• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

Guinea pig's swelling (with pictures)

  • Thread starter Thread starter RoeyTwins
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
R

RoeyTwins

My guinea pig was very healthy male until few weeks ago.
Suddenly, it has a very big swelling in it's right cheek.

When you touch the swollen cheek you feel like there is something hard in there.. it's not soft...
The swelling is big and worrying.

If anyone had seen or got the knowledge about this problem, please help me. i'll be grateful to get any help.

(Sorry about the bad english)

imgp0628zr3.jpg


imgp0625nw5.jpg
 
OMG! I have just booked an appointment at the vet for tonight because one of our piggies has a swelling in the right cheek too! (Not nearly as extreme as this though and has just come up in the last couple of days.)

Has your piggie lost weight at all recently? Is he having problems eating / off his food?

Hope some of the experts on here post because I shall be very interested to see what they think. Am a bit worried that it will be a teeth issue and that the vet will want to do an anaesthetic. Can someone tell me - is this necessary? I have learned from other threads that for tooth trimming it shouldn't be, but the vet nurse I spoke to this morning said that if there is a problem at the back teeth then knocking them out is the only way. ADVICE PLEASE before I go tonight! Don't want to be talked into anything that is not right for my piggie! THANKS.
 
My pigge hasen't lost his appetite but it seems that it has difficulty in chewing big or hard food more than in the past.
It still looks big and healthy but i'm worried because of the size of the swelling.
 
That looks painful, would take it to the vets straight away. O0
 
devonguineas said:
Am a bit worried that it will be a teeth issue and that the vet will want to do an anaesthetic. Can someone tell me - is this necessary? I have learned from other threads that for tooth trimming it shouldn't be, but the vet nurse I spoke to this morning said that if there is a problem at the back teeth then knocking them out is the only way. ADVICE PLEASE before I go tonight! Don't want to be talked into anything that is not right for my piggie! THANKS.
Click to expand...

Bump. :) If it is a cyst / abcess - what should I expect the vet to recommend - and is there anything that should be avoided or is not considered best practise? Thanks.

Sorry for hijacking your thread roeytwins!
 
I think if it's an abscess they may try and drain away what's in it and send away a sample for testing. I would think they would give antibiotics as well to prevent or treat any infection.
 
Yep and if it is an abscess it needs to be kept flushed as it will keep re-filling with pus otherwise. Complete removal is also an option for some - I had a piggy with a cyst in her ear, she had an op to remove it and 2 years later there's still no sign of it coming back.
 
Aw - thanks everso. Will let you know later. Have just checked her and the swelling is affecting her eye - sort of distending it. Poor lamby. :'(

Sorry - have just realised that I should have started a new thread as you like one per piggy - was just SUCH a coincidence to read this! Tell me off later when my piggie is better! ::)
 
Just picked up this thread. How did things go at the vet?
Hopefully it will be an abscess which can occur if a piece of sharp hay gets lodged into the gum, which would cause him alot of pain and feel hot when touched. I had this once on a piggy many years ago.
Poor little piggie ... hope all went well!
 
Thanks for asking. Vet agreed that it seemed likely to be an abcess - but she wasn't playing ball to let her look inside her mouth with a magnifier / light thingy. So she said let's treat it as though it is an abcess as that is most likely and if she hasn't improved in a week then need to go back and take a better look under anaesthetic as could be back teeth problem. Paws crossed that the antibiotics kick in within a few days and she gets better. Started that tonight.

Roeytwins - definitely get your piggie to a vet and get some anitbiotics asap - your piggies symptoms look identical although worse than mine. (If that makes sense lol!)
 
I have an appointment at the vet tomorrow.
I'll update you, and thanks! ;)
 
I went with my piggy to the vet, he checked him and saw he really does have an abscess, probably because of the sharp hay cutting his gums (like in Goldie's case). He shaved some fur off his cheek and sucked the abcsess with a syringe, then gave him antibiotics for four days. The swelling's already gone.
Thanks everyone for all your help :).

imgp0630pl2.jpg


imgp0631le8.jpg
 
Oh bless him he does look a lot better. Hope he will be ok. :smitten:
 
Glad the problem has been sorted and that he is feeling better already x
 
He looks so much better already ... I am really pleased that it was just an abscess and is being treated so he will be back to his usual self soon!
Love him! :-*
 
My piggie's swelling hasn't gone down at all with the antibiotics. Have been doing twice a day since last Tuesday now and no change - just a hard lump. Vet says I will have to take her back and take a look at the back teeth under anaesthetic. Some people have said don't risk an anaesthetic - others say it's fine - I should do! Aaargh!
 
Devonguineas - does the lump hurt her if you gently feel it? Is it hot?
 
Your guinea's teeth can be checked without anesthetic and if they need trimming/filing this can be done whilst they are awake too.
 
Goldie said:
Devonguineas - does the lump hurt her if you gently feel it? Is it hot?
Click to expand...

Goldie - no doesn't seem to and it definitely isn't hot.

rw3399 said:
Your guinea's teeth can be checked without anesthetic and if they need trimming/filing this can be done whilst they are awake too.
Click to expand...
Humph. Not according to my vet it can't!
 
If I was you I would try and find a different vet who would do this for your piggie.
 
devonguineas said:
Humph. Not according to my vet it can't!
Click to expand...

definitely try and find a vet who can do dental work without anesthetics. where are you? there might be someone on here who can recommend a good vet
 
The problem with filling the guineapigs back teeth which are often the problem with abscesses, and other mouth problems when its awake is it can be extremely upsetting for the guineapig when it is under an anaesithetic it wont know what is going on. I have have prevously owned a few guinea's with this problem and if you dont let the vet treat it , it will just get worse. I could quite possibly need an operation and if it is under when they are checking the mouth they could just operate there and then. There is always the risk that you could loose any small pet but i have had loads of guineas and they have always woke up after any operation. You should speak with your vet about any concerns and hopefully they will make you feel better.

Hope this helps.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top