Mass found in or around uterus

[maxncheese]

Sunday morning (Oct. 9) I picked up my 4-year-old guinea pig, Rummy, to say good morning and noticed blood coming from her genital area. I called multiple ER vets as none near me treat guinea pigs or were even open. We drove an hour and a half to the nearest vet, with all three of our girls, and spent over eight hours there. After her urine came back clean they did a radiograph and found a mass in or around her uterus. Without a biopsy we can't be sure if this tumor is benign or malignant. The vet says we could choose to operate to remove her reproductive organs and the mass for 4-5 thousand dollars. As much as I hate that money is the reason, we are choosing not to go through with the surgery. We started her on Meloxicam 1.5mg/ml, 2ml once daily for pain on Monday morning. She took it very well and has been otherwise entirely normal through this entire ordeal. Monday night (Oct. 10) we found a massive blood clot in the cage, approx. 6.4 cm across. This morning (Oct. 11) she is her usual self still. I'm not certain what the blood clot could possible mean and the trip to the vet the first time cost me just over 550 dollars. I'm really not sure if my plan to keep her happy and comfortable should still apply. I truly cannot afford another trip to the vet and I am beyond gutted about it. I've read a few older threads here from people with similar experiences, but any thoughts or advice anyone has to offer are really appreciated.

Image of the blood clot:

https://imgur.com/wwXhHAX

Image of my piggie:

https://imgur.com/tlxzd0F

 

[Claire W]

I am so sorry for the diagnosis. That clot is huge

I completely understand you not wanting to put her through surgery or anymore tests and the reasons why. One thing I can say is it all comes down to her quality of life rather than quantity. If she seems perfectly fine at the minute, cherish her. I would take things day by day and be guided by her and your vet. You will know when the time has come to say goodbye x

 

[VickiA]

I’m sorry for the diagnosis and fully understand your plan to keep her comfy. You know your girl best. Only you can make the decision whether she needs to to go back to the vet if she’s uncomfortable or unhappy. I’m afraid it’s a bit of a watch and wait situation to see how she goes.

 

[Swissgreys]

Nothing further to add but I wanted to add my support.
She is a beautiful piggy and lucky to have such a caring owner.

 

[Popcorns & Wheeks]

Oh dear. I am so sorry to hear your piggie Rummy and you are going through this awful time. My 4 year old sow had surgery to remove a uterine tumor and her ovaries in March. Same issues, blood coming from her privates however, no blood clots. I had to go ahead with surgery even though money was really tight, if I didn't my mind simply would never have been at rest. I really do feel for you, vets trips are not cheap as we all find out.

 

[Wiebke]

HUGS

I am very sorry. You are doing your best under the circumstances. You are not failing your girl because you cannot throw thousands of dollars at her that may or may not save her. Guinea pigs don't measure their lives by a set life expectancy. They live their lives in happy todays.

What I would like to encourage you because it helps me with piggies of my own with life-shortening issues, however short or long the time left: Please try to re-set the life clock to zero and take every day your girl is well in herself and enjoying a normal life as the special gift it is. Create plenty of precious memories that will stay with you to warm your heart in years to come. You will grieve underneath it all (and that is what you should do) but there is also still lots of fun and joy to be had; share that with her - something little every day. It doesn't have to be an expensive treat; simple things and shared time are key. Don't waste what time you have on your own fears of loss but fill them with joy for both of you.
Enrichment Ideas for Guinea Pigs

This link here doesn't make easy reading but it may help you navigate the difficult times and decisions you may have to make hopefully a bit better and not leave you feeling quite as overwhelmed and lost during the whole process: A Practical and Sensitive Guide to Dying, Terminal Illness and Euthanasia in Guinea Pigs

I sincerely hope that you still have some good times with your girl!

 

[Merab]

Holding you in my heart

 

[maxncheese]

I thought I would update this for anyone in a similar situation and panic googling what it could possibly be (because that's always my first step). She was on the pain meds up until recently (about 6 months) and after a second vet visit we were told she expelled whatever that mass was on her last x-ray and she is completely healthy and didn't need to be on the pain meds at all! Luckily her blood work still looked good after being on the meds for so long.

