cancers And Inflammations?

[Venus]

It's a long post but in a nutshell I am trying to gather as much information as I can about guinea pig lymphatic cancers and infections and would greately appreciate all your experiences on the matter.

Last night I lost my little Vauva. (It means Baby.)
About a month ago I noticed she was not 100% normal. I couldn't pinpoint what it was but I had a strange gut feeling something wasn't right. Then I noticed she had a wet bum and made noises while peeing so I treated her with antibiotics to see if it was an infection. I have another piggy who has had several UTI:s and has had kidney stone operation so I'm pretty familiar with all the symptoms.

After five days of antibiotics she seemed to be cured from all UTI symptoms; she was peeing without pain, no wet and smelly bottom... But she stopped eating and got diarrhoea. I know this can happen so I stopped antibiotics, started to syringe feed with pellet mush, electrolyte powder, vit c, fibre etc...

Three days after she still didn't eat on her own at all and I noticed the strangest thing; the white part of her eyes had turned bright red, the other eye started to bulge slightly. Her breathing turned laboured. This happened within hours.

I could not understand what was going on, she went from relatively ok to so sick in hours, it was like nothing I had bumbed into before with guinea pigs. I lifted her up deciding I should try to palpate her body and then I noticed it, she had a huge, plum sized mass behind her left foot. It certainly hadn't been there 2 days ago, I would have felt it so it had grown fast.

It was a sunday night and the closest vet open was almost 2 hours away but I made an appointment and got my sister to drive us there. I knew she wouldn't come back alive.

The doctor told me it was lymphatic cancer. If I wanted to operate, she would not pull through (she was 4.5 years old) and in a weak condition. Also the tumor was so huge he thought that it would be impossible to close the wound after surgery. He was confident that it very likely had spread to other parts to her body and if by miracle the operation would be successfull which couldn't happen according to him, the cancer would return. He told that the tumor grew so fast because it was malignant. She also had another tumour on the other lymph node behind the right leg but a lot smaller.

I had her cage mate come along with us and she was next to her when she fell asleep for the last time.

There are two reasons why I tell all this, one is that I want to understand what happened and the second reason is that when I got back home, I examined all my other piggies and there it was, a similar but smalled lump under my oldest guinea pigs left front leg. I couldn't have felt more horrified.

Now I would like to get as much information as I can. I have spent hours researching everything related to guinea pigs lymphomas and lymph node infections and would appreciate all the information and experiences you have.

The thing is, I can't be absolutely sure if it was cancer with Baby. What if her lymph nodes were just inflamed? I asked this from the doctor and he said that the lymph node wouldn't be able to grow that huge (to a size of a plum) if it was just infection and also that the antibiotics I gave her for the UTI should have also helped if it was an inflammation. But how could he been so sure? Her suddenly appeared symptoms like the eye bulge and extreme redness happen to also be symptoms of lymphadenitis which is inflammation of lymph nodes and it is usually caused by bacterial infection.

I also think what if it was an adverse reaction to the antibiotics ( just normal sulfadiazine that is commonly prescribed for guinea pigs). Also I live in a house where the temperature is just +16c. This means that it's relatively cold and when they pee, the pine shavings in their bedding start to immediately grow mold because they don't dry up. I do remove the wet bits daily and change the whole bedding in about once a week but I'm sure there still are mold spores and small moldy bits etc that could have inflamed the lymph nodes. And I keep wondering can a tumor really grow so huge in just under a week? What if it was just filled with pus or something?

The doctor seemed to have good information about lymphomas but I dont think he was specifically guinea pig savvy. That's why I'd like to hear your opinions and experiences that you have had about similar problems.

The main thing is my other piggy from who I also found a lump.

She is 6.5 years old and has been living with the late Baby all her life. I don't know what to do with her. Her lump is in the same place where baby's lump was; under the left paw. It is much smaller, about the size of a kidney bean. Baby had similar under her other paw.

She is now the image of health, she is greedy after food, runs all over the room, chirps with her friends all the time and seems absolutely ok.

I don't know what it is but it seems to be what Baby had. They lived together so could it be something infectious? What are the odds that two guinea pigs who live in the same cage both would develop similar cancer almost at the same time? And if it is cancer, should I have her operated before it grows any bigger but she is almost seven... Would she pull through the surgery?

I am sad, I still don't believe that my sweet little Baby isn't here anymore. She was the youngest and sweetest of my piggies and I thought she would live the longest. She declined extremely fast. I need advice on what to do with my other piggy. I know I could have her operated but that might be too much for her due to her age. She is so healthy now. Radiation therapy is not offered here for guinea pigs. I read that some had used prednisone, any experiences on this? Any thoughts? Information what you have been going through with your guinea pigs?

