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Lymphoma in guinea pig

I

Izzy3Piggies

New Born Pup
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Hi all,

I’m new to this website so I hope I am doing this forum post right! I am sorry if this post is a little long but I would greatly appreciate some help.

Quick back story: I have three piggies, all boys- two of them currently live together (Wolfie and Jarvis) and my new baby I adopted a few months ago, Bubbles, is living on his own currently (long story- will probably make another post about this!)

So I noticed my Wolfie (3 years old) had lost quite a bit of weight, I think it was quite sudden, however I wasn’t weighing them weekly like I used to (lesson learnt ! ) and he is quite a fluffy boy so his fur is often mistaken for chub😆 (From his last weight he has lost over 100g) I didn’t notice his weight loss until last week Monday, which I then assumed could possibly be some bullying as I’m also trying to bond Bubbles with him and Jarvis. I separated them and just kept a closer eye on Wolfie to make sure he was okay. When I brought Wolfie and Jarvis indoors from play time outside on Tuesday evening I noticed some blood in Wolfies wee, then amongst further investigation I found a lump under his chin :(

I immediately started panicking and I made a vet appointment for the next day (Wednesday 16/06) She found about 6 other lumps all over his body and said it could be a lymphatic infection, or lymphoma. She also noticed his breathing was very quick and shallow and I could see where his sides were going in as he breathed (if that makes sense). He also had lots of discharge around his eyes. She was not an exotic vet however, so she said I could get a second opinion from an exotic vet but they might tell me the same thing, and she was explaining how the treatment options are really not great for piggies. The other option was to have him put down. Of course she gave me some time to think and in the meantime gave me some antibiotics to clear up any possible infections, some painkillers, and some critical care to hand feed.

It has been a week later and he has gained a little bit of weight (From 910g to 960g) and he is eating a little more by himself. This past week he has been amazing, his behaviour is back to his usual self, apart from seeing the now very noticeable lumps and his breathing is quite laboured. I have also noticed he is struggling to poop and his poos are very thin. Today he seemed a little off than his usual behaviour but all his medicines stopped yesterday as they were only prescribed for one week so maybe could this be why? The reason I am making this post is because I know the treatment is not great for piggies and could potentially make him worse. He seems more or less happy but I would hate to think he’s in pain, and we all know how good our piggies are at hiding their pain, so I don’t know if I should go with the other option.

So, Any help or experience shared would be so helpful and thank you so much if you have taken the time to read this far :)
 
I have a sow who was diagnosed with lymphoma in August last year with lots of lumps all over her body and a larger one in her abdomen. Once I started Loxicom she was much happier and put on weight, which she has maintained. She is still going strong with long term Loxicom though the lump in her abdomen is quite large now and seems to have grown much faster in the last few weeks. At a check up earlier this week we decided that we would keep her going as long as she was happy on Loxicom, but if the skin breaks down on the lump or she starts losing weight and being uncomfortable I will have her pts. Your boy will probably need painkiller/anti inflammatory meds if you want to keep him happy until it’s time for him to go. I get mine on repeat prescription.
 
Sorry for your piggie health problems, it’s good to hear that he’s back to his normal self. I would presume that him being off today is probably because the medication stopped so he may need medication to keep him comfortable for the rest of his life.

I recently lost one of my guinea pigs (almost 6 years old) to lymphoma a couple of months ago. We had to get an emergency appointment for her as she suddenly got very ill, she was then diagnosed with lymphoma and put to sleep. That being said I have heard a few stories of guinea pigs having treatments for lymphoma and living months after diagnosis (like the comment above). If you‘re considering treatment I would probably go to an exotic vet as they will likely be able to give you more advice on the treatments.

Sorry I don’t have much advice for you but I’m sure someone else on here will be able to offer more advice. Best wishes to Wolfie 🤍
 
Izzy3Piggies said:
Hi all,

I’m new to this website so I hope I am doing this forum post right! I am sorry if this post is a little long but I would greatly appreciate some help.

Quick back story: I have three piggies, all boys- two of them currently live together (Wolfie and Jarvis) and my new baby I adopted a few months ago, Bubbles, is living on his own currently (long story- will probably make another post about this!)

