Specialist Anyone with a Guinea Pig with gallbladder removed.

[Kay4real]

we are on day 17 post abd mass diagnosis...i found one case in my research that describes Cocoa bear exactly and it ended up being a gallbladder with stone at the neck and giant distended gallbladder. I know we still have the age factor, but at least the removal would be easier with no major blood vessels involved. I may get an ultrasound and see at least if that could be possible. Way better than a giant lymphoma. For 8 this guy in great shape and quite the fighter! He is hanging in and eating tiny mini meals throughout the day plus hay and pellets!

 

[Wiebke]

Hi! I am very sorry, but we've never had a guinea pig with a gallbladder removal on here.
For guinea pigs this operation would be pretty cutting edge if it is being performed at all, considering where the gallbladder is located, squished right in between all the other larger organs and especially in view of your boys' advanced age for such a major op.

@Abi_nurse

 

[Abi_nurse]

Hello there,

Yes have had a gall bladder blockage before but it is very unusual and rare. What are you doing with regards to treatment. At 8, it may be kinder to just keep him comfortable at this stage? What diagnostics have you done so far?

Abi

 

[Kay4real]

Ok so the dx was 3 wks ago as of tomorrow..exotic vet hr away, he does not see cats or dogs..took a stone out of a prior pet with no problems...Cocoa’s blood work normal...xray showed Large central abdominal mass. Reduced food to little mini meals of lettuce, no more big plates and he is doing fine...doesnt feel great right after eating because stomach presses against mass but grazes on hay and pellets without prob, poops fine, peeing fine...yesterday I sneaked him into my ultrasound office(I’m RDMS) and a quick peak at mass proved it to be solid, not cystic and only good part is it did not appear to be vascular so maybe benign...My vet does not recommened surgury due to age, malignant or benign, he haS him on meloxicam, but cocoa is in such great shape, so feeling pretty helpless. His younger cagemate, 3 yrs old is glued to him, i feel without this mass this guy would have made it to 10 easy. I have had a patients with a 10 and 12 year old but I do realize these are rare. Hopeless is a God awful word. I plan to rescan him again with help next week and see if I can identify surrounding organs etc, get size, i think its well encapsulated. Its just pushing up against his heart, ugh. I found a rare case on internet..distended gallbladder due to stone at neck, removed, GP did fine..It was a slim chance but i had to ultrasound and see so at least i know now. I have read where when in great shape, older pigs can do fine but again, my Dr really is not for surgury and he is superb with all the special equipment.

 

[Wiebke]

Ok so the dx was 3 wks ago as of tomorrow..exotic vet hr away, he does not see cats or dogs..took a stone out of a prior pet with no problems...Cocoa’s blood work normal...xray showed Large central abdominal mass. Reduced food to little mini meals of lettuce, no more big plates and he is doing fine...doesnt feel great right after eating because stomach presses against mass but grazes on hay and pellets without prob, poops fine, peeing fine...yesterday I sneaked him into my ultrasound office(I’m RDMS) and a quick peak at mass proved it to be solid, not cystic and only good part is it did not appear to be vascular so maybe benign...My vet does not recommened surgury due to age, malignant or benign, he haS him on meloxicam, but cocoa is in such great shape, so feeling pretty helpless. His younger cagemate, 3 yrs old is glued to him, i feel without this mass this guy would have made it to 10 easy. I have had a patients with a 10 and 12 year old but I do realize these are rare. Hopeless is a God awful word. I plan to rescan him again with help next week and see if I can identify surrounding organs etc, get size, i think its well encapsulated. Its just pushing up against his heart, ugh. I found a rare case on internet..distended gallbladder due to stone at neck, removed, GP did fine..It was a slim chance but i had to ultrasound and see so at least i know now. I have read where when in great shape, older pigs can do fine but again, my Dr really is not for surgury and he is superb with all the special equipment.

HUGS

It is a difficult time when you have to choose between a rather risky make or break operation or the decision to let your boy live out his days for as long as he is having a good time and then to send him to the Rainbow Bridge as soon as he is starting to struggle. It is a heart-breaking decision to make and often not easy to face up to the reality of a 'between a rock and hard place' scenario, especially when you yourself are very afraid of losing a beloved one.

The companion is fully aware that something serious is not right and that it is already subtly affecting your old boy; I have noticed this with piggies of mine. Piggies have a much finer sense that we humans in that respect.