Specialist Problem with shoulder blade... synovial fluid lump ?

[Booknerd]

Hi all,

I am just wondering if anybody has any advice please.

Last night i noticed my 4.5 year old sow Scout had something wrong with her. One of her front shoulders seemed to be really sticking out. After giving it a good feel, it also had a squishy lump that feels as if it is half over the shoulder blade but also under the shoulder blade, pushing the shoulder blade outwards.... it's really strange.

I've just got back from the vets, she gave it a good feel and agreed that it seems the shoulder blade doesn't seem right.

She used something (i don't know whether it was a needle/syringe or what) to see what was in the lump. She said it seems it is synovial fluid (the liquid that lubricates the joint) as it was stringy. She said she double checked that she had take a sample from the lump and not accidentally from the shoulder blade fluid sack by doing it a second time, and still it was this stretchy liquid.

My guinea pig is still in the vets waiting for the vets boss to come in and also take a look and possibly x ray. The vet said is seems a very abnormal case. She asked if Scout had an injury but i don't think she has... she is an indoor pig and her cage is very safe so i don't think she has.

Please, please if anybody has had anything similar or have any insight on this can you help me. I will also let you know what the vet says after her boss looks.

Thank you

 

[Piggies&buns]

I can’t offer any advice but wanted to offer support.
Do let us know how Scout goes. I hope she is ok

 

[Booknerd]

I can’t offer any advice but wanted to offer support.
Do let us know how Scout goes. I hope she is ok

Thank you so much. I've experienced all sorts of piggy health issues over the years but never this. I have searched other threads and only found one that was a slightly similar issue I will keep everyone updated.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi!

I am very sorry but this is a new one on me. Veterinary science and diagnostics on small animals are improving all the time, so we come across new diagnoses all the time, which in one way is great as it means medical advances.
Not so great for research, though...

I am tagging @Abi_nurse and @furryfriends (TEAS) for you. Perhaps they know more.

 

[Booknerd]

Hi everyone.

Thanks for the replies so far.

Scout is back home now and the vets are sending a sample off to the lab to see what the fluid is in the lump. I should get the results in 2-3 days. We can then decide the next steps from there.

Scout is just relaxing at the moment after being prodded and poked! She has metacam for the pain too. Once she is all settled down this evening i will take a picture and upload it.

I will keep this updated just incase it also helps other fur mums/dads in the future!

I am keeping everything crossed that it will be ok

 

[Bill & Ted]

Aw, hope it’s nothing serious for Scout and she makes a full recovery x

 

[Abi_nurse]

Hope scout is doing okay. The idea of an injury is usually the most common reason for this kind of issue, often from muscular or tendon tears or bone injury. You’d be surprised what pigs can do on their own. Lol. May also be inflammatory response in the joint or even a ganglion cyst (just where the fluid leaks out). Hope the sample sheds some light for you. Would give the area a cold compress for now to help with any swelling or injury. An ice pack wrapped in a light towel or place a wetted swab or cotton ball in the fridge for an hour or two and use this to place on the area.

x

 

[Booknerd]

Hi all,

The lab results came back.
I have put them here incase anybody on here can advise me further, hopefully you can see the little snapshot.

In simple terms it's likely a tumour but it's possibly an uncommon mucus-y tumour (a myxosarcoma). The possibility she injured herself can't be ruled out.

Has anybody on here had a guinea pig with a tumour like this before?

The vet said next options could be x-ray, exploring surgery or see a specialist.

We do not think the lump has changed size but the vet is concerned if it came on this quick that it could grow rapidly. I'm reluctant to rush into surgery straight away unless we know it is growing bigger, which we are not convinced it is at this moment.

Please help if you can! I'm really not sure what to do next

 

[Booknerd]

Hope scout is doing okay. The idea of an injury is usually the most common reason for this kind of issue, often from muscular or tendon tears or bone injury. You’d be surprised what pigs can do on their own. Lol. May also be inflammatory response in the joint or even a ganglion cyst (just where the fluid leaks out). Hope the sample sheds some light for you. Would give the area a cold compress for now to help with any swelling or injury. An ice pack wrapped in a light towel or place a wetted swab or cotton ball in the fridge for an hour or two and use this to place on the area.

x

Thank you Abi, i have just posted the lab results too.

 

[Abi_nurse]

The lab results are inconclusive, as often is the pathologist on the fence lol. Sounds like without a proper biopsy you may not get a full analysis of the lump. For now it really is up to you what you would like to do, it really is down to weather you want a definitive answer or not. There is no right or wrong answer in this scenario, but I guess what you need to ask yourself and your vet is if this is a malignant tumour will they be able to resolve it with surgery or will it come back. This is something you need to talk to yours vet about to decide to be honest.

Sorry I’m not of more help to you here.
x

 

[Booknerd]

The lab results are inconclusive, as often is the pathologist on the fence lol. Sounds like without a proper biopsy you may not get a full analysis of the lump. For now it really is up to you what you would like to do, it really is down to weather you want a definitive answer or not. There is no right or wrong answer in this scenario, but I guess what you need to ask yourself and your vet is if this is a malignant tumour will they be able to resolve it with surgery or will it come back. This is something you need to talk to yours vet about to decide to be honest.

Sorry I’m not of more help to you here.
x

Thank you, that is a really good point and is a help.

Do you know what the process of a biopsy is? Do they operate and take part of the lump? Or is it less invasive and kind of scratching the surface of the lump? I’ve never experienced a guinea pig biopsy before.

I really appreciate your advice, so thank you x

 

[Abi_nurse]

A biopsy would almost certainly need some form of sedation or anaesthesia to take out a bit of the lump. However if you discuss this with your vet you should question that if your putting your pig under to do this then it may be more worthwhile to try and remove all of the swelling/abnormality, but this may or may not be possible depending on weather it is fixed to the joint or not. may not be a simple removal.

x

 

[Booknerd]

Hi all,
I just wanted to provide an update on Scout, 1. to get some further advice and 2. in case this helps future people.

We was referred by our vet to a specialist vet who has a very good track record. This vet took an X-ray (picture below), she has also taken a blood test (pending result) and taken another sample to send to a very experienced lab contact she has (not sure of the proper job title).

However as you can see from the x-ray if it is a tumour, which it is looking likely, then removing it will likely mean removing the whole front leg. There may be other options such as a sort of chemotherapy to stop it growing but we need to wait for the second lab tests before deciding a course of action - this should be in a few days.

I wondered if anybody on here has any experience of having a front piggy leg removed and how their pig coped with this? I am really worried about this option because i am struggling to imagine how she will support her front. I do not know if this is the fairest decision for her. Plus there is the added concern of whether it would come back.

Both vets have said this is a very rare case

She is still eating, drinking, going to the toilet, making happy wheeks and walking fine... which is the thing i am clinging on to. I was horrified when i saw how it has pushed her leg out