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Large blood clot found in cage. Advice please.

AbbieMiddleton said:
Update;

Well, we've heard back from the pathologist and it's the worst news we could have been given. The mass in the cage was a piece of a very malignant tumor. There's no point in operating as it would definitely return and the surgery is extremely risky. At most my baby girl has six months. All we can do now is make her comfortable and manage the situation with Metacam as a painkiller. Can anyone please offer any advice on what to expect? I'm an absolute mess right now and don't know what to do. I don't want her in pain but I don't want to prematurely say goodbye either as she still seems so healthy.
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Hi!

I am very sorry for the bad news. It the kind none of us ever want to get! :(

Please take the time to read the chapter about terminal care in our grieving guide. it deals with the emotional fall-out as your grieving process starts the moment you realise that death is impending, but it also addresses many of the practical ethical decisions that come with that process. You may find it helpful in being able to formulate your own criteria and be able to answer your questions in a way that you can live with them in the longer term; especially tips on how you can spot where your piggy is drawing the line for itself but also the positive things you can do when you know that you only have got limites time left. It's not necessarily all bad!
Human Bereavement: Grieving, Coping and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children

Looking after a terminally or very ill piggies is a constant up and down, assessing and reassessing process, especially as you come closer to the line.
This guide here also covers many of the practical issues that you are likely going to have once the tumour is making itself known, from regular weighing (as any pain will impact on the appetite and you cannot monitor hay intake by eye), feeding support to spotting when a body is closing down.
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
 
Wiebke said:
Hi!

I am very sorry for the bad news. It the kind none of us ever want to get! :(

Please take the time to read the chapter about terminal care in our grieving guide. it deals with the emotional fall-out as your grieving process starts the moment you realise that death is impending, but it also addresses many of the practical ethical decisions that come with that process. You may find it helpful in being able to formulate your own criteria and be able to answer your questions in a way that you can live with them in the longer term; especially tips on how you can spot where your piggy is drawing the line for itself but also the positive things you can do when you know that you only have got limites time left. It's not necessarily all bad!
Human Bereavement: Grieving, Coping and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children

Looking after a terminally or very ill piggies is a constant up and down, assessing and reassessing process, especially as you come closer to the line.
This guide here also covers many of the practical issues that you are likely going to have once the tumour is making itself known, from regular weighing (as any pain will impact on the appetite and you cannot monitor hay intake by eye), feeding support to spotting when a body is closing down.
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
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Thank you. I really appreciate the information. I have never faced this before and I honestly feel in denial a little bit. She's running around like a rocket. She's in full Zoomies mode. Earlier she grabbed a whole melon wedge and scurried away with it holding her head up high. She doesn't seem even remotely ill and I'm having genuine trouble processing all this. My other girl seems different though. Upset even. If I hadn't seen Bumble pass a slight bit of red when going to the toilet the other day I would actually assume the poorly pig was my other baby.
 
Could Bumble have minor bladder issues and your other piggy be the ill one? Hard for you to be wondering and not sure.
 
Black piggies said:
Could Bumble have minor bladder issues and your other piggy be the ill one? Hard for you to be wondering and not sure.
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I've been advised to medicate them both as a precaution but the red in Bumble's poop matched the consistency of the mass we found originally. Pinky has always been a very quiet and sickly piggy. We've often been treating her for one thing or another. The vet said himself they both look perfectly healthy on the outside though. I'm going to have to wait and see. I don't want it to be either but it's definitely one or both of them.
 
AbbieMiddleton said:
Thank you. I really appreciate the information. I have never faced this before and I honestly feel in denial a little bit. She's running around like a rocket. She's in full Zoomies mode. Earlier she grabbed a whole melon wedge and scurried away with it holding her head up high. She doesn't seem even remotely ill and I'm having genuine trouble processing all this. My other girl seems different though. Upset even. If I hadn't seen Bumble pass a slight bit of red when going to the toilet the other day I would actually assume the poorly pig was my other baby.
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Denial is a very normal initial reaction to the shock, especially when there are not yet any noticeable symptoms.
I find that the best way to deal with the situation for me is to turn the clock back to zero and to see every extra day as a special boon for any piggy that has either survived a life-threatening situation or has been diagnosed with a terminal condition.

