Guinea pig with Sebaceous Cyst

[TikkiLover3]

Hello I have a guinea pig who’s 3 and has had a bump for a couple months. We just took him to the vet to find out what it was and they said it would cost 700 to surgically remove I was wondering if that was a normal price. How risky it is to put them under anesthesia and do guinea pigs need be put under anesthesia for a cyst to be drained

 

[VickiA]

I see that you are in the USA and that Vet costs are considerably higher there than in the UK. Even in the UK I have spent around £400-£500 to have a cyst removed surgically. Depending on where the cyst is it can be a tricky job to remove it.

Cysts are not simply drained as otherwise they simply refill. The whole cyst including the cyst cell capsule has to be removed surgically and then the area closed. This cannot be done under local anaesthesia has to be done under general anaesthesia.

You need to discuss with your Vet whether it is best to leave the cyst alone or whether it does need removing – the location and size of the cyst usually determine the final decision and we cannot advise on that. If you leave a cyst, there is always a risk it might rupture leading to an open wound, infection, and more serious consequences requiring more extensive surgery at greater cost and recovery time for your piggy. This is obviously a consideration for you and your Vet.

 

[fluffysal]

Welcome to the forum. I think some vets in the US are open to removing the cyst using a local anaesthetic. Obviously this does depend on the location of the cyst. Maybe you could enquire about this method?