Soft lump in neck

[quirrelquarrel]

Was just holding my little grey pig (five in a few months- my mum's, not mine actually) just now and was stroking his great ruff of fur under his neck when I felt something like a lump he wasn't too keen on me touching it but it was more just lots of licking rather than an outburst of pain IFYSWIM. It moves around and it's not very hard.

He's been acting normal....big appetite (though totally gone off dandelions for some reason), friendly, bright (coming when he's called when he's on my bed- knows he's not allowed on my pillow!), very relaxed and curious, some crusty discharge around the eyes sometimes but not much, very soft smooth coat which he cleans regularly.....however, recently his nails have been growing long for the first time ever- no idea why.

Just felt it again to get the size (about the size of a smaller round 5p maybe) and he jerked quite suddenly as if it were painful but it was a small movement.

Our very first pig died of cancer (tumour on the side- was enormous by the end) and the vet said he couldn't do anything about it.

Well, now grey pig is nudging me and nibbling my bracelet to get attention, so think I'll end this now! But if any of you have any advice possibly, or could maybe try and feel your guins' necks to see if they have anything like this, I'd be very grateful! Thanks :-)

Oooh quirrel .
I think the fact that he's wincing with pain is a good enough reason to get him off to the vets. Most likely an abscess (which would need draining and antibiotics+probiotics)

I've had loads of lumpy hogs over the years.My old Himmy sows had lumps the size of a grape in their necks (where the saggy bit is) but they were hard and not attatched to anything. They didn't react to them being touched.
GP2 (who died recently) had a few lumps round his body (he was seen by a Rodentologist) but they were slow growing though the one on his rump sprung up 'overnight'.

Rodents unfortunately are prone to tumours.
But if the sore bit is round his jaw and his eyes are weepy. I'd suspect teeth trouble .
Or a bite from his cagemate?
Or a bite from something waspy or bee-like?

Thanks v. much 70- calms me down to hear the word 'abscess' instead of 'tumour'- even though I know abscesses are no walk in the park either. We've had one with a large abscess before (that was VERY messy!) and yes, in the neck, so I suppose we might know what to expect. But of course as it's only small still we wouldn't want to let it grow if it can be solved with antibiotics.....

The only thing is that my mum has this distrust of vets (she thinks they make the problem worse....yes really), and my dad doesn't want to pay loads of money. I would obviously pay but it's my mum's guinea and I don't know if she'll let me take him (already suggested and she's not keen- grrr). Otherwise he'd be there tomorrow.

Maybe he just reacted to being touched because under the neck just isn't very nice for pigs? Because at first it was just sort of a "don't touch my ears too much or I'll flap them at you" kind of reaction. I mean, if you squeeze your voicebox even gently it's not pleasant.....well, anyway. I'll do some research round the net and work on my parents...maybe after a few glasses of red they'll be more persuadable....
Thanks again though

Hadn't thought of teeth trouble at all.
Maybe it's just bad hay. Or we also feed them green oats off the stalk- they have spiky bits sometimes, maybe we missed one and it got stuck in his throat....god, I hope not.

Good luck whatever happens. Just get the wee guy checked for your own peace of mind as well.

Thanks Kritiq
It's hard to imagine that there's anything wrong with him- he seems fine, even adapting to the heat! But guins go downhill quickly

Have extracted a promise from my mum to talk about "the vet thing" tomorrow, so I'll see how things go. I've used the old "if you're not prepared to pay for them, you shouldn't have pets" line on my dad but no go so far.

If it is an abscess....I guess I'll know why loads of piggy owners prefer fleeces/no hay.

Can you see down to the skin on your guineas neck to see if there's a wound or similar.
It could easily be a bite- even the mildest mannered pig gets arsey with this head (And yes they do go downhill quickly )

The no hay isn't an option with pigs. I've given mine hay cookies when GP2 was ill and when I got GP3. Mainly because my GP2 got hay is in eyes and he still insisted in sitting in hay.
And with GP3 being like Zeebedee , I don't want him injuring himself.
Managed to source some naice soft hay for them (long stranded timothy hay) but the alfafa for baby pig is sharp {ouch]

I'll have a proper check tomorrow. I've been sort of gingerly feeling around and feeling awful for doing it when I know he doesn't like it, but I spose the only thing is to really look. I guess if we do end up going to the vets, then the more info the better, right? I hope either he thinks that I don't know it hurts, or that I know it hurts but I'm only touching it because it's necessary he's become so trusting and different after two years of being a little scaredy cat baby pig, I feel sort of bonded with him.

We don't like this vets very much, that's the thing. They do seem to like small animals, as in "awwing" when I brought in my sleepy hamster with wet tail (well, as anyone would....she was a very cute hamster ;-) also grey and white, as it happens...), but once when we went there they were almost rough with our poor dozy pig! I was only eight and sobbed my eyes out watching her grab him with one hand, tipping him out of his carrier onto the hard table. And this with an obvious big lump on the side. However it's so practical because it's just down the road and so it means the little passenger won't have too much of a strange journey to endure.

I know- they love the stuff! They'll turn their noses up at all sorts of expensive veg, but offer them a new piece of hay and they'll come over all enthusiastic. Even when it's like now, sweltering type weather- they'll still go and search out the hay patch in their run at a trot! Hay biscuits are an idea....

Been pondering the idea of a bite from our little black piggy, but it doesn't seem that likely....for one thing, grey pig has such a lot of fur there. And also, they get along so well....there's been some nibbling of ears and general arseyness but not biting really. In fact they were two of the most placid piggy couples we ever had when we first put them together- we were a bit bemused actually. They wouldn't be the first gay guineas we've had

Keep the GP3 stories coming, he sounds like a real bundle of joy how is he when you hold him? I'm only here for summer hols, and we're getting two baby guineas in our house next year, I can't wait (we do have emergency/contingency plans sorted out! and a long name list...). They really are special animals. My mum's adamant that they're at the very least equal to a very small, but very intelligent dog

Sorry for the essay- I do like this part of MN! And thanks again for the ideas. Like I said, best to arm ourselves with info!

Hi, how is Little Grey Pig?

If it's an abscess then it may have done something by now (either ripened or got better).

IKWYM about the vets. Some seem to view GPs as fluffy annoyances.

I travel flipping miles to take my hogs to a Guinea-Pig clinic and the vet there was lovely with my GP2 (sadly GP2 died the same night) and I felt he was in good hands and someone who knew and appreciated piggies.

There's The Cambridge Cavy Trust that you can join for an annual fee (per owner, not per pig)
They might be able to point you in the direction of a Cavy Savvy vet in your area.
Especially if you have plans to get two piglets yourself. Always good to have the name of a vet, even if your pig never has to see a vet (and many of them go their whole life without ever setting foot (or paws) over the threshold)

Well, he seems absolutely fine! And he let me have a long feel of his neck and I can find it again, but it seems to be a little smaller? Maybe that's just me being hopeful.

I will do that, thanks- and start putting away money in a pot for if we need any cavy savviness in a vet!

He's currently on my bed, having made his way over my desk, bedside table and hopped onto my pillow.......but looking at me and making signs as if he's going to come back. Very cute

One of ours had an abscess and it was removed quite easily.

Thanks Cats

Had another feel this morning and couldn't find it, but don't see how it could have just disappeared.

quirrel our GP1 had a lump on his belly about the size of a Smartie- which was there for about 3 months- then vanished.

DD is always prodding checking her boars so any lumps and bumps are ,monitored and noted . .

If it was a small abscess then whatever caused it (bite, sting, rogue injury) might have healed itself ?