Concentrate on enrichment and making every day special so you are left with the inevitable pain of the loss, but no feelings of guilt or sorrow about wasted time. You can pack a lifetime's worth of love into a single meaningful gesture or word. Living the remaining time consciously but always with your girl's welfare topmost in mind means that you can turn a relatively short time in to a treasure trove of very precious memories that feels much larger than a huge cave of a life that kind of has just passed you by and that you haven't created any treasures to store in. By all means, lavish time and special experiences on her, take plenty of pictures and savour those moments.
Enrichment Ideas for Guinea Pigs

Unlike a sudden death where you have the massive shock and the pain from the loss plus all those unanswered questions happening in big difficult to digest lump, you have the grace to work through several aspects of the grieving process gradually over the coming weeks if you love this time consciously. Your soul can only ever digest so much grieving at any given point, but if you can so more consciously, it will have already processed quite a bit by the time you have to say goodbye.
I have done so with my four old ladies over the last year; they passed within 3 months of each other all around their 8th birthday. It was a tough time but in many ways, the death of the last of them and the formal tributes in the Rainbow Bridge section (plus an article in Guinea Pig Magazine as it has meant the end of an era in which a lot has happened for me) have meant that I am now open again for my current piggies and able to appreciate a new chapter and a complete change of generations and so many faces arriving in the last 3 years to take the place of the 20 piggies I have lost during that period - and sadly not all of them to old age.


Another aspect that you may want to think over in the coming days is new companionship.
You do not always have to necessarily wait until a piggy has gone and you are emotionally very torn; you can create a short-term trio as long as the new arrival is not very dominant and not necessarily able to challenge a fading piggy or already classed well above for the need to challenge their status in the hierarchy. This means that the new arrival won't feel quite as much as a replacement because you have already created your own bond and relationship.

If you can, ask around at any rescues you can get to and speak to them whether they have a suitable companion available or in the pipeline, whether that is a neutered boar, a gentle older sow with group background or a baby girl etc.
Ideally you rescue date your piggies while your girl is still well in herself.
Cavy Corner sanctuary and rescue in Doncaster (especially with their experience and kindness), new and still relatively small rescue Dotty Guinea Pig Rescue in Matlock or in a pinch Neville's Nest Guinea Pig Rescue in Leicester are the good standard rescues in your wider area that I can recommend in view of your somewhat special situation.

The presence of an already bonded new mate can help the surviving piggy cope massively better with their loss. That was the reason I adopted baby Carys in September 2018 after Tesni had died and her sister Ffwlbri was coming up towards 8 years of age but their 'toy boy' husbar Gethin was only just coming up to 3 years at the time. (In fact, Ffwlbri lived nearly a year longer because baby Carys gave her a renewed zest for life).
I have repeated this when my 5 year old Pioden was down to his last 8 year old wife but because of his huge size wasn't welcome with any of my admittedly difficult sow pairs. Little Dryw came here in August not long after Tegan's death; cheered up old and very frail Hedydd without
being able to challenge her and has given Pioden a new aim in life.

It has also meant that I didn't have to worry about the companions and could fully concentrate on my own grieving in the weeks immediately following the last loss. It hasn't been any less painful but I have come out of it sooner than I would have otherwise.

PS: Could you please add your county in addition village to your location details. It makes it easier for any of us who lives in another part of the UK and is not familiar with your area to help you nevertheless. ;)
 
Thank you, everyone. I really do appreciate it. I keep bursting into tears and I haven't had any sleep but you're all helping me regain some clarity. I'm going to make sure both my girls are comfortable and happy for as long as I can. I might lose one of them, I might lose both, but my priority right now is to make sure they're comfortable, loved and pain free.
 
AbbieMiddleton said:
Thank you, everyone. I really do appreciate it. I keep bursting into tears and I haven't had any sleep but you're all helping me regain some clarity. I'm going to make sure both my girls are comfortable and happy for as long as I can. I might lose one of them, I might lose both, but my priority right now is to make sure they're comfortable, loved and pain free.
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Take time to digest the news and be kind to yourself. Keep in mind that apart from the actual goodbye, this is the second worst time you will experience. Your feelings and reactions are very normal and healthy ones. It takes a few days to sink in fully; right now it is all very surreal and strange like you have suddenly stepped through a mirror into another, very similar world.

If you need help and would like to talk about your feelings and reactions, the free pet bereavement helpline of the Blue Cross is included in our grieving guide.
 
AbbieMiddleton said:
Good evening all,

*** I'd like to start off by saying a vet was contacted immediately upon the mass being found and an appointment has been booked for first thing in the morning. ***

I'm going to try and be as informative as possible and apologies for how graphic it might be.