So I noticed my Wolfie (3 years old) had lost quite a bit of weight, I think it was quite sudden, however I wasn’t weighing them weekly like I used to (lesson learnt ! ) and he is quite a fluffy boy so his fur is often mistaken for chub😆 (From his last weight he has lost over 100g) I didn’t notice his weight loss until last week Monday, which I then assumed could possibly be some bullying as I’m also trying to bond Bubbles with him and Jarvis. I separated them and just kept a closer eye on Wolfie to make sure he was okay. When I brought Wolfie and Jarvis indoors from play time outside on Tuesday evening I noticed some blood in Wolfies wee, then amongst further investigation I found a lump under his chin :(

I immediately started panicking and I made a vet appointment for the next day (Wednesday 16/06) She found about 6 other lumps all over his body and said it could be a lymphatic infection, or lymphoma. She also noticed his breathing was very quick and shallow and I could see where his sides were going in as he breathed (if that makes sense). He also had lots of discharge around his eyes. She was not an exotic vet however, so she said I could get a second opinion from an exotic vet but they might tell me the same thing, and she was explaining how the treatment options are really not great for piggies. The other option was to have him put down. Of course she gave me some time to think and in the meantime gave me some antibiotics to clear up any possible infections, some painkillers, and some critical care to hand feed.

It has been a week later and he has gained a little bit of weight (From 910g to 960g) and he is eating a little more by himself. This past week he has been amazing, his behaviour is back to his usual self, apart from seeing the now very noticeable lumps and his breathing is quite laboured. I have also noticed he is struggling to poop and his poos are very thin. Today he seemed a little off than his usual behaviour but all his medicines stopped yesterday as they were only prescribed for one week so maybe could this be why? The reason I am making this post is because I know the treatment is not great for piggies and could potentially make him worse. He seems more or less happy but I would hate to think he’s in pain, and we all know how good our piggies are at hiding their pain, so I don’t know if I should go with the other option.

So, Any help or experience shared would be so helpful and thank you so much if you have taken the time to read this far :)
Click to expand...

Hi!

Please continue with his meds; that is crucial!

Are you weighing daily at the same time to monitor the hay intake, which makes around 80% of what a piggy eats. if you just check the veg, then you are basically just looking at the afternoon snack but not at what your piggy eats for the rest of the day. Thin, small poos point towards a lack of food intake, i.e. him not eating enough hay. Please keep in mind that the output is always running a day (or with a sluggish gut two) behind the intake; only the kitchen scales can give you the real time update that you need.

Please be aware that the need to breathe comes before the need to drink and only thirdly the need to drink. I can be likely be that one of the internal lymph nodes is pushing on the heart or lungs.

Please step in with additional feeding support. Here is information on what you can do:
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

Weight - Monitoring and Management
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pigs Safely

All the best. Make sure that you treasure whatever time you have with your boy.
A Practical and Sensitive Guide to Dying, Terminal Illness and Euthanasia in Guinea Pigs
 
Hi, I lost two piggies to lymphoma in the last couple of years and if a piggy really suffers from lymphoma, it deteriorates quickly. You can try a treatment with prednisolon (I hope it is called the same in English), but that's not a cure. It just helps a bit and some piggys gain a few weeks.
But in Austria there are quite a few vets who diagnose lymphoma only because of the enlarged lymph nodes. And there are a lot of different causes for enlarged lymph nodes. Lymphoma can only be diagnosed for sure with a biopsy.

I think it would be a good idea to visit a vet who is really capable of doing a valid needle biopsy in guinea pigs (in Vienna there is just one vet whom I trust with this procedure, so I know that this can be tricky or impossible to manange).

But since the laboured breething hasn't stopped and Wolfie feels worse without the medication, I agree that you should continue. I would also continue with the antibiotic because 1 week is really to short for treatment of anything bacterial.
If he really suffers from lymphoma it won't help and you probably have to prepare to say goodbye pretty soon.
But if it is something different, the antibiotic might help. And if the pain medication gives him a better quality of life, please give it to him.

Best wishes to Wolfie and you - I know how hard it is to loose a piggy lymphoma.
 
