Would you take a piggy to the vet for a very small lump?

[WhoTheFuckIsSimon]

It's marble sized, not painful and piggy seems perfectly fine. I have a cyst on my neck and from prodding piggy it feels the same.

Other piggy last year had a cyst which felt more solid and I took that piggy to the vet. Her lump was bigger and under her neck so I was worried it was bothering her.

If the pig needs to go then I'll have to take her but I don't want to have to fork out £££ to have a harmless cyst removed.

I would take to the vets for a lump just to be safe. I have absolute confidence in my vets not to want to do any unnecessary procedures, so if it was a harmless cyst, they'd send me away. I'm always concerned that my animals could be in pain and masking it. They can mask pain really well as they're prey animals and often show no signs until it's too late to do anything, so I'm cautious about them and have them checked if they show any sign of being 'off'

That's true. Thanks, will gets her booked in.

It would depend alot on where it was, how quickly it arose, if it changed ,if it bothered them.

I've had pigs in the past with those firm ,smooth lumps in the saggy bits (under the chin, on the belly etc)
Not abscesses, but firm, like a grape.

Our GP1/GP2 had various little lumps, I mentioned it when they had a Rodentologist check up.
Belly lump was possible hernia.

GP1 had one like a Smartie on his belly sort of rounded but flat. Then one in his chins as he got older.
GP2 had various small lumps.

GP5 has one under her armpit (sort of further back, armpit always alarm me, I think lymph nodes) , we keep a check on it, it hasn't changed.

If it did, I'd take her.
If it was anywhere near her genitals, I'd take her to have it checked.
If it was hot or weeping fluid , I'd take her
If it was painful or got in her way day-to-day, I'd take her.

Apparently , bred from pigs are less prone to some tumours. Ours have been breeders before we got them.(Not a good enough reason to breed from them though )

Rodenty types do seem prone to lumps.

Yes,this is quite firm. It's on her side, halfway between her front legs and back legs. No discharge.

Yes I suppose a tumour is always a worry but realistically if it is what would I do? I guess pts if vet says it's causing pain.

I worry more about any internal lumps and bumps that I cannot see or feel.The firm smooth ones that are quite moveable under the skin and don't cause them any discomfort are generally fatty nodules.
You can monitor them easier.

My little piggie (GP5 with the lump) is the type to give you a quick tooth graze (she doesn't bite, she says) if you look at her the wrong way, so we always have a sly feel of her lump when we cuddle her.

Like you say, what can you do?
Surgery for these little creatures is always a big consideration (we thought long and hard before having our GP3 neutered).

Our GP1 (the piggie with the belly and chin lumps) passed peacefully aged nearly 4 yo. Not ancient but he was showing 'signs' of getting older.

I look at some of these vet programmes on TV and think "Who are you doing this for? The owner or the animals"?

When you have guinea pigs, their lives are precious and I'd never let any of mine be in pain. But I would really weigh up putting one through surgery.