 

[Wiebke]

I thought I would update this for anyone in a similar situation and panic googling what it could possibly be (because that's always my first step). She was on the pain meds up until recently (about 6 months) and after a second vet visit we were told she expelled whatever that mass was on her last x-ray and she is completely healthy and didn't need to be on the pain meds at all! Luckily her blood work still looked good after being on the meds for so long.

That is wonderful news! You must be so happy.

Thank you for the update. Very often we never hear back.

 

[Merab]

Great news

 

[weepweeps]

That’s brilliant news.

 

[Popcorns & Wheeks]

I'm so pleased. Great news

 

[Claire W]

Aw that’s wonderful news Thank you for the update x

 

[J.mcvick]

THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS! I am in the same boat as your original post… been searching for what must be HOURS on end trying to find anything that might explain what my Himalayan girl is demonstrating upon picking her up today, much like your post illustrates!

She is pretty new to our family… her and her bonded littermate/sister(?)… We adopted them from our local Humane Society, after quite an extensive application process, complete with multiple interviews and reference checks. I guess they were part of a four-piggie surrender here in town.

we initially assumed she was an albino given her red eyes, almost completely white fur phenotype, and of course our reliance on the stated breed via the HUMANE SOCIETY’s paperwork … … but after researching it further and observing her faint but still very present grey markings on her back feet/legs, and exactly HALF of her adorable cavy face/muzzle/nose, it is apparent she is more likely a full bred Himalayan.

Regardless WHAT she is, she was appropriately donned the name “Marshmallow” when we adopted her and her “sister”, Cupcake”. Cupcake is an equally sized Black, White, & (one distinct) grey patched cavy, with the grey patch being perfectly positioned in the middle of her back, amongst her other large opposing colored patches.

For some reason, unbeknownst to me, I CANNOT seem to remember that, and I keep blurting out “SNOWFLAKE” when calling her rather than “Marshmallow!” . Lol.

She is very sweet and endearing…she’s very patient and soothing to my three (autistic) sons, and very cuddly as well. She is one of SEVEN adored piggies in our brood… but a very cherished and unique one she is .

So when I noticed her bottom end oozing a deep, dark red discharge, contrasted sharply against her otherwise immaculately bright white fur, I was immediately alarmed!

Of course, after Dr. Google-ing it for what seemed like HOURS… I found out that there is only ONE vet around here that even TREATS Guinea pigs, … and it just so happens to be OUR vet…… which WOULD be a fantastic advantage, …. Except they’re booked out solid for over THREE WEEKS…!… which is NOT going to work obviously!

So I just wanted to Thank you for posting this, if nothing else, for a little bit of insight, at the very least!..if not some like-kind acknowledgment that someone else’s piggy gas experienced something if the surf….

For a brief “update” on her condition since all thus has transpired today, it is perhaps prematurely, inaccurately, and/or naively stated by saying it has “changed” to a thinner, more brownish discharge. Of course, it does not go to implicate something/anything has resolved, and she still needs to be seen by our vet of course. But your post has st least given me some shred of hope that perhaps this isn’t a death sentence for her!

Predictably, she has shown no other signs or symptoms of distress… as we would expect being a prey animal, rt? She’s eating. Peeing, pooping, and “squeek”-ing just as usual… she’s actually a but more spunky than her typical spunky, unassuming/“sleeper” appearances self, as she chased my veteran/eldest/seniority female piggy out of HER OWN designated enclosure that I had placed her in, just long enough to do some initial research on this subject! —LIKE A BOSS! — I’ve never seen my other/seniority female piggy BALE out of HER OWN enclosure, EVER, let alone IMMEDUATELY upon being put back into it, OR by diving uninhibitedly to the floor, some 3.5 feet BELOW it! She is usually pretty territorial so this was crazy to observe!

thank you again for posting this! As well as the inspiring and heartwarming, albeit NOT TYPICAL, UPDATE to it!

