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Lymphoma

anyar.dris

anyar.dris

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Well, we just got the call from Ellie Whitehead about Vegas' biopsy and she said the result is she has an aggressive form of lymphoma. 😭💔

She gave us the option of trying with steroids, or having chemotherapy to extend her life to 4 to 6 months. Although these treatments aren't really sure will extend her life according to her because there isn't much studies about it on guinea pigs. Plus take in the fact that she would suffer side effects of the treatments. We can also do nothing and just continue the current medication she has, Azithromycin and Metacam. At the moment, she is maintaining her weight, 1320g, and eating loads of grass and hay. She's gone off a bit with veggies though and seems her lumps in the neck make her uncomfortable eating the veggies, not sure why it's just veggies at the moment. So we are syringing water w/probiotics to her regularly.

Hubby told Ellie that he'll do some research on what best to do and would just phone next week on what we decide. She said if we do nothing, her life expectancy might be around 6 to 8 weeks. 😭😭

This made me feel sad because I want her to live longer but I also don't want her suffering too much. I'm so torn. 😭😭💔💔
 
I'm so sorry, our rainbow bridge Piggle also had an aggressive lymphoma but diagnosed very late. Chemotherapy used in cats can also be successful in guinea pigs, but usually with a slower growing less aggressive lymphoma where there is more time to buy and the starting point is a healthier place.
Sending hugs- if its any comfort, Piggle went very peacefully, just slowed down and got tired and slept more, then lost her appetite in the last couple of days and drifted away- it was very peaceful and pain free, she just drifted away to her forever sleep at home surrounded by her friends x
 
PigglePuggle said:
I'm so sorry, our rainbow bridge Piggle also had an aggressive lymphoma but diagnosed very late. Chemotherapy used in cats can also be successful in guinea pigs, but usually with a slower growing less aggressive lymphoma where there is more time to buy and the starting point is a healthier place.
Sending hugs- if its any comfort, Piggle went very peacefully, just slowed down and got tired and slept more, then lost her appetite in the last couple of days and drifted away- it was very peaceful and pain free, she just drifted away to her forever sleep at home surrounded by her friends x
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Thanks for your reply. Vegas only started having changes from normality around late Sept. That was also when we adopted Whitney so we thought it was just because of that. But she picked up and got back tk her normal self and weight on Dec. I only noticed her lumps in the neck on Tuesday this week (1st time taking her to the vet ever), hence we took her to Ellie that same day. She isn't as active as she was last year, before we got Whitney. But we thought being 3.5 yrs old, she would mellow down anyway. We just didn't expect cancer will be the cause.
 
I know its an awful shock, Piggle was 4 and a half and we thought she was just slowing down with age, then she had a bum bath one day last summer and I felt lots of little lumps in her tummy and after her bath she just looked exhausted, took her to the vet the next day then it was suddenly biopsies and talk of aggressive cancer- I hoped it wasn't, but it was very advanced with Piggle, we just had a week to say goodbye. Lymphoma can be quite a silent ilness, looking back there's nothing that stood out as obvious except sometimes a general low level fatigue you might put down to aging or being a bit hormonal or sulky.
If the lumps are only in her neck it may be worth trying the chemo, but if the cancer is aggressive and fast growing I'm afraid ir possibly isn't- our vet said Piggle's lymphoma was so aggressive it would have been undetectable 6 weeks earlier, so sudden and she was always out healthiest most lively pig... I'm so sorry, its a huge shock for you, but not an awful way to go for them if they have to leave us too soon- just very tired x
 
We also lost our Oreo to aggressive lymphoma.
We opted to try steroids but not chemo, as we decided to try for quality over quantity of life.
Oreo didin't mind - she was happy as long as she had friends around her and plenty to eat.
After diagnosis, like PigglePuggle said, she did loose more weight and just became quieter over time.
We kept up with Metacam to make sure she wasn't suffering, and in the end when she really slowed down and pretty much stopped eating on her own we opted to have her pts.

You may not have long, but try and enjoy the time you do have left.
You know Vegas best so you will know in your heart what the best option for her is.
 
So sorry to hear this. My 4 year old skinny pig Jellybaby was diagnosed with lymphoma. I opted for steroids too. He gradually slowed down and I supplemented his hay with critical care and oats but the day he stopped showing an interest, I knew it was right to pts. We had several months with him from diagnosis but his was not an aggressive form. Try and enjoy the remaining time with Vegas. Hugs ❤️
 
Oh I’m so very sorry that the diagnosis isn’t what you’d hoped for. Treasure what time you have with her. Big hugs.
 