Izzy3Piggies said:
Hi all,

I’m new to this website so I hope I am doing this forum post right! I am sorry if this post is a little long but I would greatly appreciate some help.

Quick back story: I have three piggies, all boys- two of them currently live together (Wolfie and Jarvis) and my new baby I adopted a few months ago, Bubbles, is living on his own currently (long story- will probably make another post about this!)

So I noticed my Wolfie (3 years old) had lost quite a bit of weight, I think it was quite sudden, however I wasn’t weighing them weekly like I used to (lesson learnt ! ) and he is quite a fluffy boy so his fur is often mistaken for chub😆 (From his last weight he has lost over 100g) I didn’t notice his weight loss until last week Monday, which I then assumed could possibly be some bullying as I’m also trying to bond Bubbles with him and Jarvis. I separated them and just kept a closer eye on Wolfie to make sure he was okay. When I brought Wolfie and Jarvis indoors from play time outside on Tuesday evening I noticed some blood in Wolfies wee, then amongst further investigation I found a lump under his chin :(

I immediately started panicking and I made a vet appointment for the next day (Wednesday 16/06) She found about 6 other lumps all over his body and said it could be a lymphatic infection, or lymphoma. She also noticed his breathing was very quick and shallow and I could see where his sides were going in as he breathed (if that makes sense). He also had lots of discharge around his eyes. She was not an exotic vet however, so she said I could get a second opinion from an exotic vet but they might tell me the same thing, and she was explaining how the treatment options are really not great for piggies. The other option was to have him put down. Of course she gave me some time to think and in the meantime gave me some antibiotics to clear up any possible infections, some painkillers, and some critical care to hand feed.

It has been a week later and he has gained a little bit of weight (From 910g to 960g) and he is eating a little more by himself. This past week he has been amazing, his behaviour is back to his usual self, apart from seeing the now very noticeable lumps and his breathing is quite laboured. I have also noticed he is struggling to poop and his poos are very thin. Today he seemed a little off than his usual behaviour but all his medicines stopped yesterday as they were only prescribed for one week so maybe could this be why? The reason I am making this post is because I know the treatment is not great for piggies and could potentially make him worse. He seems more or less happy but I would hate to think he’s in pain, and we all know how good our piggies are at hiding their pain, so I don’t know if I should go with the other option.

So, Any help or experience shared would be so helpful and thank you so much if you have taken the time to read this far :)
Click to expand...
Izzy3Piggies said:
Hi all,

I’m new to this website so I hope I am doing this forum post right! I am sorry if this post is a little long but I would greatly appreciate some help.

Quick back story: I have three piggies, all boys- two of them currently live together (Wolfie and Jarvis) and my new baby I adopted a few months ago, Bubbles, is living on his own currently (long story- will probably make another post about this!)

So I noticed my Wolfie (3 years old) had lost quite a bit of weight, I think it was quite sudden, however I wasn’t weighing them weekly like I used to (lesson learnt ! ) and he is quite a fluffy boy so his fur is often mistaken for chub😆 (From his last weight he has lost over 100g) I didn’t notice his weight loss until last week Monday, which I then assumed could possibly be some bullying as I’m also trying to bond Bubbles with him and Jarvis. I separated them and just kept a closer eye on Wolfie to make sure he was okay. When I brought Wolfie and Jarvis indoors from play time outside on Tuesday evening I noticed some blood in Wolfies wee, then amongst further investigation I found a lump under his chin :(

I immediately started panicking and I made a vet appointment for the next day (Wednesday 16/06) She found about 6 other lumps all over his body and said it could be a lymphatic infection, or lymphoma. She also noticed his breathing was very quick and shallow and I could see where his sides were going in as he breathed (if that makes sense). He also had lots of discharge around his eyes. She was not an exotic vet however, so she said I could get a second opinion from an exotic vet but they might tell me the same thing, and she was explaining how the treatment options are really not great for piggies. The other option was to have him put down. Of course she gave me some time to think and in the meantime gave me some antibiotics to clear up any possible infections, some painkillers, and some critical care to hand feed.

