New update on small lump found on 6 month sow

[Gadzy]

Hello all,

I found a small lump around the neck area of my sow and took her to the vets last week. They took a sample and thought it was a cyst or abscess and gave us Baytril to try first before thinking of any surgery. However, the lump doesn't seem to be bothering her and she's eating and drinking as normal.

The vet said surgery is the last option due to there being important structures in the area and the pig would need to be sedated due to her manorism. Wriggly and won't keep still.

I spoke to her today and she said if the lump hasn't got any smaller she will forward the case onto someone else at the practice who isn't a Guniea pig specialist, but has done alot of work with exotic mammals and surgery and she wants her to look at it before we decide to do anything.

Could it be a case of watch the lump carefully and if it starts bothering her then to have surgery or do I send the sample away first? I don't know what to do because all this money here and there is money that could easily go towards her surgery or procedure?

 

[Siikibam]

I don’t know, but want to offer support. I would possibly send it off if they can find out what it may be. Sorry

 

[Claire W]

I agree that if it were my piggy, I would send the sample off to see what it is as if it’s just a harmless fatty lump or cyst, it can be left alone with no need for surgery

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

What did they get out of it? If it was pus, then it's unlikely to culture, as you wouldn't be sending any of the abscess capsule, which is the bit that cultures. We recently had a lump removed from the back of a piggies neck and we just went ahead and had it removed, no sending samples off first. I would just get it removed.

 

[Gadzy]

She said it was a thick white substance like cottage cheese thickness (sounds disgusting) I think it's a cyst due to the guniea pig being fine and eating normally and being very oblivious to it

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

She said it was a thick white substance like cottage cheese thickness (sounds disgusting) I think it's a cyst due to the guniea pig being fine and eating normally and being very oblivious to it

It sounds very like a cyst.

 

[Gadzy]

It sounds very like a cyst.

Is a cyst less dangerous than an abscess?

 

[Claire W]

Is a cyst less dangerous than an abscess?

Yes it is. Most cysts can be left alone but that will depend on what sort of cyst it is and if it’s growing etc

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

It generally is, but it depends on the location and speed of growth. We've had a couple of piggies with very fast growing cysts, that needed to be surgically removed, quite quickly.