I am so sorry to hear your bad news, sending hugs, the diagnosis must have come as an awful shock. Only you and hubby can decide what’s best for Vegas, but whatever it is you will have made the right choice for her and we are here to support you x
 
BIG HUGS

I am very sorry. This kind of diagnosis always comes as a huge shock. The aggressive form of lymphoma comes up and develops very quickly unfortunately.

Please keep in mind that love transcends time and that what you are currently experiencing is actually the onset of your grieving process; it doesn't start with your loss but with the certainty of an impending loss. Hence you feeling rather overwhelmed by your emotions right now.

Try to think things through from Vegas' end and then make your decision based on what you feel is the best balance between life-prolonging measures and side effects; you cannot go wrong that way. See every new day with Vegas as a special gift to fill with a meaningful memory for both you that you can treasure in years to come.

For some practical and helpful advice on how to navigate terminal illness care and the challenges that come with it, you may find the relevant chapter in this guide here useful: A Practical and Sensitive Guide to Dying, Terminal Illness and Euthanasia in Guinea Pigs
 
Thanks @Wiebke. At the moment, we are leaning on not doing anything and just keep her on meds until it's time. She seems to be her normal self and we don't want to mess things up more for her. She is eating loads of hay and grass, and earlier just started eating the cucumber again. We don't know if we'll change our mind in the next few days. I keep on tearing up every time I think about her going soon. The only positive thing for us at the moment is that we know what will cause her death and are not guessing, unlike with our past piggies which usually involves guessing what's wrong and whether they'll survive whatever they had. I've been giving Vegas loads of cuddles lately and just making sure she is comfortable as much as possible and not stressing her out.
 
anyar.dris said:
Thanks @Wiebke. At the moment, we are leaning on not doing anything and just keep her on meds until it's time. She seems to be her normal self and we don't want to mess things up more for her. She is eating loads of hay and grass, and earlier just started eating the cucumber again. We don't know if we'll change our mind in the next few days. I keep on tearing up every time I think about her going soon. The only positive thing for us at the moment is that we know what will cause her death and are not guessing, unlike with our past piggies which usually involves guessing what's wrong and whether they'll survive whatever they had. I've been giving Vegas loads of cuddles lately and just making sure she is comfortable as much as possible and not stressing her out.
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You are not failing Vegas in any way if you decide to just provide palliative care and to keep the sharp end as short as possible. As long as you are putting Vegas' welfare before your own fears and pain of loss, it falls into the grey area where there is no right or wrong; just a weighing up of different but equally valid choices. Ultimately, it has to feel right in your heart.

Bad news come as a horrible shock but they do have some unexpected advantages - you often have more say and control in how to manage the end and when to call it quits; you know what is going on and, if you are open-minded, you won't leave anything unsaid or undone. Turn the life clock back to zero and see everything from now on as a bonus to make the best of however long or short that time is; make whatever time he has left special and joyful and share it with him as much as possible. That way you can minimise the usual guilt trip because you know that you have done your best for Vegas.

The end will always come far too quickly and - no matter how much you are braced for it - as a shock but you can do some of your 'grieving homework' before the actual loss and you will have a somewhat easier ride afterward. It is not any less grieving overall, just more spread out.

My thoughts are with you and Vegas.
 
I’m so sorry this was the news. Hope you treasure every day you have with her. I am sure she knows she’s deeply loved. You know her best so you will know what is right to do.

Lots of hugs 💜
 
I’m so sorry about your sad news. Sending lots of love x
 
So sorry for your bad news.
When Jemimah was diagnosed with a tumour at the beginning of lockdown we decided that giving her lots of happy todays and ensuring she was pain free was the best way.
Like @PigglePuggle ’s Piggle she died peacefully at home one night.

It’s so hard getting that sort of news - it fee as if the bottom has fallen out of the world.
Hugs :hug:
 
I am sorry to hear your bad news. Last year I lost one of my piggies to an aggressive lymphoma. It appeared to come on very suddenly and the lumps grew and spread quickly. I opted not to have chemo or steroids because of possible side effects and added stress, I just wanted her to have the best possible quality of life for the time she had left, which sadly turned out to be under two weeks. When she stopped eating I had her pts. She was just 2 years and 10 months. Sending hugs.
 
