• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

Surgery

melanie7399

melanie7399

New Born Pup
Joined
Apr 14, 2023
Messages
14
Reaction score
10
Points
60
Location
Rugby
My guinea pig is having surgery in two weeks time. I'm terrified as I know the risks of anesthesia however she has a cyst that keeps growing so needs to be surgically removed otherwise it will keep growing and cause more damage over time. Other than this she is a healthy guinea pig and not even two years old yet. The vets said she will need to go under GA and I'm so nervous and worried. I just want a bit of reassuring if anyone else's guinea pigs have had a good experience under anaeshetic?
 
Hello and welcome. It is natural to worry about your piggy having to be put under. As you said, there are risks. There have been older piggies who have come round okay from surgery on here.

Hope all goes well with the surgery in two weeks. Do let us know how she gets on.
 
:wel: to the forum. Here is my experience of an operation on one of my piggies.

My Rainbow Piggy Silver Fox Christian had a huge abscess removed when he was 2. It was so large it was the size of an egg. He was under for about an hour. The abscess was attached to lots of internal structures and it was a difficult operation. He survived and went on to live a further 2 and a half years.

This was the size of his abscess.

Christian Abscess 2.JPGChristian Abscess 1.JPG

This is all you could see from the outside.

Christian lump from outside.jpg

and this was his very impressive scar.

Christian Scar Day 1.JPG
 
There is always a worry with any GA of course and no amount of reassurance will ever take that away. That's just what happens when you love your pet so much.
However, I will say that with an experienced guinea pig vet (not necessarily exotics vet but even a general vet who deals with guinea pigs regularly), an otherwise healthy pig and one that is not yet elderly, the risks are very much minimised.

All I can say is find things to do that day to keep yourself busy while you wait for the vet to call, it'll occupy your mind as much as possible and make the time pass quicker. Also, don't fight the tears if you feel the need to cry to release some of the emotion.
 
Betsy said:
:wel: to the forum. Here is my experience of an operation on one of my piggies.

My Rainbow Piggy Silver Fox Christian had a huge abscess removed when he was 2. It was so large it was the size of an egg. He was under for about an hour. The abscess was attached to lots of internal structures and it was a difficult operation. He survived and went on to live a further 2 and a half years.

This was the size of his abscess.

View attachment 222793View attachment 222795

This is all you could see from the outside.

View attachment 222796

and this was his very impressive scar.

View attachment 222797
Click to expand...
Thank you for sharing that, I will let you know how my piggy gets on in a couple of weeks
 
Lady Kelly said:
There is always a worry with any GA of course and no amount of reassurance will ever take that away. That's just what happens when you love your pet so much.
However, I will say that with an experienced guinea pig vet (not necessarily exotics vet but even a general vet who deals with guinea pigs regularly), an otherwise healthy pig and one that is not yet elderly, the risks are very much minimised.

All I can say is find things to do that day to keep yourself busy while you wait for the vet to call, it'll occupy your mind as much as possible and make the time pass quicker. Also, don't fight the tears if you feel the need to cry to release some of the emotion.
Click to expand...
Thank you and I've already cried so much as you love pets like their your children it's just a big build up of worry until the 26th, I will let you know how she gets on I will keep praying for her
 
melanie7399 said:
My guinea pig is having surgery in two weeks time. I'm terrified as I know the risks of anesthesia however she has a cyst that keeps growing so needs to be surgically removed otherwise it will keep growing and cause more damage over time. Other than this she is a healthy guinea pig and not even two years old yet. The vets said she will need to go under GA and I'm so nervous and worried. I just want a bit of reassuring if anyone else's guinea pigs have had a good experience under anaeshetic?
Click to expand...

Hi and welcome

Is it an ovarian cyst or a skin cyst? Skin cysts are a comparatively easy, low risk operation with very good recovery chances since your vet doesn't have to go into the body cavity and it is generally a pretty quick and straight forward procedure.
My Hafren was just one month short of her 7th birthday when she needed a huge burst 5 cm cyst with fleshy inclusions removing that unfortunately had put on a real growth spurt and promptly burst while my piggy savvy vets were away on their summer holiday - we'd had it under observation for two years and were hoping it would stay put in view of Hafren's age but unfortunately, the cyst didn't oblige. Nevertheless, Hafren made a full recovery and lived to celebrate her 7th birthday despite being a very elderly guinea pig at the time of her operation and the op more complex than expected. I hope that gives you some courage.

