Our piggie was diagnosed with a mammary tumor. It is quite large, about golf ball sized. We went on vacation for a week and found it after we came home. Our pet sitter didn’t notice it. She is happy, eating and active. She is 3.5 years old. Our vet said due to the size surgery is risky. She said if we don’t do surgery it will eventually rupture. She couldn’t give us warning signs for rupture. Just wondering if anyone has experienced this? Are there warning signs of rupture? How long can they live with such a large tumor? Our vet recommended euthanasia. I don’t want her to suffer, but she seems totally fine right now so euthanasia seems extreme. Thank you!
-
Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement
Mammary Tumor
- Thread starter Smitch26
- Start date
Guineautopia
Forum Donator 2024/25
Hello, welcome to the forum.
Actually I’m going through same thing right now. The lump came on within a few days. I have quite a good vet who has successfully taken care of many of my piggies so I trust her.
We discussed options but at this time as my Piggie is NOT loosing weight, she is 100% Herself and happy, the lump it not causing her issues or rubbing on the floor. So we are letting her be. To be honest if it is a cancerous lump the chances are there is a secondary issue inside her body which can’t be treated and if it is benign well then I see no point putting her through anaesthetic and risk of surgery yet.
So I would monitor the lump and weigh the Piggie frequently and if she is happy and eating I would most certainly NOT euthanasia her.
It may be worth a second opinion?
My vet measured the lump so we could monitor it’s growth. Right now it has stopped.
Hope that helps but I think maybe you could see a different vet as mine gave quite a few options and we discussed the pros and cons of all of them.
Good luck
Actually I’m going through same thing right now. The lump came on within a few days. I have quite a good vet who has successfully taken care of many of my piggies so I trust her.
We discussed options but at this time as my Piggie is NOT loosing weight, she is 100% Herself and happy, the lump it not causing her issues or rubbing on the floor. So we are letting her be. To be honest if it is a cancerous lump the chances are there is a secondary issue inside her body which can’t be treated and if it is benign well then I see no point putting her through anaesthetic and risk of surgery yet.
So I would monitor the lump and weigh the Piggie frequently and if she is happy and eating I would most certainly NOT euthanasia her.
It may be worth a second opinion?
My vet measured the lump so we could monitor it’s growth. Right now it has stopped.
Hope that helps but I think maybe you could see a different vet as mine gave quite a few options and we discussed the pros and cons of all of them.
Good luck
Hi!
I am very sorry; these things tend to happen at the most inconvenient of times and not necessarily noticeable by people that do not handle your piggies daily or wired to notice small changes.
It is not nice being between a rock and a hard place when you make a decision.
Operating on a large blown up tumour should not wait; the sooner you operate the better; especially if it is fluid or blood filled and could go septic.
Can you find another vet who is more willing to perform the operation? It is worth getting a second opinion as quickly as possible.
I have been in that situation with my Rhosyn in 2014. My experienced vet did get the tumour out, which had started to blow up very quickly and spread; as it was blood filled would have gone septic and killed her in a rather nasty way within two weeks. Sadly she didn't come round because it was a high risk operation due to her having a very irregular heartbeat; it was the heart that gave out right at the end - otherwise she would have made it.
I would however make the same decision in the same situation again.
Thank you for your feedback. It helps a great deal, especially to hear that it possible to wait and watch her closely. Also good to know the tumor can slow their growth. I found an exotic pet vet in my area. I’m going to see about getting a second opinion. Thanks again!Hello, welcome to the forum.
Actually I’m going through same thing right now. The lump came on within a few days. I have quite a good vet who has successfully taken care of many of my piggies so I trust her.
We discussed options but at this time as my Piggie is NOT loosing weight, she is 100% Herself and happy, the lump it not causing her issues or rubbing on the floor. So we are letting her be. To be honest if it is a cancerous lump the chances are there is a secondary issue inside her body which can’t be treated and if it is benign well then I see no point putting her through anaesthetic and risk of surgery yet.
So I would monitor the lump and weigh the Piggie frequently and if she is happy and eating I would most certainly NOT euthanasia her.
It may be worth a second opinion?
My vet measured the lump so we could monitor it’s growth. Right now it has stopped.
Hope that helps but I think maybe you could see a different vet as mine gave quite a few options and we discussed the pros and cons of all of them.
Good luck
Can you share an update on that? My guinea pig has a mammary tumor about 3 inches in diameter & wanna know what to expect next.Hello, welcome to the forum.
Actually I’m going through same thing right now. The lump came on within a few days. I have quite a good vet who has successfully taken care of many of my piggies so I trust her.
We discussed options but at this time as my Piggie is NOT loosing weight, she is 100% Herself and happy, the lump it not causing her issues or rubbing on the floor. So we are letting her be. To be honest if it is a cancerous lump the chances are there is a secondary issue inside her body which can’t be treated and if it is benign well then I see no point putting her through anaesthetic and risk of surgery yet.
So I would monitor the lump and weigh the Piggie frequently and if she is happy and eating I would most certainly NOT euthanasia her.
It may be worth a second opinion?
My vet measured the lump so we could monitor it’s growth. Right now it has stopped.
Hope that helps but I think maybe you could see a different vet as mine gave quite a few options and we discussed the pros and cons of all of them.
Good luck
Bill & Ted
Forum Buddy
My Bill had a mammary tumour removed, it was small, the size of a small pea but another was also found behind it which was even smaller. We opted for removal that day at the vets. The vet said the tumours needed to come as they are aggressive and can quickly spend especially in males. He also said they would start to bleed and get infected once they got larger. Bill sailed through the op and was fine
Guineautopia
Forum Donator 2024/25
Hi, yes. Unfortunately the lump grew to the point where it needed to be removed as it would have become uncomfortable for her (about 1 inch) So she had the operation and the removal was successful. Unfortunately she passed away from Secondary issues some weeks later.
however I’ve had piggies that have had operations to remove lumps and gone on to live long lives.
Each piggie is different but we should give them every chance possible to live a long happy healthy life. X