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George has a "mole" on his back, any advice please?

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4littlepiggies

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Hi,

George (nearly 3) has a "mole" on his back. It came up earlier this year and i took him to the vets. It was tied off with a fine suture and it fell off about 5 days later. I have just noticed it has come up again (i think it's in the same spot as before). I have been checking him over for moles regularly since the first one. Does anyone have any experience of these "moles", if that's indeed what it is? It doesn't seem to be bothering him, but it does bleed a little bit. Last time he had it, it bled quite a lot so i took him straight to the vets.
I'm not sure if it is anything to be overly concerned about. The vet i took him to was recommended by the rescue he came from.
Here is the offending "mole"

P1010868.jpg
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And here is the lovely chap himself (he is my favourite piggie!)

P1010872.jpg
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Any advice about this would be greatly appreciated :)

Helen x
 
Hi Helen

OOOh - George is gorgeous! I do have a weakness for dark-eyed whites!


Given it was tied off, dropped off, but has now re-appeared - it can;t be ignored. I personally would now be asking for a biopsy as it may be that a simple surgery is now needed to remove the underlying cells causing the recurring problem.

HTH
x
 
It is not something I have come across before - and if people have a mole that bleeds it would be removed, it looks more like a wart to me but that's just from a pic so not much of a diagnosis.

i would get it checked, which vet do you use?

Suzy x
 
Hi,

It's definitely not a scab. It is about 3mm across and is a roundish, lumpy shape. It is filled with blood too. It can be moved from side to side a little .
The vet said it was a mole, but i don't know if it definitely is.
Helen.
 
Hi,

Sorry, I posted my reply as other people were replying to me @)!

My local vet is called Attimore, it's an animal hospital and has a very good reputation. He was castrated there, but i took him to "Nine Lives" in Redbourn about his mole, as the rescue he came from recommended them (the rescue is Agathas Annex in Harpenden).

I'm not sure where to take him, i only want the best for him. He is so special to me:(.

Helen
 
Hmmm - a "mole" "full of blood" - that bleeds.

I'd be worried too and wouldn;t accept the explanation of your vet.

Whereabouts do you live - your piggie is exhibiting something that is unusual and to be honest you need to see a good piggie vet for this. Perhpas we can recommend someone to you if we know whereabouts you are?

HTH
x
 
Can you get him to Simon at the Cat & Rabbit clinic Northants?

http://www.catandrabbit.co.uk/

Mine had a cyst removed there, it was very large & I am very pleased with Simon & his wife & how much they care about piggies. Furry Friends uses them all the time for her rescue piggies. Hopefully she'll see this & give you more info.

What a gorgeous boy he is, no wonder you are worried :...
 
Hi,

Thanks. I live in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire. I am a bit reluctant to go to my local vets, as some of the vets seem to know what they're talking about and others don't.

Helen.
 
Thanks Poppys Mum,

I've just looked on the map and that's about 60 miles away. I don't know if i could get that far in between school runs:{.
If anyone can recommend anyone a bit closer, i'd really aprreciate it.
Helen
 
4littlepiggies said:
Thanks Poppys Mum,

I've just looked on the map and that's about 60 miles away. I don't know if i could get that far in between school runs:{.
If anyone can recommend anyone a bit closer, i'd really aprreciate it.
Helen
Click to expand...

It's a bit more than that from me, I did it in about an hour & 10 mins but it was really worth it, I would always try to get any of mine there now as he is so good :) He is one of the best vets for piggies in the country & your boy is so worth it looking at him :)

I just multimapped it & it should take exactly an hour. If you get an appointment around 11 ish you will easily get back for the kids (I know, cos that's what I had to do too :))
 
Thank you, I think i will give them a ring in the morning. I'm just a bit worried about the flippin' roadworks on the M1!
My piggies have only ever travelled 8 miles in the car. Will it be really stressful for him?
Helen.
 
Another very good piggy vet is in Broxourne.

Amir Kashiv - Vets and Pets
Unit 11B, Nazeing Glass industrial Estate
Nazeing New Road
Broxbourne
Hertfordshire EN10 6SU
Office: 01992 478657

Suzy x
 
4littlepiggies said:
Thank you, I think i will give them a ring in the morning. I'm just a bit worried about the flippin' roadworks on the M1!
My piggies have only ever travelled 8 miles in the car. Will it be really stressful for him?
Helen.
Click to expand...

I am only aware of a very few piggies that get stressed out in the car...(single figures)... unless they are very very ill anyway.

My normal vet is 45mins drive away - I've never had a problem with any of my 12 pigs. I also take some of mine from Sussex up to Simon for dentals which is 2hrs drive and they don;t have a problem.

Given his bouncy self - I do not think George will be that stressed. A well-ventilated pet carrier - with shavings or fleece to absorb wee and some nice hydrating veggies such as cucumber and grass (together with some hay - but only a 1" layer on top of the fleece/shavings) and he should be fine!

PS Some piggies like car journeys -it actually helps shift the odd bit of gas! Most of mine like wheeking along to the radio (but not when I'm singing along too!)

x
 
Unfortunately Simon is on holiday this coming week, although it could be worth getting him there to see Kim, his wife. She is in on Tuesday and Thursday morning this week. Simon is actually going to be in the practice for a while on Tuesday, as although he's on holiday he's going in to see any of the dental pigs who need weekly treatment.

Personally I wouldn't recommend Amir. I saw him a number of years ago and I wasn't at all impessed with him, especially for carrying out surgical procedures.
 
Thank you for that, it looks just like George's lump. It also seems to dry up and scab over a bit, then bleed again. He is going to the vets tomorrow, as i couldn't get him there today or yesterday due to major family issues :( . It's looking smaller and nice and dry at the moment thankfully.

What did Simon say Linet's "lump" was?

Helen x
 
Last edited:
Linnet came to the Sanctuary as a temporary resident to enable her to receive treatment from Simon. Although histology wasn't done on the growth, Simon felt pretty sure it was a tumour. Especially as it had started to grow so very quickly. By removing it at a fairly early stage, it did mean he was able to take a margin around it too, so as to be reasonably sure he had got everything that was likely to be sinister. Linnet recovered immediately after the surgery and the wound was barely visible due to fantastic stitching by Simon.
 
Update on george!

Hi everyone,

I took George to the local vet today (after some prying questions about which vet had most experience with cavies!).

The vet thought it was a wart (as Suzy also thought rolleyes). It has shrunk and is not bleeding now, so he has suggested leaving it alone for now. He wants me to take him back if it grows, or if it starts bleeding again.

He explained taking an accurate biopsy would be very tricky as it is now very small. He also said removing it under GA would be more risky than leaving it alone (for now).

I feel happy with this, but will obviously be taking him back if it gets worse. I think his diagnosis is more reliable than the previous vet, who said it was a mole.

What does anyone else think?

Helen x
 
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