When doing a spot clean in the Guinea's cage a large clot was found in a poo pile. I originally thought it was a long piece of red pepper but it stretches like skin tissue and doesn't break apart. It's a few inches long and has some kind of tumour style brown blobs attached to it at one end; Not poos, almost flesh coloured fat lumps. It really feels like meat or sinew, for lack of a better description. Like the pieces of fat you'd remove off of some beef.

Both girls are acting perfectly normally; Eating, drinking, running around, squeaking.

I'm at a complete loss as to what this thing is. I'm suspicious that it might be related to some very light, pink spotting found in their cage recently which I was told to monitor and prescribed Metacam for.

I simply cannot find anything online regarding this problem and would appreciate some input.

The clot/mass/tissue is being taken to the vet along with the Guineas tomorrow.
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Hi, (I’m new here btw & have not contacted vet yet as it’s 9pm..)
I just found your post through a Google search, one of my female pigs just passed something that looks almost exactly like your picture. More blood on it tho.. was wondering if you had any new insight? First I thought maybe one had eaten something & passed it, but it’s jiggly not hard.. reminds me of after birth or menstrual clots but large even for a human menstrual clot
I’ve checked the cage & pigs there is no blood anywhere on the pigs or anywhere else in the cage. I removed the clot, it was “bleeding” through the napkin & has now soaked the shavings under it. I put it in a jar to give to the vet idk what else to do. However I was hoping maybe this was normal? I’ve already spend just over $2000 at the vet this year to “de louse” my furries after adopting a hamster with mites that caused a severe infestation in my home
Any chance this is something I can just keep my eye on? Both pigs are alert, eating, pooping & peeing normally. Just did a cage clean
 
AbbieMiddleton said:
Update;

Well, we've heard back from the pathologist and it's the worst news we could have been given. The mass in the cage was a piece of a very malignant tumor. There's no point in operating as it would definitely return and the surgery is extremely risky. At most my baby girl has six months. All we can do now is make her comfortable and manage the situation with Metacam as a painkiller. Can anyone please offer any advice on what to expect? I'm an absolute mess right now and don't know what to do. I don't want her in pain but I don't want to prematurely say goodbye either as she still seems so healthy.
Click to expand...
Omg I’m so sorry.. it was only letting me read the first bit of the thread till I made an account.. I will drop off the mass to my vet tomorrow 😕
 
MissBlueYT said:
Omg I’m so sorry.. it was only letting me read the first bit of the thread till I made an account.. I will drop off the mass to my vet tomorrow 😕
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It's ok! I'm pleased these things are coming up on Google. Definitely get the tissue looked at. My girl actually survived a further 18 months, instead of the predicted 6 months, and was perfectly happy until 3 days before she passed during emergency surgery. In the end it turned out to be a tumour on her kidney and parts of it had been breaking off and passing out through the urinary tract. Finding any tissue or blood in the cage is never normal. I hope your piggies remain well. ❤
 
AbbieMiddleton said:
It's ok! I'm pleased these things are coming up on Google. Definitely get the tissue looked at. My girl actually survived a further 18 months, instead of the predicted 6 months, and was perfectly happy until 3 days before she passed during emergency surgery. In the end it turned out to be a tumour on her kidney and parts of it had been breaking off and passing out through the urinary tract. Finding any tissue or blood in the cage is never normal. I hope your piggies remain well. ❤
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Tysm for replying! I tried my luck at hamsters forums in the past but never received any feedback. I’m glad you’ve told me it’s never normal, that kind of makes it all too real tho. I keep going from frantic to it’s gonna be ok to freaking out again. I'm so sad I hope my piggies are ok. I checked both bottoms can’t find blood so I’m not sure which piggie it is. We adopted them in 2018 i don’t even know how old they are but the vet guessed around 8 years which I guess isn’t too short of a life for a piggy
I’m very happy all was well till the last 3 days, that’s giving me some hope. I just wouldn’t be able to handle her suffering (I feel like it might be the extremely large pig, but I could be very wrong!)
I’ve also been googling blood clots with no answers to be found except your post!
 
It's completely normal to be feeling that way. You need answers to help you collect your thoughts and hopefully getting a tissue analysis will help. (8 years is really, really good for Guinea Pigs.) The best thing you can do is get answers on what/where the tissue appears to have come from and take it from there, one step at a time. I didn't know which of my girls had passed the tissue either so I completely understand your fear and uncertainty. I would focus on analysis and see what the professionals suggest. It could be something easy to identify or it might need a scan to determine placement, size or severity. Just give your little piggies all the love and support you can while you wait to find out. ❤
 
Ps - Please may I also suggest weighing your piggies regularly. A steady decline in weight, or a sudden large weight loss, are possible signs of some kind of health concern. It may help you determine which piggy is the culprit. Stick to a routine and try to weigh them at the same time of day each time you do it. A 30g fluctuation is largely normal but anything beyond that may be cause for concern. My girl had a steady, daily decline of only 10g and then a sudden 70g drop just before she passed. So please do keep an eye on their eating, drinking and weight.
 
