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Bursting Cyst?

Guineapigfeet

Guineapigfeet

Adult Guinea Pig
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I think BB’s cyst is bursting - I can see a ‘head’ on it but I haven’t wanted to investigate further in case I make it worse.
I’ll call the vet in the morning but is there anything I should be doing now?
 
Guineapigfeet said:
I think BB’s cyst is bursting - I can see a ‘head’ on it but I haven’t wanted to investigate further in case I make it worse.
I’ll call the vet in the morning but is there anything I should be doing now?
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Please call the vet in the morning. Do not put any pressure on the cyst. She may need an antibiotic.
 
Thank you, I parted her fur (she had a bit sticking up is the only reason I even looked) saw it, said a rude word and put her back!
 
Got an apt at 11.50 with Vlad, who saw Rey when she had her hay poke and taught me to burrito a pig!

Can’t help being worried. All the stories of pigs needing syringe feeding and probiotics after antibiotics - even though I try to avoid the illness threads -
 
You are doing the right thing !Let us know how you get on at the vets :like:
 
It looks angry this morning :-( last night it just looked like a huge spot but wasn’t red or anything. It’s now red and the ‘head’ looks more like a scab. Poor piggy.

Also just had to cut Rey’s first mat out of her silly bum hair!
 
Guineapigfeet said:
Got an apt at 11.50 with Vlad, who saw Rey when she had her hay poke and taught me to burrito a pig!

Can’t help being worried. All the stories of pigs needing syringe feeding and probiotics after antibiotics - even though I try to avoid the illness threads -
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Hi. I guess all piggies are different. Pedro had a cist removed from his back when he was quite an old piggie. He recovered straight away & began munching & eating totally normally. We put his antibiotics on a leaf & he yummed it down each time :clap:. Xx
 
Guineapigfeet said:
It looks angry this morning :-( last night it just looked like a huge spot but wasn’t red or anything. It’s now red and the ‘head’ looks more like a scab. Poor piggy.

Also just had to cut Rey’s first mat out of her silly bum hair!
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Sounds like the cyst had already burst or got a hole in which happened to my old boy. To alleviate any fears cysts can be relatively harmless esp when treated quickly. Also I've never had to syringe feed as a result of antibiotics. I've had to syringe feed because of illness but never as a result of the meds. Best of luck at the vets
 
Lady Kelly said:
Sounds like the cyst had already burst or got a hole in which happened to my old boy. To alleviate any fears cysts can be relatively harmless esp when treated quickly. Also I've never had to syringe feed as a result of antibiotics. I've had to syringe feed because of illness but never as a result of the meds. Best of luck at the vets
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Thank you ! That is very reassuring!

I was quite disappointed to see it’s condition this morning :-(
 
Guineapigfeet said:
Thank you ! That is very reassuring!

I was quite disappointed to see it’s condition this morning :-(
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I didn't get Pete treated when his burst. It was a small hole and I cleared as much of the pus as I could. He had been put on metacam daily in the January due to his old age and many lumps and bumps. He had come off the metacam in June and was perky and this was around July. I kept it clean as the consensus was that he was on "borrowed time" so I just kept him happy and comfortable until his natural passing the next Jan. However in otherwise healthy pigs an operation to remove the cyst capsule can prevent it from coming back again
 
Vlad squeezed it. Bit grim! I’ve just got to keep it clean (and squeezed) and he’s given me some slightly abrasive gauze to wipe it with. Gotta go find my hibi-scrub! Any experience on how often it may need ‘emptying’?

He did say the only way of getting rid of it would be to operate. The thought of the anathetic is worrying but go to weigh it up against the squeezing, how ever often it might need it. We’ll see. The nurse I paid with has had two of her pigs operated on there and they were both fine.

Can’t help thinking of my Donut who died a few days after her operation, but she was a more complex situation and it can’t really be compared but my brain is still trying!
 
Guineapigfeet said:
Vlad squeezed it. Bit grim! I’ve just got to keep it clean (and squeezed) and he’s given me some slightly abrasive gauze to wipe it with. Gotta go find my hibi-scrub! Any experience on how often it may need ‘emptying’?

He did say the only way of getting rid of it would be to operate. The thought of the anathetic is worrying but go to weigh it up against the squeezing, how ever often it might need it. We’ll see. The nurse I paid with has had two of her pigs operated on there and they were both fine.

Can’t help thinking of my Donut who died a few days after her operation, but she was a more complex situation and it can’t really be compared but my brain is still trying!
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Its hard to compare the two as a cyst is not a deep or complex operation. I squeezed Peters and it was always just as grim. I think I did it around 3-4 times in a 6 month period but at his age and frailty he would not have managed an operation. Did the vet recommend the operation? Squeezing isn't pleasant for the pig either and chances are you will be doing it for the remainder of their life so if your vet thinks the operation is the best bet and very low risk then I would be inclined to go ahead
 
I know, they are such different situations in every way, but my brain is focusing on the ‘operation’ element and is doing its best to freak me out. But yes, that is my thought too, she’s only 2 and (other than the cyst) in very rude health so surgery would be minimally risky and she does so hate being handled

Also can’t find my hibi scrub. Off to P@H to spend some more money! (actually the Vets is a bargain and even the consult cost less than I though it would)
 
It depends where the cyst is, as to how complex the op is. We have dealt with two very complex cysts, here at TEAS. One was on the rump of a piggy, that hadn't been dealt with properly and had become very deep and large and the other one was on the top of a piggies head. Again, this didn't look particularly large at the surface, but it was much bigger than it appeared. This meant there was not enough skin to close the incision, so further incisions had to be made and left open, to enable to skin to be pulled upwards. The piggy looked quite horrific immediately post op, but the incisions healed quickly and the skin stretched to enable his face to look normal again. Now about 4 weeks post op, he is pretty much back to normal apart from the hair is still in the process of growing back.
 
Oh poor little thing, that sounds horrid :-(

BB’s is on her side and not very big, diameter maybe of a 5p coin, if that. The vet felt it would be straight forward but anethetics in themselves are a bit scary, no mater what else they find!
 
This is where the late Pedro had his cist removed aged about 6. He made a super quick recovery & was a very brave boy. XxIMG-20161205-WA0000.webp
 
This was my 6 year old Tesni who needed an infected cyst removed in May that was sitting a bit too close to the genitals for comfort. She has made a perfect recovery. The skin was a bit tight at the beginning, but that has sorted itself out within a week or so.
IMG_4134_edited-1.webp

PS: We have got a guide with tips for post-op care in our Caring for an ill guinea pig section
 
Wiebke said:
This was my 6 year old Tesni who needed an infected cyst removed in May that was sitting a bit too close to the genitals for comfort. She has made a perfect recovery. The skin was a bit tight at the beginning, but that has sorted itself out within a week or so.
View attachment 73978

PS: We have got a guide with tips for post-op care in our Caring for an ill guinea pig section
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Tesni rocked the bare bum look!

Thank you, I’ll take a look

My OH seems to think that an op isn’t necessary as we can just keep squeezing it and keeping it clean but I don’t think that’s right? Surely looking to long term this isn’t realistic/fair as it will just keep coming back and won’t go away - we’d be looking at draining it every month or so for the rest of her life?
 
I’ve been told by vet to clean the area with hibiscrub. Is it necessary to use cooled-boiled water or is ‘normal’ water OK?
 
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