 

[Venus]

I just went through my guinea pigs body again and found she also has a large lump low in her throat. I haven't noticed it before because it's a spot where guinea pigs usually hate to be touched and she has a lot of fur there too. Does this sound like cervical lymphadenitis?

 

[Wiebke]

It's a long post but in a nutshell I am trying to gather as much information as I can about guinea pig lymphatic cancers and infections and would greately appreciate all your experiences on the matter.

Last night I lost my little Vauva. (It means Baby.)
About a month ago I noticed she was not 100% normal. I couldn't pinpoint what it was but I had a strange gut feeling something wasn't right. Then I noticed she had a wet bum and made noises while peeing so I treated her with antibiotics to see if it was an infection. I have another piggy who has had several UTI:s and has had kidney stone operation so I'm pretty familiar with all the symptoms.

After five days of antibiotics she seemed to be cured from all UTI symptoms; she was peeing without pain, no wet and smelly bottom... But she stopped eating and got diarrhoea. I know this can happen so I stopped antibiotics, started to syringe feed with pellet mush, electrolyte powder, vit c, fibre etc...

Three days after she still didn't eat on her own at all and I noticed the strangest thing; the white part of her eyes had turned bright red, the other eye started to bulge slightly. Her breathing turned laboured. This happened within hours.

I could not understand what was going on, she went from relatively ok to so sick in hours, it was like nothing I had bumbed into before with guinea pigs. I lifted her up deciding I should try to palpate her body and then I noticed it, she had a huge, plum sized mass behind her left foot. It certainly hadn't been there 2 days ago, I would have felt it so it had grown fast.

It was a sunday night and the closest vet open was almost 2 hours away but I made an appointment and got my sister to drive us there. I knew she wouldn't come back alive.

The doctor told me it was lymphatic cancer. If I wanted to operate, she would not pull through (she was 4.5 years old) and in a weak condition. Also the tumor was so huge he thought that it would be impossible to close the wound after surgery. He was confident that it very likely had spread to other parts to her body and if by miracle the operation would be successfull which couldn't happen according to him, the cancer would return. He told that the tumor grew so fast because it was malignant. She also had another tumour on the other lymph node behind the right leg but a lot smaller.

I had her cage mate come along with us and she was next to her when she fell asleep for the last time.

There are two reasons why I tell all this, one is that I want to understand what happened and the second reason is that when I got back home, I examined all my other piggies and there it was, a similar but smalled lump under my oldest guinea pigs left front leg. I couldn't have felt more horrified.

Now I would like to get as much information as I can. I have spent hours researching everything related to guinea pigs lymphomas and lymph node infections and would appreciate all the information and experiences you have.

The thing is, I can't be absolutely sure if it was cancer with Baby. What if her lymph nodes were just inflamed? I asked this from the doctor and he said that the lymph node wouldn't be able to grow that huge (to a size of a plum) if it was just infection and also that the antibiotics I gave her for the UTI should have also helped if it was an inflammation. But how could he been so sure? Her suddenly appeared symptoms like the eye bulge and extreme redness happen to also be symptoms of lymphadenitis which is inflammation of lymph nodes and it is usually caused by bacterial infection.

I also think what if it was an adverse reaction to the antibiotics ( just normal sulfadiazine that is commonly prescribed for guinea pigs). Also I live in a house where the temperature is just +16c. This means that it's relatively cold and when they pee, the pine shavings in their bedding start to immediately grow mold because they don't dry up. I do remove the wet bits daily and change the whole bedding in about once a week but I'm sure there still are mold spores and small moldy bits etc that could have inflamed the lymph nodes. And I keep wondering can a tumor really grow so huge in just under a week? What if it was just filled with pus or something?

The doctor seemed to have good information about lymphomas but I dont think he was specifically guinea pig savvy. That's why I'd like to hear your opinions and experiences that you have had about similar problems.

The main thing is my other piggy from who I also found a lump.

She is 6.5 years old and has been living with the late Baby all her life. I don't know what to do with her. Her lump is in the same place where baby's lump was; under the left paw. It is much smaller, about the size of a kidney bean. Baby had similar under her other paw.

She is now the image of health, she is greedy after food, runs all over the room, chirps with her friends all the time and seems absolutely ok.

I don't know what it is but it seems to be what Baby had. They lived together so could it be something infectious? What are the odds that two guinea pigs who live in the same cage both would develop similar cancer almost at the same time? And if it is cancer, should I have her operated before it grows any bigger but she is almost seven... Would she pull through the surgery?

