Possible ovarian cysts/sleeping position.r

[Manincognito]

Hello, I regularly come on here to read the advice as it seems more knowledgeable than some vets, but first time posting. I’ll try to give as much detail as possible. So Daisy is 3 & a half years old, awhile back, can’t remember how long but a good few months ago she was rumbling & feisty with her 4 girlfriends, started losing her hair which we thought might be mites so treated for that but that didn’t do anything & then noticed a loss of weight, squeaking when going to the toilet then red in her urine the night before we were going to take her to the vets. First visit we only saw a locum & during the checkup he felt a lump on her right side about the size of a grape. With the other symptoms we straightaway thought ovarian cysts, he gave us a small pot of metacam, said to use only 0.2ml once a day & no antibiotics for a possible uti because he didn’t like giving them out unless he knew what it was. We weren’t overly happy with the checkup so managed to get an appointment at a better vets which has a guinea pig specialist, it’s normally one hard to get an appointment with. So we took her up there a couple of days later where they were far more thorough with her checkup, appointment lasted much longer. We were given a 15ml pot of Arthrocam, told to give her 0.4ml twice a day & the antibiotics that begins with S, serytpin?! Was mentioned to do a pee test/X-rays etc after if needed.
So after the 2 weeks of this the squeaking had stopped & she was eating, drinking & pooing fine.
About a week later she started small squeaks when going to the toilet but nothing like before but when she came out for her veg dinner one evening she didn’t seem interested & did this weird stretchy/twisty thing, went in her snug & seemed uncomfortable. I really thought she was going to go that night so I quickly went up to the girlfriends to get some Arthrocam she had just to help her if she was in pain. When I got back Daisy was out & about eating as normal. So for the last couple of weeks she seems fine again but one thing I’ve noticed & wanted advice on if anyone else has had this, she sits in & on snugs but just sits & doesn’t overly snuggly in plus isn’t so mad on the hay she’s used to have (Timothy soft from Haybox). She eats her veg still, comes running over for that, loves oat hay & we tried a sample of the orchard hay from haybox & seems to like that, but just wondered if anyone else has had a pig go off hay when they have any internal issues or don’t snuggle in as much. We know the cyst thing, if it is that, has to be sorted but for now we just want to see how she goes & if possible to fatten her up a bit before. We are worried about a spay option especially if shes not in the best condition for it. Sorry to ramble on, just wanted to give as much info as possible…

Thank you

 

[Manincognito]

This is her front & centre the other day wanting food from the fridge…

 

[Wiebke]

Hello, I regularly come on here to read the advice as it seems more knowledgeable than some vets, but first time posting. I’ll try to give as much detail as possible. So Daisy is 3 & a half years old, awhile back, can’t remember how long but a good few months ago she was rumbling & feisty with her 4 girlfriends, started losing her hair which we thought might be mites so treated for that but that didn’t do anything & then noticed a loss of weight, squeaking when going to the toilet then red in her urine the night before we were going to take her to the vets. First visit we only saw a locum & during the checkup he felt a lump on her right side about the size of a grape. With the other symptoms we straightaway thought ovarian cysts, he gave us a small pot of metacam, said to use only 0.2ml once a day & no antibiotics for a possible uti because he didn’t like giving them out unless he knew what it was. We weren’t overly happy with the checkup so managed to get an appointment at a better vets which has a guinea pig specialist, it’s normally one hard to get an appointment with. So we took her up there a couple of days later where they were far more thorough with her checkup, appointment lasted much longer. We were given a 15ml pot of Arthrocam, told to give her 0.4ml twice a day & the antibiotics that begins with S, serytpin?! Was mentioned to do a pee test/X-rays etc after if needed.
So after the 2 weeks of this the squeaking had stopped & she was eating, drinking & pooing fine.
About a week later she started small squeaks when going to the toilet but nothing like before but when she came out for her veg dinner one evening she didn’t seem interested & did this weird stretchy/twisty thing, went in her snug & seemed uncomfortable. I really thought she was going to go that night so I quickly went up to the girlfriends to get some Arthrocam she had just to help her if she was in pain. When I got back Daisy was out & about eating as normal. So for the last couple of weeks she seems fine again but one thing I’ve noticed & wanted advice on if anyone else has had this, she sits in & on snugs but just sits & doesn’t overly snuggly in plus isn’t so mad on the hay she’s used to have (Timothy soft from Haybox). She eats her veg still, comes running over for that, loves oat hay & we tried a sample of the orchard hay from haybox & seems to like that, but just wondered if anyone else has had a pig go off hay when they have any internal issues or don’t snuggle in as much. We know the cyst thing, if it is that, has to be sorted but for now we just want to see how she goes & if possible to fatten her up a bit before. We are worried about a spay option especially if shes not in the best condition for it. Sorry to ramble on, just wanted to give as much info as possible…

Thank you

Hi and welcome

Please switch from weighing once weekly on your normal kitchen scales to weighing first thing in the morning. A piggy off food in your case is a piggy in pain; if any diagnosed source of pain is starting to impact on the appetite, then the time to act has come. Please also keep in mind that something else could be going on. See a vet again sooner rather than later if there is a continuous weight loss. Guinea pigs have a much faster metabolism than larger pets, so you generally have less time to wait with any decisions.

Thread 'How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pigs Safely (videos)'

Apr 21, 2015

1 Picking up your guinea pigs without chasing or touching (video and pictures)
2 Weighing (video and pictures)


1 Picking up your guinea pigs without chasing or touching

This video shows you what you can train your guinea pig to do for a stress-free pick up.

Alternatively, you can use a small walk-in cardboard box for pick-up and transport. Please make sure that you cover the opening with your hand! If necessary, please cut finger holes into the cardboard box and face the opening...

• sport_billy
• Replies: 0
• Forum: Handling and Making Friends

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You cannot fatten up piggies ahead of an operation because any unhealthy yellow fat around the organs will raise the operation risk quite considerably and it will melt away just as quickly as it comes on without any benefit to your piggy at all.

What you are looking for is monitoring for weight loss and stepping in with topping up or feeding support promptly whenever needed. Your aim is keep Daisy as healthy and fit as possible for a better recovery and to slow down any pain related weight loss, which is a very different thing. The longer you wait, the more difficult this is going to be as whatever is going on in her body keeps progressing.
Unfortunately, you cannot revert that trend until the underlying problem is dealt with; at the best you can slow it down. 'Fattening up' measures are just like putting a plaster over a festering sore without dealing with the infection going on underneath, and it is just as unhelpful.

Please take the time to read these guides here. They are very practical and will help you to support throughout the whole time (not just in the run up). Your home care for an ill piggy with a limited or lost appetite is as important as any necessary medical treatment. It takes both for a successful recovery. We quite simply cannot type out all the how-to tips all the time.

The first link explains the different measures and how they mesh together so you can interpret better whatever feedback you are getting from the various monitoring methods and know better what you are doing/need to do (and why). The second link has all the practical detailed how-to tips with pictures and videos for your optimal support care.
- Weight Loss Explained: BMI, Weighing, Poos and Feeding Support
- All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

Here is more information on ovarian cysts and post-op care:
- Sow Problems 'Down Below' (Ovarian Cysts, Super-seasons, Womb Infection, Pregnancy & Mammary Tumours)
- Tips For Post-operative Care

All the best.