Sebaceous cyst on pig

[GoApeShit]

My poor pig has what looks like a cebaceous cyst. It's on his hindquarters, near the grease gland thing

We'll be taking him to the vets, but just wondering if anyone can advise how these are normally treated and (more importantly) how I could stop a recurrence? They live indoors, are bedded on that shredded paper stuff, have a good varied diet with no crap and get bathed every six weeks or so. Is there anything I can do?

Thanks in advance

I've had guineas with various lumps and bumps. Some are firm, like a grape, completely smooth and not attatched to anything. Usually in the lardy bits like chins (they always seem to have double !) and my GP5 has one under her armpit that we're keeping an eye on.

But Sebaceous Cysts have a waxy gelatinous liquid in them and they can rupture themselves spontaneously (nice!)

I've had a searchy on Guinea Pig Websites- it seems that they either leave them or lance them (GP Sporn anyone)

If they are surgically removed they can remove the capsual, but there's a risk with pigs and anaesthesia.

Is your pig in any pain with it? One of our boars had a Smartie shaped/sized bump on his belly that came and went (he had it checked by a Rodentologist )

Is your pig a long haired ?

Hi 70. I was hoping you'd be along

I have also been extensively Googling. It seems pig sporn is indeed a thing!

Girl pig has a small, firm one on her back that we're monitoring. Boy pig's one has a little bit of puss and is quite red. I bathed it with salt water tonight. He's in no pain and is eating well and happy in himself. It doesn't smell either.

He's not what you would really call long haired, but the fur around his butt is longer and this is where the cyst thing is. We're taking him to get looked at at the weekend.

If it's red/pus it sounds like he's got an infection there- keep bathing it with salt water and gauze till he sees the vet.
He's maybe had a hair pulled out (is his cagemate barbering him? ) or a bite? Foreign body ( I have constant fights with the hay. Sticks,, thistles, random bits - had a wing once complete with feathers . I get splinters in my hands so they could get them in their skin)
Keep the hair trimmed round his lump.

If it's an abscess the vet will most likely drain it and give him antbiotics.
Cysts can come and go but don't usually cause trouble (I read on the Peter Gurney page that he used to lance them with a sterile insrument and never have any trouble. I'm an NHS Podiatrist so I'm used to pus'n'blood but my cavies look judgey when I clip their nails. Did I mention they were spoiled and ungrateful )

I'm a huge fan of sterile salted water (boiled and cooled) with non fluffy gauze. I've hoiked grass seeds/bits of hay out of many guinea eyes and bathed bites with this.

I'm glad you've mentioned the saline. I've been doing that. It does look a bit more than a cyst now I've had a proper look at it. Hopefully we will have an answer tomorrow. Thanks so much for the advice.

It doesn't look like a bite. His wife is very loving - she was grooming him just now as I was bathing it. I'm thinking maybe you're right with the foreign body theory. Although there's certainly not one visible. These pigs and their skin!!

Sorry for the second post -just re-read your response again.

Good Luck today GoPig

Somehow ApePig doesn't seem right and ShitPig even less so

Ooh and pigs often groom another one is there's an injury they can't reach themselves.
'tis one of the sweet things they do.
One of our boars washed the other pigs ears

My piggy had one on her throat last year. Vet was in about having an operation under GA as she didn't think the pig would stay still enough. I could see the bill racking up and convinced her I'd pin the pig down.

So we wrapped her in a tea towel. Vet sliced the abcess open with a scapel and then squeezed like mad. The amount of gunk that came out was unreal. Vet then got sodium chloride in a syringe and washed it out.

I was given oral antibiotic liquid to give daily and instructed to keep picking the scab off and squeezing any gunk out and then to wash out with a syringe of sodium chloride. Took about a week for the gunk to stop building up and touch wood it's never come back.

Any update on your boar GoApe?

Hey! Thank you for asking after GoPig

I took him to the lady who runs the pig rescue we got him from. She had a really good look, trimmed his fur (he now has a bald arse ) and gave the sore thing a good old clean. She got some bits out of it with tweezers which she thought was hair...so we think it may be a hair follicle problem or something to do with his grease gland. I'm taking him to the 'proper' vet next week but he's very happy with himself now he's back in his house with the Mrs, eating away again.

She advised me to keep bathing it, and the fur trim will help air it out. The vet we're going to knows my pig from when he was first rescued and was pretty much at death's door so I'll be happy once he's had a look and hopefully given us an answer about what it could be.

Thanks again

I laughed out loud at 'shitpig'. Brilliant.

Another update...it seems the fur trimming has helped a lot. It looks like it's drying out. No more puss or angry red bits. He's booked in at the vet on Friday.

Good progress GoPig.
What's the story behind him and Mrs Pig?
(You might have put this on SmallPets before but there's alot of namechanging so apologies if their story is on here )
I'm very,very nosy and like to read about other piggies.

Sounds like he was in a poor state when his Rescue got him, so I suppose it's inevitable that various random health issues surface over time.

Sits back with Nairns Gluten Free Dark Chocolate Chip Biscuits. Food of the Gods not

I haven't put his story on here before but happy to share. He was very badly neglected by a previous owner. Left with a huge abcess on his foot which got so bad by the time he was rescued and treated, they couldn't save his little foot. So he's three- footed. And we love him for it

He then got kidney stones so had another operation for that, so has a very low calcium diet. He's got cataracts and we think he's quite old (no idea of actual age). He's also extremely large. The biggest pig I've ever met. He's like a huge cuddly teddy bear. After everything he's been through he is so trusting and loving. Loves kisses and snuggles. Falls asleep on the sofa on his favourite blanket. Breaks my heart when I think how he was treated. We adopted him from a lovely pig rescue and we're still in touch with them and take him to see them regularly. Wonderful people they are.

Mrs GoPig is a much simpler case - she was with a load of females who were bullying her so her owner gave her away. Poor little love. She has no health issues but only really trusts me.

Oh he's stacked up a few of his nine lives over the years,, Bless Him.

It is so lovely that he's secure and settled with you and his Mrs, I don't know how much animals recall the past (I am very much aware they live for the moment and are guided by seasons and their basic instincts. And when it's time for them to go, they know )

I am horrified at the way they are treated, they are the sweetest , gentlest (even my GP5 who's a bitey little git) but unfortunately negleted easily.

When we got GP1 and GP2 it started us (DD and I) on the road with Rescue pigs.
All of mine have sad tales, none fortunately cruelty, more 'surplus' or unwanted. (Even our tiny piglet, Rescued from a breeder who 'didn't like guinea pigs' )

I do think , I wonder what would've happened if they hadn't endured it, but they have.
Our job (collectively as Pig owners) is to make their future rosy.

We love the sows (even though they pee loads) but a lardy old stinky boar has so much character.
Sad when they get all saggy and baggy (I'm guessing he's neutered so you won't have the impaction issues to deal with )

I often wonder if he remembers what those people did to him. The fact that he is so loving, just such a wonderful happy pig, after all that trauma just breaks my heart. He sits still to be picked up, snuggles into my neck and gives me kisses. After everything that people have done, he would have a very good reason not to trust us. I do think they know when they are loved and when they have it good. They are indoor pigs and live in our kitchen next to a radiator which they LOVE. Currently snuggled under a massive pile of hay.

It's lovely that you have rescue pigs. And your DD will be learning so much from doing a good thing like that. I always encourage people to rescue if they can. Was very disappointed when my neighbours bought from a pet shop.

I also agree that they know when it's time to go. I dread the day...

He is indeed neutered. Even if he wanted to get jiggy, I think it might just finish him off