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Sometimes they come back...

MartiDavi

MartiDavi

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Aug 18, 2018
Messages
139
Reaction score
393
Points
315
Location
Birmingham, UK
Hello all,
Hope you have been well (I know it has been a while). I don't know if you remember us but my husband Davide (also a member of this forum) and I are guinea pigs parents based in Birmingham UK.

We laenerd lots thanks to this forum and even if we haven't been active much we constantly refer back to this space.

Which brings me to the next point. We adopted a lovely male piggie in 2019, his name is Rudi. Unfortunately after a long fight with pneumonia which we won, Rudi has been diagnosed with oral carcinoma. Our amazing vet is working hard to find a good protocol for Rudi but apparently there had been only another documented case of nasal/oral tumour in guinea pig and that was in 2005.

I am waiting to speak to the vet to decide what we can do to help Rudi even tho that thing is growing super fast and now has become bigger than his mouth. We are giving critical care and lots of love and for now he doesn't seem to be in pain however is is starting to have problems with eating on its own and one of his nostril is completely obstructed.

I was thinking to share out story and progress with you all in case this might be useful for any of you out there. I have pics of the tumour but they are very graphic so unsure if you guys want to see it.

Also, has any of you has experience with a tumour on the gum of your piggie?

Will post pics of Rudi soon.

X
Martina
 
Welcome back to the Forum. I remember you. Sorry that Rudi isn't doing so well. I've never had a piggy with Rudi's problem so can't help you. I just wanted to let you know that my thoughts are with you.
 
Welcome back Martha, I am so sorry to read about poor Rudi. Poor little guy, this is so sad but I know he is being cared for so well by you.
There is a forum member @David Piggie Lover who had a little piggie called Cocoa with mouth cancer a few years back, I hope he gets this thread and can offer you some help and advise x
 
Hi @VickiA thank you for your words. I know, not great news but we are still hoping the vet can find a protocol to reduce Rudi's tumour. We are waiting to hear from him today, he has contacted some specialist and he is working with them. I will post in details about it as soon as I know so maybe we can keep this experience available for piggie parents. I was shocked to learn there is no info out there :(
 
Some very graphic pictures attached, be warned.

Just sharing a picture of how it started and how in only a week time this tumour is growing.

Will post a picture tumour free so you can all get to know lil Rudi under a better light!
 

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Poor Rudi. I hope your vet can get some specialist advice on this issue and there’s some treatment that can be tried. Sending Rudi healing vibes. Good luck.
 
Bill & Ted said:
Welcome back Martha, I am so sorry to read about poor Rudi. Poor little guy, this is so sad but I know he is being cared for so well by you.
There is a forum member @David Piggie Lover who had a little piggie called Cocoa with mouth cancer a few years back, I hope he gets this thread and can offer you some help and advise x
Click to expand...
Hi Bill, so sorry I didn't reply back to you earlier, I missed your message somehow. Thank you so much for that info I will look into the forum archive for that. We are still waiting for the vet to call us, I guess it will be tomorrow now. The tumour is getting bigger and is starting to affect Rudi's capacity of eating freely on its own but he is suck a brave lil soldier. Thanks again!
 
Thank you all for your kind words, I shall keep you posted. Little Rudi is braving everything so courageously. I wish I could be as brave as him!
 
Hello everyone, thanks again for all your support and kind words.

The vet called us this evening and he offered us some options. I am going to the clinic tomorrow afternoon to discuss further and see what we can do. I will eventually post about the whole case for future reference but for now we decided we will try the chemo treatment the specialist suggested and we might need to add a surgery too. We will need to decide between a minor surgery to physically reduce the size of the tumour and allow the chemo to have a easier job OR a very aggressive surgery to remove the whole thing but vet said that it has never been tried before (he has done it on a rabbit) and that he will have to remove half of Rudi's nose. This is complicated because piggies breath only with their noses but there might be a chance to get rid of that thing once and for all. It's going to be a difficult conversation but I hope to find the solution that will give Rudi his best chance. Night everyone!
 
MartiDavi said:
Hello everyone, thanks again for all your support and kind words.

The vet called us this evening and he offered us some options. I am going to the clinic tomorrow afternoon to discuss further and see what we can do. I will eventually post about the whole case for future reference but for now we decided we will try the chemo treatment the specialist suggested and we might need to add a surgery too. We will need to decide between a minor surgery to physically reduce the size of the tumour and allow the chemo to have a easier job OR a very aggressive surgery to remove the whole thing but vet said that it has never been tried before (he has done it on a rabbit) and that he will have to remove half of Rudi's nose. This is complicated because piggies breath only with their noses but there might be a chance to get rid of that thing once and for all. It's going to be a difficult conversation but I hope to find the solution that will give Rudi his best chance. Night everyone!
Click to expand...