Hafren with her fresh operation scar - it was by far my biggest cyst op ever with my oldest piggy but it all healed well, if a little more slowly, and she went on to live for a few months more to die basically from old age.
IMG_7598_edited-1.jpg

The oldest sow of mine needing a spay for ovarian cysts was around 6 years and also lived to see her 7th birthday.
In comparison, your own piggy is in the prime of her own life and unlikely to have a large, unusual cyst needing a longer op so if my Hafren as an extreme example was able to make it through, it should be a lot easier for your own youngster. ;)

If you have anxiety issues, please refrain from any online research in the future. Always keep in mind that what you find there are inevitably all the horror stories and the miracle cures but you will not find is the vast majority of perfectly good normal outcomes because they are just taken for granted and are not considered worth posting about. This means that unless you are aware of the strong bias, you will always get a very distorted picture which will only serve to feed your anxiety but not contribute in any way anything positive to the problem.
Operation practice in small exotics has improved massively in the 15 years this forum has been running. We frankly don't see many posts about piggies not making it post-op anymore on here, which is a much better reflection of reality than what you can find with targeted research.

Here is some very practical information that you may find helpful:
Tips For Post-operative Care
Pet Owners Anxiety - Practical Tips For Sufferers and For Supporters

Please take a deep breath and all the best!
 
Wiebke said:
Hi and welcome

Is it an ovarian cyst or a skin cyst? Skin cysts are a comparatively easy, low risk operation with very good recovery chances since your vet doesn't have to go into the body cavity and it is generally a pretty quick and straight forward procedure.
My Hafren was just one month short of her 7th birthday when she needed a huge burst 5 cm cyst with fleshy inclusions removing that unfortunately had put on a real growth spurt and promptly burst while my piggy savvy vets were away on their summer holiday - we'd had it under observation for two years and were hoping it would stay put in view of Hafren's age but unfortunately, the cyst didn't oblige. Nevertheless, Hafren made a full recovery and lived to celebrate her 7th birthday despite being a very elderly guinea pig at the time of her operation and the op more complex than expected. I hope that gives you some courage.

Hafren with her fresh operation scar - it was by far my biggest cyst op ever with my oldest piggy but it all healed well, if a little more slowly, and she went on to live for a few months more to die basically from old age.
View attachment 222806

The oldest sow of mine needing a spay for ovarian cysts was around 6 years and also lived to see her 7th birthday.
In comparison, your own piggy is in the prime of her own life and unlikely to have a large, unusual cyst needing a longer op so if my Hafren as an extreme example was able to make it through, it should be a lot easier for your own youngster. ;)

If you have anxiety issues, please refrain from any online research in the future. Always keep in mind that what you find there are inevitably all the horror stories and the miracle cures but you will not find is the vast majority of perfectly good normal outcomes because they are just taken for granted and are not considered worth posting about. This means that unless you are aware of the strong bias, you will always get a very distorted picture which will only serve to feed your anxiety but not contribute in any way anything positive to the problem.
Operation practice in small exotics has improved massively in the 15 years this forum has been running. We frankly don't see many posts about piggies not making it post-op anymore on here, which is a much better reflection of reality than what you can find with targeted research.

Here is some very practical information that you may find helpful:
Tips For Post-operative Care
Pet Owners Anxiety - Practical Tips For Sufferers and For Supporters

Please take a deep breath and all the best!
Click to expand...
I'm not sure what kind of cyst it is, it's on the left side of her lower back so near her bum, but yeah I don't think I help myself by researching so much, but thank you for everything you said
 
melanie7399 said:
I'm not sure what kind of cyst it is, it's on the left side of her lower back so near her bum, but yeah I don't think I help myself by researching so much, but thank you for everything you said
Click to expand...
That sounds like a sebaceous cyst. Ovarian cysts grow on or in the ovaries so surgery is much more invasive and often involves partial or full spaying.
 
melanie7399 said:
I'm not sure what kind of cyst it is, it's on the left side of her lower back so near her bum, but yeah I don't think I help myself by researching so much, but thank you for everything you said
Click to expand...

Hi

Then it is most likely just a harmless sebaceous cyst that is sitting loosely in the skin. It is a minor operation with a very high success rate and nowhere near any sensitive organs. ;)

Please take a deep breath and please read the two links in my previous post. They are both very practical and very helpful since they concentrate on what you can do constructively instead of filling yourself with fear.
 
Wiebke said:
Hi

Then it is most likely just a harmless sebaceous cyst that is sitting loosely in the skin. It is a minor operation with a very high success rate and nowhere near any sensitive organs. ;)

Please take a deep breath and please read the two links in my previous post. They are both very practical and very helpful since they concentrate on what you can do constructively instead of filling yourself with fear.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much
 
My poppy had a cystotomy in October to remove a huge bladder stone. I was the same. So so anxious! I couldn’t take the day off work so I had to go into work after dropping her at the vets and it was awful I was so anxious but it was a busy day so it kept me distracted. Make sure she has a nice pen set up post op and be ready to syringe feed her. Poppy needed syringe feeding every few hours for a few days. Wishing you lots of luck x
 
Welcome to the forum.
I’ve piggies with ovarian cysts that have been removed.
Surgery is worrying but with a good vet is safe.
The post op guides on the forum are very good.

