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Hormone implant - ovarian cysts

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Layla - NSGPR

Layla - NSGPR

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HI,

I have a 2.5 year old guinea pig with symptoms of ovarian cysts and following an ultrasound this has been confirmed.

She is having a hormone implant which should last for 18 months. I have never used this treatment option before but the vet has used it successfully with guineas.

I wondered if anyone else's guinea pig had had this treatment?

Thanks

Layla
North East Guinea Pig Rescue
 
Never heard of it Layla, would be very interested in any further info you can get out of the vet!
 
Sound very interesting, does it work in the same ay as the injections but for longer I wonder?
 
I will ask the vet for further information when I collect her later. The vets have a special interest in exotics and seem to have good knowledge of guineas. He said that it is an implant that is usually used in dogs to sterilise them.

I am assuming it is like hormone injections but slow release.

It costs about £65

I'll will update you later.

Thanks

Layla
 
I would be very interested in what it is. it might be a zoladex type product or a progesterone-based one. V Interesting{:|

on a slightly different subject, i've always wondered why you can't give lady pigs depo-provera type injections for contraception - it would be so much easier than neutering and spaying.

i#d love to hear what your vet says about the implant, Layla.
Also how is your hermaphrodite piggy getting on?
Becca
 
boozyfruits said:
on a slightly different subject, i've always wondered why you can't give lady pigs depo-provera type injections for contraception - it would be so much easier than neutering and spaying.
Click to expand...

If your going to give injections for 6yrs +, its probably cheaper and less stressful to just spay..
Also there might be long term side effects.
In dogs, if someone doesnt want to breed from them, its better to spay than keep giving injections.
 
Hi Layla, Good luck with these hormone implants.

I've recently discovered that Maisy has 2 large cysts, so after recommendations and advice from this site, she had one injection a month ago and the second just a few days ago.

Her cysts have reduced in size and are more turgid now which is good news. Maisy seems so much more better in herself thst I can't believe it.

I wonder whether she could have these hormone implants as you have just mentioned? It will be interesting to see how this progress. Thanks for posting about it. :)

Beth xx
 
Best of luck!

Nerys has just been diagnosed with small ovarian cysts, so I am very interested in anything that doesn't involve an operation after my sad experince with Fflur earlier this year.
 
Hello!

Well I spoke to the vet and got a bit more information. The implant is called suprelorin. It is an implant used in dogs as an alternative to castration and sterilises them. It is an anti-androgen (androgen blocker). I think it blocks testosterone, which I know is linked to polycystic ovaries in humans so I am assuming it is the same in guineas? It has no reported side effects reported at the moment.

The vet said that Simon Girling (who I understand specialises in Exotics) was at a veterinary conference in London last month and was advocating this treatment.

Obviously at the moment I don't know if it is actually going to work, the vet was enthusiastic that it had been used successfully in many guineas and was routinely now being offered as a preferred treatment for ovarian cysts in guineas at a veterinary practice in Cumbria. So I will be hopeful that this may be a good option for guineas with cysts and will update you on progress.

Hope that helps a bit

Layla x

Yes hermaphrodite piggy is dong very well - she had huge cystic ovaries - I think they were almost golf ball sized and were removed. She recovered well and went to a good home with her sister :-) Vet said she was definitely very female inside.
 
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Thanks for the update Layla, lots to think about there, it is very interesting to hear about it. Do keep us updated on how piggie responds and whether symptoms are reduced with this implant.
 
Very interesting indeed. Please keep us updated on the progress, This would be a massive change in the way we deal with ovarian cysts going forward.
 
Layla - NSGPR said:
Hello!

Well I spoke to the vet and got a bit more information. The implant is called suprelorin. It is an implant used in dogs as an alternative to castration and sterilises them. It is an anti-androgen (androgen blocker). I think it blocks testosterone, which I know is linked to polycystic ovaries in humans so I am assuming it is the same in guineas? It has no reported side effects reported at the moment.

The vet said that Simon Girling (who I understand specialises in Exotics) was at a veterinary conference in London last month and was advocating this treatment.

Obviously at the moment I don't know if it is actually going to work, the vet was enthusiastic that it had been used successfully in many guineas and was routinely now being offered as a preferred treatment for ovarian cysts in guineas at a veterinary practice in Cumbria. So I will be hopeful that this may be a good option for guineas with cysts and will update you on progress.

Hope that helps a bit

Layla x

Yes hermaphrodite piggy is dong very well - she had huge cystic ovaries - I think they were almost golf ball sized and were removed. She recovered well and went to a good home with her sister :-) Vet said she was definitely very female inside.
Click to expand...

thanks Layla,
sounds like Zoladex for humans. would it be possible for you to find out which practice in cumbria? our local vet does not seem that cavy savvy, and i'd be happy to travel further in the county.
great to hear the hermaphrodite piggy has done so well
good luck with the implant and please keep us updated.
Becca
 
I'm sorry to hear about your poorly pig. One of my pigs, Gerri, has just been diagnosed with 2 ovarian cysts, she's just had a weeks course of antibiotics because of cystitis. My vet has said just to bring her back if the cystitis doesn't clear up which it seems to have. She said the only option if she keeps getting problems is to have her spayed. She's nearly 4 and in otherwise good health. I would be interested to know if the implant works ok as I would happily take Gerri to another vet if it means sparing her from invasive surgery, only time will tell. Any advice would be greatly appreciated and I hope your piggy gets better. :)
 
Hi

If it is overian cysts are you able to get the the CCT, Vedra will drain the cysts and give her two hormone injections four weeks apart and that will be it job done and it will only cost you about £20 for the hormones.

Regars

SGP
 
Thank you Layla for the info on these cysts, very interesting indeed.

Maisy had her 2nd injection 2 weeks ago and vet was very pleased as the cysts had reduced in size.

I'm taking her for a check up as requested, tonight, but over the last 3-4 days, when I pick her up I can't seem to feel the 'turgid' cyst, it just feels like her tummy from either side.

Firstly, I'm wondering, 'Have they gone?'
Secondly, I'm thinking, or have they filled back up again (if that's possible....?).

Please could anyone shed any ideas or thoughts on that? :)

These cysts are obviously a very common thing, but if there is something that can help with reducing them, I'm very interested to hear, especially as Maisy's daughter had them in April.

Thanks for the info and feedback to everyone on here.

Sorry, I'm not hijacking the thread, just sharing my story with you. :)

Beth xx
 
hi

Hi

Our guinea pig is about to go in for her 3rd set of injections on Wednesday (each set consists of 2 injections over a 10 day period). Our vet also talked about the implant, however they haven't tried it at their practice yet, we were hoping to hear more about it before we decided to go ahead.

thanks

Chock
 
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