MUCH LOVE,
From our piggies to yours!

”wheel” “wheek”
#Pigaletta (The “Queen” Bee)/Crépes
#Snowflake/Marshmallow
#Cupcake
#Oreo/Cleo
#Paèch/Cletus
#The Baby/Pepper/Pancakes
#Cermit/Chicken
RIP #The Momma/Waffles

 

[weepweeps]

THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS! I am in the same boat as your original post… been searching for what must be HOURS on end trying to find anything that might explain what my Himalayan girl is demonstrating upon picking her up today, much like your post illustrates!

She is pretty new to our family… her and her bonded littermate/sister(?)… We adopted them from our local Humane Society, after quite an extensive application process, complete with multiple interviews and reference checks. I guess they were part of a four-piggie surrender here in town.

we initially assumed she was an albino given her red eyes, almost completely white fur phenotype, and of course our reliance on the stated breed via the HUMANE SOCIETY’s paperwork … … but after researching it further and observing her faint but still very present grey markings on her back feet/legs, and exactly HALF of her adorable cavy face/muzzle/nose, it is apparent she is more likely a full bred Himalayan.

Regardless WHAT she is, she was appropriately donned the name “Marshmallow” when we adopted her and her “sister”, Cupcake”. Cupcake is an equally sized Black, White, & (one distinct) grey patched cavy, with the grey patch being perfectly positioned in the middle of her back, amongst her other large opposing colored patches.

For some reason, unbeknownst to me, I CANNOT seem to remember that, and I keep blurting out “SNOWFLAKE” when calling her rather than “Marshmallow!” . Lol.

She is very sweet and endearing…she’s very patient and soothing to my three (autistic) sons, and very cuddly as well. She is one of SEVEN adored piggies in our brood… but a very cherished and unique one she is .

So when I noticed her bottom end oozing a deep, dark red discharge, contrasted sharply against her otherwise immaculately bright white fur, I was immediately alarmed!

Of course, after Dr. Google-ing it for what seemed like HOURS… I found out that there is only ONE vet around here that even TREATS Guinea pigs, … and it just so happens to be OUR vet…… which WOULD be a fantastic advantage, …. Except they’re booked out solid for over THREE WEEKS…!… which is NOT going to work obviously!

So I just wanted to Thank you for posting this, if nothing else, for a little bit of insight, at the very least!..if not some like-kind acknowledgment that someone else’s piggy gas experienced something if the surf….

For a brief “update” on her condition since all thus has transpired today, it is perhaps prematurely, inaccurately, and/or naively stated by saying it has “changed” to a thinner, more brownish discharge. Of course, it does not go to implicate something/anything has resolved, and she still needs to be seen by our vet of course. But your post has st least given me some shred of hope that perhaps this isn’t a death sentence for her!

Predictably, she has shown no other signs or symptoms of distress… as we would expect being a prey animal, rt? She’s eating. Peeing, pooping, and “squeek”-ing just as usual… she’s actually a but more spunky than her typical spunky, unassuming/“sleeper” appearances self, as she chased my veteran/eldest/seniority female piggy out of HER OWN designated enclosure that I had placed her in, just long enough to do some initial research on this subject! —LIKE A BOSS! — I’ve never seen my other/seniority female piggy BALE out of HER OWN enclosure, EVER, let alone IMMEDUATELY upon being put back into it, OR by diving uninhibitedly to the floor, some 3.5 feet BELOW it! She is usually pretty territorial so this was crazy to observe!

thank you again for posting this! As well as the inspiring and heartwarming, albeit NOT TYPICAL, UPDATE to it!

MUCH LOVE,
From our piggies to yours!

”wheel” “wheek”
#Pigaletta (The “Queen” Bee)/Crépes
#Snowflake/Marshmallow
#Cupcake
#Oreo/Cleo
#Paèch/Cletus
#The Baby/Pepper/Pancakes
#Cermit/Chicken
RIP #The Momma/Waffles

I hope you can get in at your vets. Maybe call them daily for a cancellation appointment. Good luck.