I'm very sorry that Vegas was diagnosed with lymphoma.
I lost two piggies due to lymphoma. Lea many years ago and Nicky about 3 years ago. Both times the swollen lymph nodes came out of nowhere and there weren't any other symptoms at first.
With Lea we didn't try any kind of treatment. She was eating fine untill the very end, but in the course of two weeks didn't show any interest in life any more apart from eating. She was completely lethargic except when you put veggies right before her. The lymph nodes in her neck were massive at the time and I had her PTS even though she was still eating (a really tough decision).

With Nicky we tried steroids. But unfortunately the first lymph node that I noticed was diagnosed as a possible tumor at first. We had an operation planned when I noticed that it wasn't one isolated tumor. So maybe we lost precious time, but after the diagnosis and with the steroids Nicky had a few good days left and then went down the hill quickly - like Lea eating untill the very end, but with such massive swellings around the neck and progressivly becoming lethargic.

Many :hug::hug::hug::hug:to you!
 
Sending :hug: from Carol a fellow lumpy piglet to Vegas. Carol was diagnosed with Lymphoma around the middle of October 2022. She went from not lumpy to lumpy in a very short timeframe. After discussions with Carol, we opted to try chemotherapy and steroids and started treatment at the end of October 2022. The chemo didn't make much difference to the size of the lumps and ones appeared / disappeared during the treatment period. The vet didn't think it was worth putting Carol through further chemo on this basis so she has been just on steroids since the start of 2023. Currently she is still full of life and often has more energy than me!
 
Thank you so much for all your messages. I really appreciate all your thoughts, stories, wishes, etc.

Here is Vegas just now, being her normal self and eating with Bryce and Whitney. She weighed 1326g when hubby woke up. Last night before I went to bed, she was eating loads and going to every food bowl and hay area where she can eat every type of food.

20230204_100239.webp
 
anyar.dris said:
Thank you so much for all your messages. I really appreciate all your thoughts, stories, wishes, etc.

Here is Vegas just now, being her normal self and eating with Bryce and Whitney. She weighed 1326g when hubby woke up. Last night before I went to bed, she was eating loads and going to every food bowl and hay area where she can eat every type of food.

View attachment 219019
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Her life is still sweet, long may it continue x
 
Just a question...

For those of you who have tried steroids for your piggies, what dosage were they prescribed with? How far along was treatment with your piggies?

Vegas is okay at the moment and seems like she isn't feeling anything. She runs up and down the rump and not sulking. She's been eating nonstop yesterday. She weighed 1342g this morning when hubby weighed her when he woke up. Her lumps in the neck though has grown around 25% according to him. Hubby is thinking if we can try the steroids route and see what happens.
 
I don't remember the dosage. Nicky hat an injection that was longer lasting, but I think that the specialist vet said that it would be possible to repeat the injection once a week or every ten days (something like this). But in Nicky's case the steroids didn't do much good. So we didn't repeat the injection.
 
Jellybaby was prescribed prednisolone and the dose was calculated according to his weight which at the start of treatment was around 940g so quite a bit smaller than your Vegas. Also took into account the spread of lumps - they were very visible as he was a skinny pig. He had 7 days at ‘high‘ dose then it reduced after 7 days, reduced again for another 7 days then settled at the reduced dose but every other day. The starting dose was less than 0.2ml if I recall, gradually reducing to the point where I was reaching for my magnifying glass to see if anything was in the syringe. I was told he would be more susceptible to infection and might actually have an increased appetite but in Jellybaby’s case he didn’t and his weight gradually dropped. Your vet will calculate the appropriate dose and frequency as they know your piggie‘s situation best.
 
Carol has been on prednisolone since her treatment started at the end of October 2022. Her dosage is 0.06ml once daily based on a weight of 1.1g - 1.2g. The vet said she will be on this dosage until we lose her.
 
Countrylass said:
Carol has been on prednisolone since her treatment started at the end of October 2022. Her dosage is 0.06ml once daily based on a weight of 1.1g - 1.2g. The vet said she will be on this dosage until we lose her.
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Hi @Countrylass! Does Carol have any side effects when she started having steroids? We phoned Ellie this morning and requested for steroids treatment. The meds would hopefully arrived by tomorrow. We were also told to stop giving the Metacam once Vegas starts the treatment.
 
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