Lump On My Guinea Pig- Help

[Charli.anne13x]

I noticed a small lump on my guinea pig this week, thankfully I work at a vets and was able to take her in for a check up which the vet then noticed a grape size lump which is more internal than the small one. I’m pretty sure the small one was 9mm and the bigger one was 22mm so around 2 cm. the small one is very mobile and easily moved so I’m not that worried about that, it’s the bigger one, I can grab it and move it the smallest amount. The vet said poss lipoma because over weight but to bring back in for checkup on the size in two weeks, she’s eating fine, etc. But I’m really terrified she’s only just turned one! Please give me some reassurance/advice. I really will appreciate every response. Thank you so much. ( her names bubbles ).

 

[Wiebke]

I noticed a small lump on my guinea pig this week, thankfully I work at a vets and was able to take her in for a check up which the vet then noticed a grape size lump which is more internal than the small one. I’m pretty sure the small one was 9mm and the bigger one was 22mm so around 2 cm. the small one is very mobile and easily moved so I’m not that worried about that, it’s the bigger one, I can grab it and move it the smallest amount. The vet said poss lipoma because over weight but to bring back in for checkup on the size in two weeks, she’s eating fine, etc. But I’m really terrified she’s only just turned one! Please give me some reassurance/advice. I really will appreciate every response. Thank you so much. ( her names bubbles ).

Hi! Please take a deep breath and calm down!

The majority of lumps are harmless. fatty lumps (lipomas, mostly on the belly but they can appear everywhere) can come up rather quickly to the size you have mentioned, which can spook you at first, but then they tend to settle down.
Unless one of them is starting to blow up in size in a matter hours, there is no reason to rush your piggy to the vet. In many cases smaller lumps are just kept under observation when there is no suspicion that they could be malign.
Some piggies are lumpier than others due to a genetic disposition.

Here are tips re. weight: The Importance Of Weighing - Ideal Weight / Overweight / Underweight

 

[Charli.anne13x]

Thank you- I’m just really concerned because you have to kind of ‘dig’ for the lump, I never noticed it before which makes it worse for me as I don’t know how long it’s been there, she’s not at all ever been the active sort of guinea pig she just sits around in her floor time so it’s hard for me to help her loose weight. She’s 1.14kg.

 

[Katiedid]

I'm not an expert on lumps but like Wiebke says piggies can be lumpy. At 1.14kg what makes you say she is overweight? It's not an unusual weight for an adult female guinea pig (I'm not saying she is or isn't but just wondering why you think she may be).

 

[Betsy]

My Betsy has a couple of lumps on her. One on her back near her shoulder and one at the top her front paw where it joins her body. She has had them for a while. The vet isn't particularly worried but has suggested I have them removed. I have decided against this course of action as she is still happy in herself, eating, pooping and the lumps haven't adhered themselves they move up and down a bit like a ganglion moves. They don't hurt her when I do her weekly check and she isn't bothered by them. Also I don't want to upset the delicate balance I have between my 5 pigs. I have 2 boars and 3 sows living together in harmony at the mo and although I have contingency plans if the boars fall out I'd much rather keep everyone together as long as possible.

 

[Charli.anne13x]

I'm not an expert on lumps but like Wiebke says piggies can be lumpy. At 1.14kg what makes you say she is overweight? It's not an unusual weight for an adult female guinea pig (I'm not saying she is or isn't but just wondering why you think she may be).

I’m fine with her weight and didn’t really mind about it until I took her to my vets they said she needs to loose some of her weight, I done my reasearch and found she’s still in the range of a healthy guinea pig which confused me. Thank you for your reply. X