Chappie
Well-Known Member
Any guinea pigs people on here?
Wondering if anyone has faced a similar situation - I've kept guineas since 2008, over 20, mostly rehoming them from Gumtree, so have a fair bit of experience - absolutely love these wee critters so much, they're wonderful pets!!!
One of the current 4 I own is nearly 3 years old, very fiesty lively little male called Chappie. Noticed a lump developing on his left side and had a sucessful op in Jan to remove it - an abcess - unfortunately guineas can be quite prone to these - but thankfully he recovered really well. Very experienced with guineas vets did the op, lucky to have them.
BUT... I was horrified to discover another swollen lump soon after on his right side, this time underside on hind leg. My boy! ? back to vets - biopsys taken and cells examined as they don't think its an abcess this time, from feeling it - apparently the fluid that came out was pinky coloured with tissue in it, not anything pus-y that would indicate abcess - though one of the vets said removing one abcess can make another appear elsewhere in the body.
Vet phoned me last night and reported she cannot determine from analysis of the cells what it is - so we decided to monitor the lump for now, as he is eating drinking, passing waste and normally active and seems happy. But I'm certain he knows something is wrong - he isn't leaping on top of his castle house, where he loves to sleep/stare at the sows on the other side of the room. And he's not as lively as before the op. Like its aged him. I mean he must be feeling the swollen area is not normal.
I have to decide if he should have another op to see if they can remove this - we're trying to put more weeks between the last op before doing anything. (Vet is not sure what to do either.) Meanwhile monitoring him carefully.
I've only faced dealing with lumps a couple of times - one elderly boy had a lump near his thoat - had to be PTS as it was going to cause problems eating - another boy had a lump near his neck; that was an abcess - had op and lived happily for years after.
Obviously if Chaps is showing any signs of poor health I'll not let him suffer - it's hard to know what to do as he's currently well. Do I put him through an op? If they couldn't remove it they/I'd not have him revived. As its close to the ground it may cause him more bother sooner than if on his side, say.
I had to have my elderly sow PTS 2 weeks ago as well - she was about 7, a good age, I got her when she was about 5. She apparently had a mass in her stomach, lost weight and went downhill ?
Guineas can't be insured and the op will be just over £200, of course if I/the vets decided it's a good idea it's worth trying. I don't want to lose this wee fella!
Really hoped 2020 would be a better year as 2019 was unplesantly challenging in many areas and this year's the same so far, if not worse!!! ?
So, anyone faced a similar dillema with their small pets? ?
Wondering if anyone has faced a similar situation - I've kept guineas since 2008, over 20, mostly rehoming them from Gumtree, so have a fair bit of experience - absolutely love these wee critters so much, they're wonderful pets!!!
One of the current 4 I own is nearly 3 years old, very fiesty lively little male called Chappie. Noticed a lump developing on his left side and had a sucessful op in Jan to remove it - an abcess - unfortunately guineas can be quite prone to these - but thankfully he recovered really well. Very experienced with guineas vets did the op, lucky to have them.
BUT... I was horrified to discover another swollen lump soon after on his right side, this time underside on hind leg. My boy! ? back to vets - biopsys taken and cells examined as they don't think its an abcess this time, from feeling it - apparently the fluid that came out was pinky coloured with tissue in it, not anything pus-y that would indicate abcess - though one of the vets said removing one abcess can make another appear elsewhere in the body.
Vet phoned me last night and reported she cannot determine from analysis of the cells what it is - so we decided to monitor the lump for now, as he is eating drinking, passing waste and normally active and seems happy. But I'm certain he knows something is wrong - he isn't leaping on top of his castle house, where he loves to sleep/stare at the sows on the other side of the room. And he's not as lively as before the op. Like its aged him. I mean he must be feeling the swollen area is not normal.
I have to decide if he should have another op to see if they can remove this - we're trying to put more weeks between the last op before doing anything. (Vet is not sure what to do either.) Meanwhile monitoring him carefully.
I've only faced dealing with lumps a couple of times - one elderly boy had a lump near his thoat - had to be PTS as it was going to cause problems eating - another boy had a lump near his neck; that was an abcess - had op and lived happily for years after.
Obviously if Chaps is showing any signs of poor health I'll not let him suffer - it's hard to know what to do as he's currently well. Do I put him through an op? If they couldn't remove it they/I'd not have him revived. As its close to the ground it may cause him more bother sooner than if on his side, say.
I had to have my elderly sow PTS 2 weeks ago as well - she was about 7, a good age, I got her when she was about 5. She apparently had a mass in her stomach, lost weight and went downhill ?
Guineas can't be insured and the op will be just over £200, of course if I/the vets decided it's a good idea it's worth trying. I don't want to lose this wee fella!
Really hoped 2020 would be a better year as 2019 was unplesantly challenging in many areas and this year's the same so far, if not worse!!! ?
So, anyone faced a similar dillema with their small pets? ?
