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Growing mass in my guinea pig's abdomen

Chloe B

Chloe B

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hello, it's been a while since I've been on here but I'm feeling scared and need to reach out ....

Ive had one of my pigs at the vet after discovering blood in his urine, I suspected bladder stones, but a large mass was found in the intestinal area during a physical exam and then confirmed on an ultrasound. Fast forward a week today and during a check up, the vet had a feel and claims the lump has doubled in size. It's very mobile, the vet doesn't know what it is without opening him up. My piggy is generally very well - content, active, friendly, eating, drinking etc. But he is squealing a bit sometimes when he poos. Have agreed with the vet just to monitor him but the likelihood is, he's going to die, as surgery apparently probably wouldn't be beneficial anyway if it's found to be a tumour.

I'm very upset obviously, I don't know how long he has left. I'm also 35 weeks pregnant with first baby, and I'm worried in case I can't be there for him as much as I might need to be in the coming weeks!

I'm wondering if anybody else has had this experience with a piggy and what the outcome was? I feel completely helpless. He's only 3 and a half years old!
 
Aw, so sorry your little piggie is poorly, it’s an awful worry for you. I don’t have any experience of this, but just wanted to say we are all here for you to give you support x

Look after yourself, try not to get too stressed and congratulations for your forthcoming event x
 
Thank you for taking the time to read and respond to my post. I really appreciate the support on this forum. Thank you for your kind words. It really is a horrible and tough situation 🙁 x
 
Hi there, this sounds a little bit like Interstitial cystitis, which my own piggy has. It's basically an inflammation of the bladder and can come and go. There are more members on here who are more clued up about it than myself and I'm sure they might be along shortly. It might not do any harm to try your piggy on cystease and see how they react. Hope your piggy improves soon
 
Spend as much time as you can with your piggie and remember that whatever happens you have given him a wonderful life with lots of love x I’m so hoping he will be well in himself for a long time x
 
My Christian had a mass in his tummy which doubled in size in a week. A needle aspiration showed it was an abscess. I didn't have any choice he had to have it removed. It was adhered to lots internally including small blood vessels, femoral artery, stomach, intestines, penis shaft etc. It was a long (over an hour) and difficult operation and the vet nearly phoned me twice for permission to pts. He made it through the operation, then it was up to me to keep him alive. I syringe fed him for around a week every 2-3 hours day and night and went back to the vets several times for different medication for him in that week. I still have him now and apart from a wonky willy you wouldn't know he had it done.

This was the size of his abscess (it was 1 cell thick (thin?) in places and ready to burst at any minute)
Christian Abscess 1.webp


Christian Abscess 2.webp

And this is his very impressive scar.

Christian Scar Day 1.webp

You can read all about it here if you like.

Don't know what to do about Christian.....
 
So sad to hear your piggy is poorly, tumours can be nasty. The only experience I've had was will my 6 1/2 year old piggy. His tumour was slow growing and he had pain relief towards the end as he was quiet active and eating.
Is it worth getting a second opinion?
Spend as much time with him as possible and whatever the out come he will know he was loved.
Sending hugs.xx
 
@Betsy oh my goodness! Thanks for sharing your story. What a tough piggy you have. I'm going to see how my little guy gets on but might be worth me getting in touch with the vet again as she didn't mention absess? If he needed surgery I'm not sure how able I would be with good post op care given my own current situation. My vet doesn't seem to think surgery is the answer.
 
Post op care is exhausting and time consuming and the trips to and from the vets when your knackered and going through rush hour traffic with a sick piggy in your car is not a lot of fun either. I was lucky Christian took his syringe feeds like a pro and it was easy for me. Some people have a lot of trouble syringe feeding their piggies. Whatever you decide to do will be the correct one because it will be made out of love.
 