I am sad, I still don't believe that my sweet little Baby isn't here anymore. She was the youngest and sweetest of my piggies and I thought she would live the longest. She declined extremely fast. I need advice on what to do with my other piggy. I know I could have her operated but that might be too much for her due to her age. She is so healthy now. Radiation therapy is not offered here for guinea pigs. I read that some had used prednisone, any experiences on this? Any thoughts? Information what you have been going through with your guinea pigs?

Hi!

I am tagging some experienced members into your thread and also some that have had guinea pigs with lymphoma. it is becoming more common (or is more often diagnosed) in guinea pigs. So far, I haven't lost one of my guinea pigs to it that could be safely diagnosed by an experienced vet although he suspected that it could be a bottom of at least one of my guinea pig's demise (who had a fluid filled chest cavity which made it impossible to scan what was going on behind). Lymphoma is far not curable; how quickly a guinea pig dies depends on how far the lymphoma has already spread and how aggressive it is. It can range between days to some weeks.

Lumps under the feet are not typical for lymphoma. I would rather consider an issue with your bedding. Please have the lump seen by a knowledgeable vet as to what it is and whether it could evolve into bumblefoot (pododermatitis). You will have to make any further decisions based on a solid diagnosis. Just speculating won't help you.
To my knowledge, lymphoma is not contagious. It is however not at all uncommon that you become fixated on a certain issue in the wake of an unexpected sudden death, as you naturally crave answers.
Guinea Lynx :: Pododermatitis

@helen105281 @Adelle @sport_billy

 

[Adelle]

I would query something infectious. The fact her lymph nodes where so big and she was so sick,you made the right decision at the time so whatever this turns out to be with your other pig, please don't doubt your decision.

I agree with wiebke that the foot lump is likely bumble foot. This could have been more severe and the infection spread really quickly in baby if she had an underlying issue (quite possibl lymphoma of the vet was confident about that). The lump in your current pigs neck is likely a lymph node given the circumstances.

I think what you need to do is find a piggy savvy vet asap: have your other girl checked over and go from there.

Don't treat on spec an don't push for steroids- if this is purely infection based, steroids will lower the immune system and make her sicker.

A biopsy of the lumps as well as routine bloods would be my request.

All the best

 

[Merrypigs Sanctuary]

Our girl Cuddles passed away in September of Lymphatic cancer at 5 years old. She was fine one day, and the next she just seemed... Different. Still herself, but my piggy-sense was going off! On checking her out we found lump under her neck.
She was ok though - until the day she passed, when she became very weak. The vet thought either infected or cancerous lymph nodes, but she had other symptoms of Lymphatic cancer too, such as disorientation - apparently it's the most common tumour in pigs She gave an anti inflammatory but Cudsie passed away in my arms a few hours later.

I'm sorry I can't be of any more help, but I hope it comforts you to know you aren't alone in your experience <3

 

[Freela]

Our girl Cuddles passed away in September of Lymphatic cancer at 5 years old. She was fine one day, and the next she just seemed... Different. Still herself, but my piggy-sense was going off! On checking her out we found lump under her neck.
She was ok though - until the day she passed, when she became very weak. The vet thought either infected or cancerous lymph nodes, but she had other symptoms of Lymphatic cancer too, such as disorientation - apparently it's the most common tumour in pigs She gave an anti inflammatory but Cudsie passed away in my arms a few hours later.

I'm sorry I can't be of any more help, but I hope it comforts you to know you aren't alone in your experience <3

Hmmm... this makes me wonder if this is what happened with Linney. She was 6 years and 3 months, doing fine, then one day she was more lethargic and less interested in food and weak. She did have a small lump under her chin that we found a few days before she passed. She quite literally was fine one day, quieter/weaker the next day, and passed that night. There's no way to know for sure at this point, but it does make me wonder!

 

[pig in the city]

I have experience of 3 pigs with lymphatic cancer,in all they had lumps in the glands of the neck, they lost weight despite eating and appearing quite well, they all continued to lose weight until dying peacefully at home. The only treatment available was metacam in case of discomfort. So sorry about your piggy x

 

[lauraboara]

I had one of my boys die from Lymphoma and the experience was similar to @pig in the city ie losing weight but no clear cause and not particularly ill but something was wrong. Very slight teeth problem developed due to under-eating hay but that was secondary. He had some tests and the vet could feel swellings in lymph node areas eg all four 'armpits' and the neck. Whilst he was having the tests his breathing suddenly deteroriated and despite quick action to sort out fluid build up he died quite quickly , away from home unfortunately for me. The illness had nothing to do with feet and I suspect that was a totally different problem in your piggie as mentioned above.
Sorry for you loss and hope you find some answers for the remaining pig - it would be odd if both pigs had lymphoma though (just statistics wise) - lymph glands can be swollen for different reasons.

 

[Flamestriker]

I have had hamsters die from various cancers through the years, but I am relatively new to piggies.