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Lump inside neck

kaitlynlovesgpigsx

kaitlynlovesgpigsx

New Born Pup
Joined
May 20, 2019
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Location
Fife Scotland
Hello!

Toby has just turned 5 and up until 2 days ago was the fittest 5 year old guinea pig I’ve ever seen, demolishing his food everyday and taring around popcorning and looking for snacks.
Two days ago we noticed he hadn’t eaten as much as he normally does. Took him out of his cage and noticed a bit of a runny nose and I was quite convinced his teeth needed done as he needed that when he was younger and we’ve just lost a pig with chronic teeth problems so we are quite clued up.
Took him to the vet on Saturday who said his teeth were fine but they found a small lump on the right side of his face, quite far down his neck. It’s quite deep inside but it’s squishy and moves about well. Vet suspects an abscess that’s hurting him when he eats but I’m not 100% sure as it’s quite far down his neck and doesn’t seem to be connected to his jaw. He’s chewing funny and spitting food out a few times before he eats so it’s something going on in his mouth but not sure if this lump is the problem. We have antibiotics for a week to see if that clears it but if it doesnt what should our next move be? TIA x
 
Hi

I am very sorry. Please step in with syringe feeding support as your piggy won't be eating as much as usual (keep in mind that over three quarters of what piggy eats in a day is hay which you cannot measure by eye and which is what you are replacing with your feed) and contact your vet asap if the swallowing/eating problems are getting worse rather than better.
Please take the time to read the links below. They contain all the practical information and how-to tips that we cannot repeat in every single post but that are what you need right now:
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures
Emergency and Crisis Care as well as Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
 
Hello. I’m sorry your piggy is poorly at the moment. My Pepper recently had a tooth root abscess. Here is his story.

Dental? Pepper is off to the vets tomorrow

It’s got loads of helpful tips from everyone on it so hopefully it will be useful for you too. Good luck I hope it clears up with the antibiotics. Did they give pain meds too as he will most likely be in pain.
 
Thank you!

So after feeling it a bit more it’s like kind of a tube that comes down his jaw and then there’s a lump about the side of a blueberry on the fatty bit of his chin. It’s more on the side rather than on the front of the throat if that makes any sense. Never come across anything like it in the 15 years I’ve had pigs
 
Did the vet look inside the mouth properly? Maybe they could do some x rays to find out if it’s a tooth root abscess. Some vets offer scans conscious. My girl had a squishy lump come up in a similar place. They tested it with a needle and only found fat and blood and it came back benign. But about 4 months later it burst out of nowhere and had become a sebaceous cyst. It might be worth asking them to sample it? Hope piggie is feeling better soon sounds like something is going on in his mouth for him to be acting that way ❤️
 
I think all you can do at the moment is:

Give the antibiotics he has been prescribed and hope for the best

Weigh him daily and support feed if he is losing weight

Take him back to the vets if he gets worse before the antibiotics are finished

Take him back to the vets if the antibiotics don’t work.

The vet will then investigate further. Maybe an x-ray or scan or take a sample.

Good luck I hope it’s just an infection that will clear up with antibiotics. 🤞
 
thank you all for the support, toby and i appreciate it hugely!
In a turn of events, I found a mark on the side of his mouth (he is a coronet so his fluff was hiding it) which looks to me like a bite from his his buddy Enrique (they hand out during floor time but have separate houses. Beginning to wonder if that’s what’s bothering him as it came on very very suddenly as the lump on his chin is a fatty lump as he has one of those on his side and has done for about 2 or 3 years
The saga continues😂❤️
 
kaitlynlovesgpigsx said:
thank you all for the support, toby and i appreciate it hugely!
In a turn of events, I found a mark on the side of his mouth (he is a coronet so his fluff was hiding it) which looks to me like a bite from his his buddy Enrique (they hand out during floor time but have separate houses. Beginning to wonder if that’s what’s bothering him as it came on very very suddenly as the lump on his chin is a fatty lump as he has one of those on his side and has done for about 2 or 3 years
The saga continues😂❤️
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I’m sorry that he’s causing you so much concern. If it’s an abscess then it may well need surgery to drain it. Please step in with syringe feeding and daily weighing to ensure he maintains his weight. It may well be worth communicating this new information to the vet as you’ve found a potential entry wound.

If he doesn’t live with Enrique please don’t let them put together at floor time. Otherwise they will need to establish dominance each time and they may well have had an altercation leading to a bite that you haven’t witnessed.
 
VickiA said:
I’m sorry that he’s causing you so much concern. If it’s an abscess then it may well need surgery to drain it. Please step in with syringe feeding and daily weighing to ensure he maintains his weight. It may well be worth communicating this new information to the vet as you’ve found a potential entry wound.

If he doesn’t live with Enrique please don’t let them put together at floor time. Otherwise they will need to establish dominance each time and they may well have had an altercation leading to a bite that you haven’t witnessed.
Click to expand...
Hello

Yes I am doing this already and they’ve not been together since Toby started feeling unwell.
 
So sorry for your loss.
You gave Toby a wonderful life and did everything possible for him.
5 is a good age and a tribute to your loving care.
Be gentle with yourself as you grieve.
 
I’m so sorry you lost Toby. You did all you could for him. Take care ❤️
 
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