Nothing I can add but just wanted to say I hope something can be done for your little boy. If you’re anywhere near or can get to Northampton, I can wholeheartedly recommend Simon and Kim Maddock at the Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic. Simon operated on my Chunk to remove a big abscess and aside from a bald patch and not being quite as chunky as he was, Chunk is back to his normal self!
 
Hi and welcome

I am very sorry - the timing is usually as inconvenient as possible. :(
As I see it, you have two choices, opt for operating very soon (especially in view of the lump growing rather quickly) or decide to let your boy get on for as long as he has got and then have him put to sleep once he loses his appetite and the pain is becoming too much.

An internal mass can be anything from an abscess, a cyst, a benign or malign tumour and can generally only be analysed once it is out. Whether the operation is a success depends on the location, whether the mass is easily detached/not wrapped around any organs/not spreading and the duration of the operation. It is always a jump into the unknown, and any decision is not easy.

All the best!
 
My first piggy Whinny developed an abdominal tumor when she was about 6.5-7ish the vet didn’t seem to think operating was the right route either. We kept her comfortable and she died quite quickly a few months later. (She was ok at night and in the morning was quite obviously dying and went very quickly on her own). I hope you can spend some time with him, it seems you have given him a great life!

That being said I would ask the vet why they find it inoperable? He is not super old and piggies much older can survive a surgery! Maybe there is a valid reason, doesn’t hurt to ask!
Good luck to you and congrats on the baby!
 
Thanks everybody. Really don't know what's for the best, I can't help but feel like a monster whichever decision I make. Guinea pigs certainly know how to steal hearts!
 
Chloe B said:
Thanks everybody. Really don't know what's for the best, I can't help but feel like a monster whichever decision I make. Guinea pigs certainly know how to steal hearts!
Click to expand...

HUGS!
Any decisions where you have to call the shots and where there is no easy solution are what we all hate having to make. Take consolation that whatever you decide, you do it with your piggy's welfare upmost in mind. Neither way is easier or less heart-breaking; I have done both with different piggies over the years.

Once you have made it, you then can't help wonder whether the other way round would have been better. It is unfortunately part and parcel of being a good owner. Just the fact that you are struggling tells us that you are good and loving owner. Try to take consolation in that you are not failing your piggy, whatever you decide.
 
@Wiebke what a lovely thing to say, that has really helped me feel a bit better, thank you. After a lot of crying, I am now sat with my pigs for their usual floor time. My poorly boy Logan is just his usual cheeky and active self, climbing all over me and wanting his veggies! Here is a picture of him ...20190214_210553.webp20190214_210553.webp
 
Chloe B said:
@Wiebke what a lovely thing to say, that has really helped me feel a bit better, thank you. After a lot of crying, I am now sat with my pigs for their usual floor time. My poorly boy Logan is just his usual cheeky and active self, climbing all over me and wanting his veggies! Here is a picture of him ...View attachment 106847View attachment 106847
Click to expand...

Enjoy what time you have with him and create plenty of happy memories. Love transcends time and you can stuff a life time's worth into just a single moment. The one gift the knowledge that Logan's life is on the line is that you share your time more consciously and do and say whatever you have to.

The grieving process doesn't start with the death itself; it begins the moment we realise that a beloved one is on borrowed time - and that realisation is apart from death itself the worst point of the whole process. But as devastating this realisation is - unlike with a sudden death- we have the choice to make the best of whatever time is left. Be upset, but also make this time special to have something to hold onto later that is not just sad. It is a bitter-sweet time but it is up to you how bitter or how sweet you make it.
 
He really is a lovely piggy. He's got a huge personality. Those are wise words @Wiebke. The love and happiness both Logan and my other piggy bring me just can't be put into words. I have always put in a lot of love and time with my boys and I will continue to make the most of this and try to be positive.
 
When I went through this with my piggy George, I spent as much time as possible with him,taking photos, snuggling watching tv in the evening and if I was reading a book or mag, reading out loud to him while he sat with me dozing. Bit mad I know!
Things we do when we love a piggy.
Sending you hugs.x
 
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