Ovarian Cyst and Spaying

[wackychick20]

I’m new here.
I’ve got two piggies both 3 1/2 years, Charlie (a she) has been off her food, crusty eyes and generally not herself.
Got her in the vets and she hasn’t got an URI, lungs clear etc but could feel a cyst and potentially one that had popped.
They’ve given her antibiotics, some painkillers and special food.
This is all this mornings and we’ve got to go back tomorrow for a check.
they’ve advised if she perks up to get her spayed although if they do this it could open up something more underlying.
If she does seem better what’s other peoples experience with spaying? Up until now we’ve not had any problems with her and has always been a lively piggy. Can she come back from this? Feel like her little life is in my hands

 

[Merab]

Welcome to the forum.
All I can tell you is my personal experience of spaying sows.
Merab - sadly the op revealed a large number of cysts spread throughout her body. At over 6 years old her heart couldn’t cope with the length of the surgery.
Jemimah - she went in for an abscess removal and rapidly growing ovarian cysts were found so she had an emergency spay as well.
She came home with 2 impressive scars for the spay and the abscess. She recovered well from the op.
Phoebe, developed ovarian cysts and was spayed. She recovered very well.

All surgery is risky but we make the decision that seems to be right and best at the time.
So much depends on how confident you are with your vet and their experience of operating on guinea pigs.

Holding you in my thoughts as you have to make this difficult decision.

 

[wackychick20]

Thank you
How old were Jemimah and Phoebe if you don’t mind me asking?

 

[Siikibam]

There have been members whose piggies underwent emergency spays in later life - possibly around 4-5 years of age. Although she’s old, she’s not old old if that makes sense. As said, there’s risk with anaesthetic. How is her behaviour towards her cage mate?

I guess it depends how quickly they grow and whether she develops other symptoms or they affect her mood. What underlying thing do they think the spay could reveal? And are they going to x-ray or scan her tomorrow?

I think be guided by your vet.

 

[KathT]

I had Bella spayed in November and she has made a full recovery. Mya was spayed on Tuesday and is recovering nicely - eating and pooping normally and the operation wound is healing well. Bothe were spayed for ovarian cysts. I know there is a risk - as there is for any mammal going under general anaesthetic, but if there is a problem it’s best to get it sorted. Both mine are rescue pigs but estimated to be about 4 years old.

If you’re happy with your vet then be guided by them.

 

[Wiebke]

I’m new here.
I’ve got two piggies both 3 1/2 years, Charlie (a she) has been off her food, crusty eyes and generally not herself.
Got her in the vets and she hasn’t got an URI, lungs clear etc but could feel a cyst and potentially one that had popped.
They’ve given her antibiotics, some painkillers and special food.
This is all this mornings and we’ve got to go back tomorrow for a check.
they’ve advised if she perks up to get her spayed although if they do this it could open up something more underlying.
If she does seem better what’s other peoples experience with spaying? Up until now we’ve not had any problems with her and has always been a lively piggy. Can she come back from this? Feel like her little life is in my hands

Hi and welcome

I sincerely hope that she can get back from a popped ovarian cyst and that you have caught it early enough. It unfortunately an often fatal condition. Please step in with syringe feeding and weighing daily at the same time in order to monitor the food intake - around 80% is hay which you cannot judge by eye.
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment (our one-stop emergency and crisis care information and care guides collection worth bookmarking)

If you want a second opinion, try to bag an emergency slot at the Cat&Rabbit Care clinic in Northampton by calling them at 8 am. They are by far the most piggy savvy vets in our area. A potentially life saving appointment with a specialist vet is a valid travel reason.
I have all my own sows needing a spaying or other op if possibly done there while I still use Coventry vets for routine or emergency issues, and have never lost one of spayed sows there despite several of them being emergency spays in 5 year olds. The only one I lost was 11 years ago in Coventry due to the then vet (now long retired) getting the GA dosage wrong, not knowing that they were dealine with two and not just one large ovarian cyst and a fair aount of bloating. The Cat&Rabbit specialises in seeing only cats, rabbits and guinea pigs. They see piggies from as far as Cornwall and Edinburgh for dental issues.
Burst cysts are thankfully comparatively rare but they can happen. I lost my Heini at the same age as your to a suspected one two years ago. Unfortunately she had suppressed the symptoms for long enough to be too late to save her.
Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic | Northlands Vets

All the best!

 

[Eriathwen]

Welcome! In the last 18 months I've had to have 6 of my girls spayed due to cysts, ranging from 18 months old to 3+ years old. They all did really well even with a few minor complications here and there.

Unfortunately the only one I've lost to cysts was one I couldn't get spayed quickly enough and her cyst ruptured, she however wasn't put on antibiotics etc. If she is strong enough for surgery I think its worth considering.