Hi and welcome back

I do remember Rudi; he was the new kid on the block when you were on here the last time.

Anyway, I am ever so sorry. Mouth cancer is rare; I think that @David Piggie Lover 's was pretty much the only case we have significant first-hand owner's experience reflected.

I am keeping my fingers very firmly crossed for tomorrow.
 
MartiDavi said:
Hi Bill, so sorry I didn't reply back to you earlier, I missed your message somehow. Thank you so much for that info I will look into the forum archive for that. We are still waiting for the vet to call us, I guess it will be tomorrow now. The tumour is getting bigger and is starting to affect Rudi's capacity of eating freely on its own but he is suck a brave lil soldier. Thanks again!
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Aw no worries, poor little man, I hope you can get help for him, so very sad :hug:
 
Bill & Ted said:
Welcome back Martha, I am so sorry to read about poor Rudi. Poor little guy, this is so sad but I know he is being cared for so well by you.
There is a forum member @David Piggie Lover who had a little piggie called Cocoa with mouth cancer a few years back, I hope he gets this thread and can offer you some help and advise x
Click to expand...
I’ve message @mar
Bill & Ted said:
Welcome back Martha, I am so sorry to read about poor Rudi. Poor little guy, this is so sad but I know he is being cared for so well by you.
There is a forum member @David Piggie Lover who had a little piggie called Cocoa with mouth cancer a few years back, I hope he gets this thread and can offer you some help and advise x
Click to expand...
ive message @MartiDavi and offered to help all I can
 
Wiebke said:
Hi and welcome back

I do remember Rudi; he was the new kid on the block when you were on here the last time.

Anyway, I am ever so sorry. Mouth cancer is rare; I think that @David Piggie Lover 's was pretty much the only case we have significant first-hand owner's experience reflected.

I am keeping my fingers very firmly crossed for tomorrow.
Click to expand...
Yes it was Cocoa and what a love she was
I’ve message the lady and hopefully she get to me and I offer to help x
 
Hi everyone, Martina's husband here. It really has been a while, I hope that everyone has been keeping well.

Rudi unfortunately passed away on Thursday. After long considerations with the vet, we decided to try surgery one last time and start the chemo right after, in the hope of giving Rudi a bit more time to enjoy his great life, as everything pointed in the direction of the tumour being very aggressive, but not yet spread to other areas of the body. Rudi was acting just fine up to the end, despite the situation. We thought it was best for him to try to give him a few more happy days, but he never recovered from the surgery. We really thought it was the best decision.
I feel like you would already know anything I could say about how this feels, so I prefer to leave you a few pictures of Rudi, whom I believe you didn't get to know before all this.
Rudi had an incredible patience, sweetness, an adorable natural shyness, but also incredible strength in the most difficult time. He really was a wonderful being.
Me and Martina both loved him so much, and did everything we could to give him the best possible life. Everyone that met him was left with a smile, so I'll leave these photos here, confident that you'll also smile when you see them.

Thank you for the replies and the kind messages. We might not be around that much, but we know how lucky we are in having met people like you on this journey
 

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I am so very sorry for your loss. You did all that you could for him and clearly he was loved and adored by you & everyone who met him. Please accept my condolences. I know how hard it is to lose a beloved piggy (as do most of us on here). Fly high at the Rainbow Bridge little man 🌈
 
I’m so sorry to read your sad news, but take heart Rudi had a happy life and was adored and loved and that’s the main thing, sending big hugs to you both x

Popcorn high sweet boy 🌈
 
I’m sorry that Rudi chose the rainbow. Just know he felt loved and that you did everything that you could to take care of him.

Sleep tight Rudi 🌈
 
I am sorry to read this sad news. He looked a very handsome piggy and had a good life being loved by you. He fought a brave battle at the end but is now pain free in his new life at the bridge. Run free Rudi xx
 
BIG HUGS

I am ever so sorry that your gorgeous Rudi has not been able to recover from his operation. As an owner, you can always only ever love your pets, make each day a good one and buy them a chance if there is a reasonable expectation of success; what you can never do is by a guaranteed success - that is out of you control, as is when and what from they die.
 
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