Whether to operate on Guinea Pig

[KittyMcKitty]

In a big quandary. Our 4 year old piggy has a tumour (quite large) on her tummy.

Other then the tumour she is very well and happy and the tumour can be moved which the vet feels is a good sign as it would indicate it’s not growing into anything.

The million dollar question is should we operate to remove it. The vet feels that with the size it is she could remove it successfully at the moment although obviously the anaesthetic is a risk etc etc. Or should we leave it and let her carry on as is until such time as her quality of life deteriorated?

I’m going to chat to the vet again tomorrow to try and decide- cost isn’t the issue it’s just weighing up what would be best for our piggy.

Has anyone any advice/ experience of similar?

Thank you

Our 4 y/r GP had "the op" under anaesthetic so that he could shack hutch up with the new lady in his life. I too was worried about the anaesthetic but he was absolutely fine.

I would maybe check with the vet that she has experience of small animal anaesthetics. We hadn't got a vet at the time so were able to ask around the different vet practices.

My guinea pig had a lipoma - a benign mass of fatty tissue. They're very common in guinea pigs. I "observed" it for a couple of months and when I took her back to the vet for removal, he said it had grown faster than expected and was now of a size that would make removal complicated/dangerous. He told me that, although it wasn't cancerous, it would eventually reduce her quality of life by restricting her movement or else kill her by growing into her organs. As it happened, she died of something else, months later, but until then I did feel guilty about not giving her the chance of several more years of healthy life.

On the other hand, small mammals are a bit of an anaesthetic risk. It's a difficult choice.

Thank you both. It’s the anaesthetic which is worrying me most. The vet is going to give me a ring in the morning to chat more.

She is so happy and jolly at the moment. It’s so difficult to know what to do

I had my gp operated on last year for a mammary mass. She’s fine and recovered well. However I’m a vet nurse and did her anaesthetic! Still quite scary but I do prefer a gp anaesthetic to a rabbit one as they do seem hardier creatures.

Our Cavy died on table as soon as he had anesthetic (to be neutered). I'd probably not do it if mine.

This is a really hard decision and I don’t have an answer. Millie is over 8 years old and has a huge lump on her butt. Had it years , it is huge. Vet told me it was already too big to operate on even the first time I took her to the vets. Reason is if limp removed there would not be enough skin to cover the hole.

For the last 2 years we have assumed that this would be her last summer and she has proved us wrong.

With hindsight for Millie I should have had her operated on because now she doesn’t like to move more than she has too but that could be old age and because the lump has ulcerated . She nibbles the the ulcer and makes it bleed. Fly strike is a constant worry when she is out in the garden.

Be aware the lump will never stop growing, how will your piggie sleep comfortably as its on her tummy. Losing her under GA is a real possibility or shortly after. Had a sow who was young and did not recover from major surgery.

I think if your piggie was younger it would be an easier decision to go for surgery but 4 is an can go either way, she might only have 2 years but she could be a freak like Millie and go on for another lifetime.

Good luck

Oh, huge dilemma. There's no right or wrong because if you look at the statistics and the replies on forums there will be alot to sway the arguement one way or the other.

Is she is a pair or group?
If she has surgery sucessfully can she have peace to recover?
If she has surgery and dies while she's under will she leave a lone mate?
If she has it removed will another lump appear somewhere else?
If you don't , how long before it gets to be uncomfortable and hinder her movements? Then she might be too old to have surgery. But you might have given her a few more months or years that you can monitor ?

And , lastly , who are you doing it for ? Your piggie to extend her life and keep her confortable in the best case scenario? Or yourself to keep your piggie?

My little pig had a sudden huge growth in her neck. She was a lumpy little thing, mainly round her rump, they didn't bother her , didn't get in the way , very slow to grow and never got big . Until the one appeared in her throat and after it was lanced to check (I thought it was an abscess) I had to make a decision.
She was 4.6yo an went to the vet with her cagemate scoffing happily on lettuce (red top) .

I did think "What if.....?" what if I'd gone with surgery but did I want to put her through it? It would've been quite invasive and no guarentees.

That has been absolutely no help has it ?

I've had a boar castrated , not without risk, he was a big young boy who was bereaved and got two new sows , so he had something to aim for. The vet did loads of small animal surgery and ran a Guinea-Pig Clinic.
But there was still a (very) small chance he wouldn't have made it .

Thank you all - if it wasn’t for th anaesthetic I think she would definitely have the op - she’s in otherwise good health, the vet feels the size / feel of lump is good to operate. It’s just the worry of the anaesthetic.

She lives alongside another younger female (18 months). Basically her cage mate died suddenly last summer (upper respiratory problem). We adopted the younger piggy (who was in a rescue due to previous bonding problems) and basically the 2 of them failed to bond. My dh has built them an enormous fabulous hutch where they live alongside each other separated by sturdy wire (they live in a large shed in winter and outside in summer) - with the wire separating them they get along great and lay next to each other - without the wire they fight!