Ps - Please may I also suggest weighing your piggies regularly. A steady decline in weight, or a sudden large weight loss, are possible signs of some kind of health concern. It may help you determine which piggy is the culprit. Stick to a routine and try to weigh them at the same time of day each time you do it. A 30g fluctuation is largely normal but anything beyond that may be cause for concern. My girl had a steady, daily decline of only 10g and then a sudden 70g drop just before she passed. So please do keep an eye on their eating, drinking and weight.
 
MissBlueYT said:
Hi, (I’m new here btw & have not contacted vet yet as it’s 9pm..)
I just found your post through a Google search, one of my female pigs just passed something that looks almost exactly like your picture. More blood on it tho.. was wondering if you had any new insight? First I thought maybe one had eaten something & passed it, but it’s jiggly not hard.. reminds me of after birth or menstrual clots but large even for a human menstrual clot
I’ve checked the cage & pigs there is no blood anywhere on the pigs or anywhere else in the cage. I removed the clot, it was “bleeding” through the napkin & has now soaked the shavings under it. I put it in a jar to give to the vet idk what else to do. However I was hoping maybe this was normal? I’ve already spend just over $2000 at the vet this year to “de louse” my furries after adopting a hamster with mites that caused a severe infestation in my home
Any chance this is something I can just keep my eye on? Both pigs are alert, eating, pooping & peeing normally. Just did a cage clean
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Welcome to the forum. I am sorry for the situation you find yourself in.

You will be wiser to start your own thread as this one is an older thread and may get missed.
I will tag the mods for you to help with that.
Every situation is different so see the vet and don't panic.

@VickiA @Wiebke
 
Hi

It would really help us if you please started your own thread so there is no confusion and we can keep all the necessary information and individual support going for as long as needed. Each case is unique.

It will take a vet visit and an examination in your case anyway. It is more likely to come from the reproductive rather than the urinary tract.
 
Merab's Slave said:
Welcome to the forum. I am sorry for the situation you find yourself in.

You will be wiser to start your own thread as this one is an older thread and may get missed.
I will tag the mods for you to help with that.
Every situation is different so see the vet and don't panic.

@VickiA @Wiebke
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Thank you so much for your advice, I’m not sure how to start a thread but I will try : ) both pigs seem fine wheeking for their morning veggies. I checked the cage this morning there’s no blood to be found. Unfortunately I just got off the phone with the vet, they said pathology would cost upwards of 500$. That’s just for pathology not including treatment, tests or exam.. I’m extremely confused as to why.. they said it would have to be sent off to a lab & went on about it not being preserved properly & how if it’s not preserved properly the sample would degrade & be unusable. It hasn’t even been 24 hours yet & I have it in an unused sterile container. So what their saying is they couldn’t even tell me if it’s cancer or a blood clot if the sample has degraded? I find that hard to believe, from a layman’s perspective anyway.. They said I can bring the pigs in for x-rays but recommend just keeping my eye on it. I haven’t been able to find a competent exotic vet near me, I've been through 2 others already so this is the 3rd
 
MissBlueYT said:
Thank you so much for your advice, I’m not sure how to start a thread but I will try : ) both pigs seem fine wheeking for their morning veggies. I checked the cage this morning there’s no blood to be found. Unfortunately I just got off the phone with the vet, they said pathology would cost upwards of 500$. That’s just for pathology not including treatment, tests or exam.. I’m extremely confused as to why.. they said it would have to be sent off to a lab & went on about it not being preserved properly & how if it’s not preserved properly the sample would degrade & be unusable. It hasn’t even been 24 hours yet & I have it in an unused sterile container. So what their saying is they couldn’t even tell me if it’s cancer or a blood clot if the sample has degraded? I find that hard to believe, from a layman’s perspective anyway.. They said I can bring the pigs in for x-rays but recommend just keeping my eye on it. I haven’t been able to find a competent exotic vet near me, I've been through 2 others already so this is the 3rd
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To start your own thread go the relevant forum.
In this case Health and Illness.
At the top you will see a blank bar with the word Prefix in.
Click this - add the title of your thread and you should be able to create your own thread.
@Betsy has given you the link for vets in your part of the world so you may find an exotic specialist there.
 
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