Ulcerated looking sore on GP

[loopydoo]

Hi -feeling sad because tonight I went to apply some more cream to GP's (5yrs in August) tumourous lump which has an open sore and it's actually worse not better.

I didn't apply the cream as it's Fuciderm so steroidal and didn't want to inflame it more.

It's not weeping blood but is basically like an ulcerated hole. It made me feel sick. I will take her back to the vet tomorrow am but I'm really worried they won't know what to do.

The lump is on her back end, next to her bottom, above her leg. The lump is about 1 inch diameter and the sore, was about 0.5cm but now about half an inch.

I feel awful because I had thought it was clearing up so stopped the cream once her antibitics had finished but it seems to have got worse not better.

I've looked online as to what it could be but can't seem to see anything similar. Has anybody heard/seen anything like this before?

Has she been biting at the area at all?
I've had mice with tumours (they were hard and lumpy) but never opened up.(Had to have mouse PTS when it got too big for her to manage)
And I've had GPs with lumps in the saggy bit of the neck or the belly but they were smooth, but again not open.

Have you trimmed the hair away and saltwater bathed it?

Maybe employ discobeads sock method to protect the area until she sees the vet?
Is she alone or has she got a cagemate who might be barbering her?

She doesn't seem to be biting it.

She has an indoor cage and hasn't been out a lot lately due to wet weather so don't think it's a parasite.

haven't done a saltwash as it looks wet and don't want to make it worse. Do you think a salt bath would help clear it up? The vet trimmed away the hair last week when she examined her lump.

what is discobeads sock thing?

She lives on her own as her sister died 2 years ago and she really came out of herself once her more dominating sister has gone. I know they like to live with other guineas but she'd had such a time, we thought it would be better if she lived alone. We make a fuss of her and really love her and she doesn't seem to have been lonely.

discobeads GP had mites and kept scratching the area, so she put a baby sock on to stop her scratching.
But your GP isn't 'worrying' the wound so she probably wouldn't benefit or appreciate a covering.

When my cat licked all the fur off her belly and turned it red and open (and stinking) the vet recommended a saltwater and gauze wipe down to clean the area and lift off the dead tissue (Cat managed to de-nude herself in a day Vet called it a lick granuloma )

I work in human healthcare and we recommend salt water (warm water with enough salt to go cloudy) because it is is a good natural antiseptic and dries the areas if it's a higher salt concentration than the bodies own level. (It's less than 1% so a cloudy soloution is plenty strong enough).
Even if she licks it, the amount of salt wouldn't harm her (my patients don't tend to lick themselves.)
Will she let you hold her over a bowl and just swab the wound with gauze soaked salt water to clean it? Then dab dry with gauze.

I had a look online and there was nothing coming up for ulcers on tumours. Alot about various tumours though.

If there's nothing coming out it sounds like something external has caused it. She might have caught herself when grooming-the skin is going to be thinner stretched over the lump.

Good luck at the vets tomorrow.

Thank you 70.

I will call vet first thing and if they can't get her in straight away, I'll do the salt water and gauze thing.

Would I know if she were in pain or do they stay quiet?

She came out half an hour ago when I went to her cage and I gave her lots more hay which she's eating along with a top up of dry food which she also is eating. she looks perky with bright eyes and friendly chirrups.

Depends on the pig how they behave.
My boar GP1 is very noisy as a rule, squeaks indignantly when he's picked up (but he's always been like this)
Earlier this year he jumped out of my arms and landed front feet down and he was so quiet it was scarey. I kept him quiet in a haybox with his brother in the adjoining cage. DH and I checked all his limbs, he wasn't bleeding, his breathing settled and he washed and ate pooh. I was torn between whisking him (and GP2 for company) to the vet, and keeping him quiet and still.
He was fine the next day (well by that afternoon really) it's wiped out one of his 9 lives though.

He's got a broken tooth at the moment (very common GP injury) and it hasn't held him back.
He had a lump on his belly and it's gone . DD goes over his entire body with her fingertips ,we cannot find it.We don't know what it was, but we keep checking.

Some hogs will let you know they are ill, (my sows were never quiet about it) some do into recluse mode for their own protection.
One of my GP (as a child) just died stretched out on the dining room floor. Very uncuddly, unfriendly pig, but followed us round when her sister died. And she went without ceremony or need for fuss.

Must say though it was a shock for my dad
"Evil Edna's dead on the back room floor" .He found her. She didn't even hide. And she was 100% A OK the day before!

Pigs eh?

I'm hoping the vet can save her and she'll live to see another day/year because otherwise, my children (10 and 7 yrs) are going to be devastated.

And me and dh

Hooray - took guinea to the vet this am, who said it was a cyst that had bust open. She said it needed to be removed and she would need a GA but hopefully, she'll come through it and be fine.

Got to book her in this arvo.

Thanks for your help.

Good news- at least with a cyst it's not anything sinister.
I read online that some GPs are just prone to lumps and bumps and it can be hereditary. My sows that had them were mum and daughter, but I think they were fatty lumps.

It sounds like a big operation for a little guinea, but once it's over and healed you won't have the worry of the cyst opening up again.

Did the vet hazard an opinion on why it has happened or just do the sharp intake of breath that mechanics do?

I know the vet - she knew straight away what it was - I was very impressed.

Hooray - guinea had her op to remove burst cyst today and she's doing really well. Picking her up later.

news loopydoo.

Must've been a worrying time when guinea was at the vets.
Glad to hear she's doing well. Lots of cuddles and parsley when she comes home.

She is recovering really well and eating as per usual. Stitches come out in 10 days.

Super good news! What a relief for you and pig.