Everything crossed for your girl ❤

 

[wackychick20]

Thank you all for your comments.
Since this morning, I’ve been reading and wondering how they know it’s definitely a cyst without scanning or x-ray first. Also how they know one has popped.
I do wonder if she has been hiding it as well. I am syringe feeding but she’s not interested
I will have to see how she is in the morning. It’s good to hear some positive stories too

 

[Betsy]

Betsy had an emergency spay at the beginning of Lockdown 1. She was just over 4 then. She recovered well.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you all for your comments.
Since this morning, I’ve been reading and wondering how they know it’s definitely a cyst without scanning or x-ray first. Also how they know one has popped.
I do wonder if she has been hiding it as well. I am syringe feeding but she’s not interested
I will have to see how she is in the morning. It’s good to hear some positive stories too

Here is our emergency and crisis care, including advice to help you if the very worst happens: Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment

 

[wackychick20]

Thought I’d let you I had to make the sad decision to put Charlie to sleep this morning. She was hypothermic and had become wheezy on the chest, she was very poorly and I just couldn’t put her through the surgery.
I knowI made the right decision for her and now need to concentrate on make sure her companion.

 

[Wiebke]

Thought I’d let you I had to make the sad decision to put Charlie to sleep this morning. She was hypothermic and had become wheezy on the chest, she was very poorly and I just couldn’t put her through the surgery.
I knowI made the right decision for her and now need to concentrate on make sure her companion.

BIG HUGS

I am so very sorry but not quite surprised. It rather sounded to me like her body was already starting to close down when you posted yesterday about the absoluate refusal to eat. Hypothermia in in indoors guinea pigs is usually very much an indicator that the blood circulation is no longer working well; it is for me one of the signs that a piggy is already in multiple organ failure. You have made absolutely the right decision and have spared Charlie the sharp end of the dying process. A burst cyst (or whatever it was) is sadly in most cases fatal and any operation would have been rather a make or break one with the odd against you.
Try to take consolation from having given Charlie a peaceful journey to the Rainbow Bridge when it was her time.

We tend to forget that piggies are such small animals with a very fast metabolism that we sometimes can only race behind events and not catch up. I've only had one case of a burst cyst in the over 50 sows that have so far come into my life over the course of quite a number of years; it is just cosmic bad luck that it happened to Charlie and no fault of yours.

You may find the information in these links here helpful, both for Charlie's companion and for yourself while you go through:
Death/Dying/Terminal Illness, Bereaved Companions and Human Grieving: Information and Support for Owners and Their Children

 

[wackychick20]

Thank you.
It happened so quickly and I think I’m in a bit of shock. She was a lovely little piggy and thought we had a good year or two still to go with her.
Feeling very sad at the minute.

 

[Siikibam]

I’m sorry for your loss.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you.
It happened so quickly and I think I’m in a bit of shock. She was a lovely little piggy and thought we had a good year or two still to go with her.
Feeling very sad at the minute.

BIG HUGS

I felt very gutted with Heini, when it happened to her; the same as with any other piggy that went down within hours of the first symptom showing. It really whacks you and leaves you shaken to the core on top of the normal heart-soreness, doesn't it just?
Be kind to yourself and give yourself time and space to grieve. What has happened was in no way your fault and you haven't done anything wrong. There is enough of an operation risk with spays, especially with less experienced vets, that it is a fine balance act; so don't beat yourself up about that. We are very much wired to soul-search at this initial stage of the grieving process.

Please try to find consolation in that guinea pigs don't have a concept for a set life expectancy; they measure their life in happy days as they go along. As long as you have given Jewel plenty of them, you have given her what she wanted and needed - and as you sound like a very caring and loving owner, you have surely done that! When and what from our beloved ones die is very much out of our control; we only have them on a loan that can be cancelled at any time. We have only control over the quality of the time they spend with us - but we can really make all the difference in that respect. Be sad, but try not to beat yourself up for what is beyond your own control.

You may find our grieving guide very helpful, as it talks you through the whole gamut of strong feelings that come with a loss; especially if it is first one. The strength of your emotions can really take you by surprise and overwhelm you. Grief the other side of the same coin to love. You have to grieve as much as you have loved. Here is the link: Human Bereavement: Grieving, Coping and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children

 

[wackychick20]

Thank you so much all for your kind words. She was a happy piggy and lived a good life that I know. It was just her time and what I did have with her I will be forever grateful x

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you so much all for your kind words. She was a happy piggy and lived a good life that I know. It was just her time and what I did have with her I will be forever grateful x

It will take some time until your heart will be able agree with your head, so please give yourself that time. There are no shortcuts for the grieving process on the emotional side. All I can do is to try and help you get over the first hurdle as best as possible; the rest is down to going through the usual stages as described in the grieving guide; including the big adrenaline hangover when your current high alert is gradually dying off and is leaving you feeling very washed out, pysically and emotionally. The guide is there to help you recognise and indentify some of your experiences so you can put them into more of a perspective as you go through them and know when you may profit from help - and where to find it if needed.

We also have included resources and ideas to remember Jewel and practical tips on what you yourself can do to process your loss.

You can find our detailed guide for what you can do for a bereaved companion immediately and in the medium term vie the the first guide link in this thread. There is not a huge lot of information around, when it comes to guinea pig; so our guides do hopefully help owners through this most difficult time.

 

[Merab]

So very sorry for your loss.
You made a tough decision out of love for Charlie.
Be gentle with yourself as you grieve

 

[KathT]

So sorry, it’s such a hard decision to make but you know you made it for the right reason. Be kind to yourself over the coming days and remember all the lovely times you had with her.

 

[wackychick20]

Thank you all. It hit my daughter last night and this thread and the guides have been very useful in helping us. Hopefully in the coming days we’ll start to feel better. We’re planning on making a little memorial in the garden where she is buried to remember her xx