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Sticky red discharge

P

Ponyo

New Born Pup
Joined
May 23, 2022
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Location
Norwich
Hello everyone! I'm a long-time guinea pig owner and forum-consulter, first timer poster. Nice to meet you all!

I've just found a red, sticky lump in my Ponyo's cage. It is incredibly sticky - I ran my brush over it when sweeping up and it didn't disturb it. It's not dark red, it's more of a pale colour. Ponyo is not neutered.

I think I know that the answer is to take her to the vet, but she is nine years old. She seems perfectly happy and is eating and drinking normally. In her old age she is a bit skinny, has a couple of lumps and loves to sit in her own pee and poo so requires weekly baths. I'm thinking, does this one instance warrant a stressful vet trip? Or do you think I should wait and see if it happens again? I want her to be comfortable, and I'm worried the vet will stress her out.

I'll add a pic of the discharge soon, in case anyone has seen anything like it before.
 
Welcome to forum, pleased she is okay in herself a photo would be most helpful here. She is acting okay? How long ago did you find it?
 
Here is the sticky lump:
https://imgur.com/a/61fBkV

I noticed it has a tomato seed it in it. She didn't have any tomato today, but she did have a cherry tomato yesterday. Her digestion is getting worse in her old age and her poos are a lot softer. Could it be that she just didn't digest the tomato innards very well?
 
Thanks for looking! Sorry for the poor quality photo. There is a cherry tomato seed in the lump, on the left, but it's almost definitely not directly from a tomato as she hasn't had one since yesterday morning and I check her cage at least twice a day.

(Also, I don't have the option to attach photos, either on mobile or on my laptop. Is that normal?)
 
How is pop now? Can you do a poo pick then monitor output?
 
Do you see attach files purple box
3108380A-115E-4836-8479-A71ECEF6E614.webp
 
No, just 'Post reply' and nothing else. (Also my colour scheme seems to be green not purple!)
 
Ah yea, you can choose colour scheme. Give me 5, it may be a post count thing. Will check - can’t get the staff lol
 
Thank you for your suggestions, sport_billy. Ponyo is munching on her hay so I'm going to bed and will update first thing in the morning. Night all!
 
Hopefully one of the H&i team will be around soon. But keep checking back.

I can’t see why you can’t see the attach files option

If you are in your mobile you can pull up the attach photo by pressing the first set of 3 dots, then the first little photo box

E2CC6918-45BD-4E3A-80C1-2CFF19D52148.webp
 
sport_billy said:
Hopefully one of the H&i team will be around soon. But keep checking back.

I can’t see why you can’t see the attach files option

If you are in your mobile you can pull up the attach photo by pressing the first set of 3 dots, then the first little photo box

View attachment 203710
Click to expand...
Oh yes that works on my mobile! Thank you.
 
Hi and welcome
I would recommend that you see a vet for a health check of the reproductive and the digestive tract. It could be indicative of problems with ovarian cysts/cancer in female guinea pigs or some of the mucus barrier at the end of the caecum (to retain the digestive bacteria).
 
Wiebke said:
Hi and welcome
I would recommend that you see a vet for a health check of the reproductive and the digestive tract. It could be indicative of problems with ovarian cysts/cancer in female guinea pigs or some of the mucus barrier at the end of the caecum (to retain the digestive bacteria).
Click to expand...
Thanks for your response Wiebke! What I'm wondering if it's it with a visit at her advanced age? (She is nine.) I am worried it will stress her out too much.
 
Ponyo said:
Thanks for your response Wiebke! What I'm wondering if it's it with a visit at her advanced age? (She is nine.) I am worried it will stress her out too much.
Click to expand...
Oh my gosh she is nine - bless her!

How has she been this morning anymore sign?
 
I'm just giving her her breakfast and she is still fine. Her poops are actually more normal than usual too - she often has quite loose poos (for the last year or so, I think just because she is old and not very active) but they are more solid today, which is nice to see.

I did a poo pick and there's nothing unusual, no more red goo. I'm thinking that what I found yesterday must have had something to do with the cherry tomato Ponyo had the morning prior. I've just given her another one to see if anything happens later. I'll report back!
 
I just took a photo after she had eaten her tomato, she's very messy! Maybe what I found was saliva mixed with tomato juice? She does dribble a bit when she eats. (Also I now have the 'Attach files' button next to 'Post reply', hurrah!)
 

Attachments

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Wiebke said:
Hi and welcome
I would recommend that you see a vet for a health check of the reproductive and the digestive tract. It could be indicative of problems with ovarian cysts/cancer in female guinea pigs or some of the mucus barrier at the end of the caecum (to retain the digestive bacteria).
Click to expand...
I just read your 'Journey Through a Lifetime' sections on older pigs, and I wanted to say thank you! There was lots of helpful information and advice, particularly on making the most of the later days. I haven't always been the most attentive carer for my pigs, but I've really been trying to give Ponyo lots and lots of love now she is nearing the end of her time with us. It meant a lot to me to read what you'd written about making the most of every day. Thank you.
 
Ponyo said:
I just took a photo after she had eaten her tomato, she's very messy! Maybe what I found was saliva mixed with tomato juice? She does dribble a bit when she eats. (Also I now have the 'Attach files' button next to 'Post reply', hurrah!)
Click to expand...
Hi

Saliva is not sticky or gloopy when it dries.

Glad that my article series has been able to help you; it can sometimes help to put things into a greater perspective. It isn't any easier when you see old age catching up with a long time pet and your fears of loss aren't any less, nor are the feelings of impotence of being able to stop the relentless progress of time.
I am currently there myself with an 8 years old but while I cherish the miracle of being able to get a rescue-born 40g newborn (about as a birth weight low as it gets) to that grand age, it is still no less heart-breaking to wat her body slowly failing. She's just had another wobble over the weekend; they are coming more often now and one of them will likely be her last, sooner rather than later - the same as it was for her sister in February, just 9 days before their 8th birthday. :(
I try to counter it by celebrating every day more she is coming out for her breakfast as a blessed day and the miracle that it is...

Mucus lumps are very often mystery one-offs but there can be sometimes a serious issue behind them. I don't think that a vet trip is too stressful if she is used to vet visits but it is in your owner's discretion to weigh up just how much you want to put her through at her advanced age; both in terms of travelling and medical examinations and whether it is worth it if your vet cannot find anything obviously wrong, either, or whether you'd just let things run their due course and hope for the best.
The factors you have to take into your own considerations are obviously weighted differently than with a younger piggy where the benefits of catching some potential underlying trouble early on are much obviously much greater. What we cannot do is make that decision for you.

PS: A decade ago, I travelled on the train for 3 1/2 hours with a 9 year old piggy as one leg of a several days' journey to get a bunch of mostly older piggies at risk from a domestic abuse break-up situation in the Channel Islands (including a rough ferry crossing) up to a private sactuary in the Liverpool area with giving a couple of not quite as old ones from that bunch a new home myself. The lady and her 6 years old 'toy boy' both survived her long journey and she lived for several months longer. Older piggies often live that long because they have surprising resilience and a great zest for life. Just to say... ;)
 
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