Hope all goes well.
 
Josie_lg said:
My poppy had a cystotomy in October to remove a huge bladder stone. I was the same. So so anxious! I couldn’t take the day off work so I had to go into work after dropping her at the vets and it was awful I was so anxious but it was a busy day so it kept me distracted. Make sure she has a nice pen set up post op and be ready to syringe feed her. Poppy needed syringe feeding every few hours for a few days. Wishing you lots of luck x
Click to expand...
Thank you and luckily I have that week off as wanted to make sure I was off to keep an eye on her afterwards and glad your piggy was OK after that surgery x
 
Good luck! I hope it all goes well 🙂 I've lost count of the amount of surgeries my piggies have had but it has to be at least 20 at this point. So far *touch wood* I have only lost one, but she had gone in for exploratory surgery as she was in a very bad way, she ended up having stomach cancer and passed shortly after we got her home, and had a list of health issues as long as my arm including a blood clot and heart arrhythmia.

I had the same surgery your little one is having done, last year, on Ebony who was 5 years old at the time. She came home like absolutely nothing had happened, and she is another of my piggies with a list of health issues!

With a good surgeon and supportive team, the risks of surgery can be reduced massively. Try not to worry! Easier said than done I know.
 
Eriathwen said:
Good luck! I hope it all goes well 🙂 I've lost count of the amount of surgeries my piggies have had but it has to be at least 20 at this point. So far *touch wood* I have only lost one, but she had gone in for exploratory surgery as she was in a very bad way, she ended up having stomach cancer and passed shortly after we got her home, and had a list of health issues as long as my arm including a blood clot and heart arrhythmia.

I had the same surgery your little one is having done, last year, on Ebony who was 5 years old at the time. She came home like absolutely nothing had happened, and she is another of my piggies with a list of health issues!

With a good surgeon and supportive team, the risks of surgery can be reduced massively. Try not to worry! Easier said than done I know.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I will let you know how she gets on
 
Eriathwen said:
Good luck! I hope it all goes well 🙂 I've lost count of the amount of surgeries my piggies have had but it has to be at least 20 at this point. So far *touch wood* I have only lost one, but she had gone in for exploratory surgery as she was in a very bad way, she ended up having stomach cancer and passed shortly after we got her home, and had a list of health issues as long as my arm including a blood clot and heart arrhythmia.

I had the same surgery your little one is having done, last year, on Ebony who was 5 years old at the time. She came home like absolutely nothing had happened, and she is another of my piggies with a list of health issues!

With a good surgeon and supportive team, the risks of surgery can be reduced massively. Try not to worry! Easier said than done I know.
Click to expand...
Hello, josie is back home, not eating much or drinking so I am syringe feeding her but the main thing is she is home bless her
 
melanie7399 said:
Thank you and luckily I have that week off as wanted to make sure I was off to keep an eye on her afterwards and glad your piggy was OK after that surgery x
Click to expand...
Hello, josie is back home now, not eating or drinking so I am syringe feeding her but main thing is she is home
 
Siikibam said:
Hello and welcome. It is natural to worry about your piggy having to be put under. As you said, there are risks. There have been older piggies who have come round okay from surgery on here.

Hope all goes well with the surgery in two weeks. Do let us know how she gets on.
Click to expand...
Hello, josie is back home now, not eating or drinking so I am syringe feeding her but main thing is she is home
 
Betsy said:
:wel: to the forum. Here is my experience of an operation on one of my piggies.

My Rainbow Piggy Silver Fox Christian had a huge abscess removed when he was 2. It was so large it was the size of an egg. He was under for about an hour. The abscess was attached to lots of internal structures and it was a difficult operation. He survived and went on to live a further 2 and a half years.

This was the size of his abscess.

View attachment 222793View attachment 222795

This is all you could see from the outside.

View attachment 222796

and this was his very impressive scar.

View attachment 222797
Click to expand...
Hello, josie is back home now, not eating or drinking so I am syringe feeding her but main thing is she is home
 
Lady Kelly said:
There is always a worry with any GA of course and no amount of reassurance will ever take that away. That's just what happens when you love your pet so much.
However, I will say that with an experienced guinea pig vet (not necessarily exotics vet but even a general vet who deals with guinea pigs regularly), an otherwise healthy pig and one that is not yet elderly, the risks are very much minimised.

All I can say is find things to do that day to keep yourself busy while you wait for the vet to call, it'll occupy your mind as much as possible and make the time pass quicker. Also, don't fight the tears if you feel the need to cry to release some of the emotion.
Click to expand...
Hello, josie is back home now, not eating or drinking so I am syringe feeding her but main thing is she is home
 
Glad to hear she’s back home and hope she starts to feel better soon.
 
Glad Josie is back home. Hope she’s soon on the mend.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top