It has been a week later and he has gained a little bit of weight (From 910g to 960g) and he is eating a little more by himself. This past week he has been amazing, his behaviour is back to his usual self, apart from seeing the now very noticeable lumps and his breathing is quite laboured. I have also noticed he is struggling to poop and his poos are very thin. Today he seemed a little off than his usual behaviour but all his medicines stopped yesterday as they were only prescribed for one week so maybe could this be why? The reason I am making this post is because I know the treatment is not great for piggies and could potentially make him worse. He seems more or less happy but I would hate to think he’s in pain, and we all know how good our piggies are at hiding their pain, so I don’t know if I should go with the other option.

So, Any help or experience shared would be so helpful and thank you so much if you have taken the time to read this far :)
Click to expand...
Thank you so much for all your replies I really appreciate all your advice. Unfortunately Wolfie passed away last night, I found him this morning. I was planning on taking him to the vets this morning to get him back on medication, I knew he didn’t have long I just didn’t think it would be this quick😥 Lots of love to all of you piggie parents going through the same thing. I’m happy he will not be in any pain anymore❤️
 
KathT said:
I have a sow who was diagnosed with lymphoma in August last year with lots of lumps all over her body and a larger one in her abdomen. Once I started Loxicom she was much happier and put on weight, which she has maintained. She is still going strong with long term Loxicom though the lump in her abdomen is quite large now and seems to have grown much faster in the last few weeks. At a check up earlier this week we decided that we would keep her going as long as she was happy on Loxicom, but if the skin breaks down on the lump or she starts losing weight and being uncomfortable I will have her pts. Your boy will probably need painkiller/anti inflammatory meds if you want to keep him happy until it’s time for him to go. I get mine on repeat prescription.
Click to expand...
I’m so sorry you have to go through this too, but I am glad she seems happier and has put on weight, I am sending her my love to keep fighting 💓☺And thank you so much for taking the time to reply :)
 
Viennese Furbabies said:
Hi, I lost two piggies to lymphoma in the last couple of years and if a piggy really suffers from lymphoma, it deteriorates quickly. You can try a treatment with prednisolon (I hope it is called the same in English), but that's not a cure. It just helps a bit and some piggys gain a few weeks.
But in Austria there are quite a few vets who diagnose lymphoma only because of the enlarged lymph nodes. And there are a lot of different causes for enlarged lymph nodes. Lymphoma can only be diagnosed for sure with a biopsy.

I think it would be a good idea to visit a vet who is really capable of doing a valid needle biopsy in guinea pigs (in Vienna there is just one vet whom I trust with this procedure, so I know that this can be tricky or impossible to manange).

But since the laboured breething hasn't stopped and Wolfie feels worse without the medication, I agree that you should continue. I would also continue with the antibiotic because 1 week is really to short for treatment of anything bacterial.
If he really suffers from lymphoma it won't help and you probably have to prepare to say goodbye pretty soon.
But if it is something different, the antibiotic might help. And if the pain medication gives him a better quality of life, please give it to him.

Best wishes to Wolfie and you - I know how hard it is to loose a piggy lymphoma.
Click to expand...
Hi, I am so sorry for your losses that’s awful :( I was planning on taking him to a new vet this morning but unfortunately he has passed away. They really do deteriorate quickly.. :( Thank you for your reply and advice though, I really appreciate it.
 
I'm so sorry for your loss. :( Unfortunately, lymphoma has a poor prognosis in these little guys. We lost a hamster to lymphoma a few years back. It's good that you were able to give him the meds for his last week, you probably improved his quality of life considerably. Pigs don't understand quantity of life, but they do understand being happy and comfortable, and you were able to five him that. ((HUGS.))
 
Freela said:
I'm so sorry for your loss. :( Unfortunately, lymphoma has a poor prognosis in these little guys. We lost a hamster to lymphoma a few years back. It's good that you were able to give him the meds for his last week, you probably improved his quality of life considerably. Pigs don't understand quantity of life, but they do understand being happy and comfortable, and you were able to five him that. ((HUGS.))
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Thank you💓Oh I’m sorry for your loss too! Yes I’m also glad he has a reaosnably comfortable last week and didn’t seem to suffer for long ☺️
 
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