So if she dies she would leave the young piggy who I would try bonding again (maybe with a neutered boar or pair of them) but due to her history of failed bonding I’m not sure if it would work so would be back to side by side.

It’s all very hard

Just had long chat with the vet and we’re not going to operate but give her the best life we can until her quality of life deteriorates. I think it’s the right decision but feeling very sad and having a bit of a cry

Aww have a cry and then have a good cup of tea and you’ll feel better. Guineas are part of the family and I understand how you feel.

Guineas do like a nice soft bed and it will keep her comfortable for longer. Have a look at www.snooziescozies.co.uk all handmade and very durable. Our local rescue uses them. As I’m a dressmaker Millie has nothing this luxurious. She sleeps on double layer minky fleece mats that I made her. I notice she likes to sleep slightly on her side in a croissant shape. Her lump though huge doesn’t seem to get in her way of sleeping.

It's a tough decision and its hard to honestly say "yes that's the right one" but giving your (middle aged) pig a good as you possibly can quality of life is the key.

Spring and Summer are coming up (I know what it's like with older animals , you think will this be their last summer ? . )

The you just watch them. Look for those subtle signs. Nurture them Wake up at all times to syringe feed . Then if they need help, push them across The Bridge .

We said Goodbye GP8 in Oct and GP6 in Jan.
Never mind bit of a cry , we were full on snotty messes

I just wanted to give everyone an update on our poorly piggy. She’s been outside for a few weeks now and has had a fabulous time - loving the grass and lots of squeaking - so happy.

The last couple of days she’s been unhappy to go up the ramp (goes down fine) so we’ve just been lifting her up.

This morning she’s taken a turn for the worst and I’m fairly sure today she will die she’s not eaten her breakfast (ate supper last night) and her breathing is looking laboured.

Her cage mate (they live alongside each other in a custom built cage due to bonding failure) is just laying next to her - it’s v sweet.

The teenage dc have said goodbye to her before school this morning. I’m not going to take her to the vet - the trauma would be immense.

Ive just been out to see them and she’s looking a bit perkier. This is her a couple of weeks ago (her tumour has grown a lot over the last week).

Sorry to hear about your piggy

Thank you. She died in the night- we’re all very sad but pleased it was quick.

Her cage mate is very confused- they lived alongside each other - we adopted GP3 after she’d failed to bond in 3 previous homes - she’s only 2 so we need to think what to do about finding her a friend

Ahh very but once they stop eating and their breathing is an effort it really doesn't look good.

Comforting that she slipped away quietly in the night , when they relieve you of making that decision ! ( Vet/No Vet/ PTS/ Not PTS)

Your remaining piggie girl might get on better with a soppy neutered boar. Rescues are tending now to castrate the boars as a matter of course to make them easier to re home .

Your very beautiful ginger piggie is joining our Tri-Coloured girl (we lost her on Sunday night ) . It does not get easier to lose them

Sorry to hear that OP. Have you made sure the other cage mate has seen the deceased body? Ive read somewhere that it helps them to understand/ grieve.

Thank you both. 70isa I’m so sorry you’ve lost your lovely piggie

I did think about letting GP3 see her body but they used to fight terribly if in together so I decided against it. They’re bedrooms were next door to each other so she would have heard her die. They spent a lot of yesterday laying next to each other (separated by the wire) and I could tell from her behaviour that she knew something was wrong.

I’m going to take the dividers out of their hutch tomorrow (it’s a v fancy thing dh made) and whilst I’m going to clean it all out I thought I may give GP3 some of GP2’s clean straw so she can smell her?

I think a neutered boar may be the way to go - I’d like her to have a friend she can actually live with rather then alongside so fingers crossed! She’s such a tricky piggie - we took her as she had a string of failures behind her and we couldn’t bare the fact that she may not find a forever home. GP2 was the dominant pug in her previous paring and seemed v happy to just be alongside her (she did always like her own space!)

Sorry your lovely pig died. I'm not sure if it will work with a hard to pair pig, but we try to have 3 guinea pigs so that if one dies there are still two to keep each other company. It means you don't have to hurry to find a new companion.

We lost a pig just over a year ago, the sweetest little dude but he got lymphoblastoma and went downhill rapidly. Unfortunately his cage mate is a dominant pig and was in fully fledged teenhood at the time. We did some guinea pig dating with the rescue and found an utterly chilled pig to partner him and did a long introduction.

They've been fine with very few issues other than some grumbling/mounting but no fighting. Meanwhile my friend with two boys from the same litter had a fallout and they have had to be separated ever since! It can be a bit luck of the draw. Hopefully you'll find a rescue friend who just clicks with your current pig!