Yellow hard lump of gloop under chin

[wind1]

My guineas are a constant worry to me at the moment. Having lost 3 in the last 7 weeks to unexplained causes I am constantly checking the others for any sign of illness. I have just noticed one of my boys has a lump of yellow something under his chin. I'm thinking it is probably pus that has dried up and gone hard. A few weeks ago he had a bald patch under his chin which I kept an eye on but nothing happened and the hair grew back. Now he has a very small pinkie coloured mark which is dry and clean looking. There is no lump under the skin. I'm thinking he's maybe had a cyst or abcess which has burst although it can't have been very big because I would have noticed it. I will keep a very close eye on it and see if it fills up again. I have dealt with abcesses before, not a nice job, so really hoping it's not that. Is there anything else anyone can think of that could cause this?

 

[vick]

abscess?

Hi there,

My 3 month old guinea pig had a very large lump under her chin, I had only had her one week,. I'm very fortunate to live very close to a vets school ( the one where they filmed vets in practice ) so they have staff who are familiar with what they term 'exotics' ! I took her there and after the students had had a look the teaching vet agreed that it was likely to be an abscess and would not clear up of its own accord ( guines pig puss is apparently much thicker than human puss, rather like cream cheese and it needs to be removed by opening the abscess. ) They immediately took her to the theatre and used gas and air and opened the area with a scalpel and removed the matter. She then had an injection of antibiotic and a pain reliever. She was fine and I just had to follow up with antibiotics at home. She has made a full recovery.

It sounds as if your guinea pig may have had a smaller abscess that burst of its own accord. If this is the case I would carefully examine the area and feel for any lump. If there is still a lump I would recommend you see a vet as she may still have an abscess that needs removing. If there is no lump or weeping area then just monitor closely in case it returns.
Hopefully it won't but the vet told me that absecess in guinea pigs are very common. Don't be fobbed off with baytrill if your animal clearly has a large abscess, it will not work!
The treatment cost me £25, well worth it!

 

[Wiebke]

I would recommend having it seen by a vet - it is not so easy to determine which lind of lump it is withoout seeing and feeling it.

From your description, I would think abscess first rather than sebaceous cyst. If it is an abscess, your vet might wish to prescribe an antibiotic.

 

[Suzygpr]

It's nothing that you need to be worried about if it's what I think it is. A hard candle-wax like glob under his chin with no reason for it to be there? I think you'll find this thread enlightening and amusing!
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=55364

Suzy

 

[wind1]

Mmmmm, I'm glad I've already eaten. I wonder why he had a bald patch under there a few weeks ago though, friction maybe rubbed the hair off! I will keep an eye on it.

 

[wind1]

I would recommend having it seen by a vet - it is not so easy to determine which lind of lump it is withoout seeing and feeling it.

From your description, I would think abscess first rather than sebaceous cyst. If it is an abscess, your vet might wish to prescribe an antibiotic.

There is no lump at the moment so I'm not sure the vet would know. If a lump develops I will take him.

 

[Laura-CCC4]

I am not entirely sure on the abscess theory, partly because there is no lump. Even burst abscesses will have some swelling, the entire contents of the abscess are unlikely to come out on their own, only part of them. The matter would also smell.

Would you be able to post a picture, perhaps that would help anyone recognise the problem?