Thoughts: 2.5yr female guinea with 2 lumps on one side

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Jups

Post   » Tue Mar 13, 2018 9:49 am


Hi all

New to the forum and great source of information and advice

I have a 2.5 yr old with the following symptoms:

- 2 lumps on the left side. one near her shoulder and the other further down closer to her left nipple
- eats some veggies , hay and drinks water
- won't eat her normal food
- got aggressive with her little sister
- lost weight and is quiet
- not losing hair

I was given Baytrill and told spaying may be the solution

Has anyone come across the above and any ideas on whether its likely cysts/tumour ?
Are there less invasive treatments?

Thank you all

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Tue Mar 13, 2018 10:38 am


Those are unusual places for lumps, particularly on the shoulder. Is there any possibility that the sister has nipped/scratched her and those are abscesses?

I'm not sure why they think spaying would be a solution for lumps in those places. If it were an obvious mammary tumor, maybe, but even then the usual treatment is removal of the tumor, not spaying.

Did they aspirate anything from the lumps to see what's inside? It could be a benign fatty tumor, an abscess, or something more sinister. But there's no way to know without some sort of biopsy.

I'd want more diagnostics and information before agreeing to any sort of treatment. And I'd really consider going to another vet.

See https://www.guinealynx.info/lumps.html

Jups

Post   » Tue Mar 13, 2018 11:47 am


Thanks for your advise and link

Both guineas are the best of friends so no fights

No they haven't aspirated the lumps as they are really moveable under the skin so no guarantee that the vet will get to the lump was the advise

Going back to the vet on Thursday.

Hopefully, will uncover more

If they are tumours, i guess outlook isn't great.

Will provide an update after the vets visit.

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Tue Mar 13, 2018 11:52 am


If they're very moveable under the skin, they're not likely to be anything serious. That's not a guarantee, but just a more usual thing, as I understand it.

But it makes me wonder all the more why they think spaying would help. Reducing the hormone levels would only help if a tumor is hormone dependent, and something moveable under the skin isn't likely to be.

Removing easily moveable lumps under the skin wouldn't be a bad surgery -- quick, and pretty easy to recover from. I'd definitely prefer that over a spay unless they can prove that the mass is affected by hormones.

Jups

Post   » Tue Mar 13, 2018 12:05 pm


Thanks

If she is off her normal food, suggests that is causing her pain as well as the aggression towards her sister ?

Aren't the glands in those areas i.e underside of her shoulder, arm pit and close to her left nipple suggesting something more reproductive related. ovarian cysts? The lower one is like a pea and the one near her shoulder/arm pit is softer and larger

She's not really improved with bay trill so am really worried now.

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Tue Mar 13, 2018 12:12 pm


The one close to her nipple might be. And it's possible that the other one also is, if the one close to the nipple has is malignant and has metastasized. But the first treatment should be removal of the lumps, not spaying, as I understand it.

However, soft and squishy doesn't usually suggest malignancy. But do recognize that these are just generalities, not absolutes. Without knowing what the lumps are, there's no way to be sure.

Jups

Post   » Tue Mar 13, 2018 2:03 pm


Thanks, thats helpful.

Will update my post to let you all know what the next steps are we visit the vet

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue Mar 13, 2018 3:28 pm


Often mammary tumors are removed fairly easily and people here have had good recoveries. I don't recall any malignancies though they are certainly possible. The other lump could be something entirely different.
www.guinealynx.info/tumor_mammary.html

Jups

Post   » Fri Mar 16, 2018 5:18 am


Just an update after seeing the vet. Her lumps are still there but one seems to have reduced slightly in size.

She's a bit more perkier but still aggressive with her sister and eating a bit more

The vet wants to see her the following week to determine next course of action. I have read some comments on hormone injections.

Are they are better treatment than spaying, which i am not keen to put her through?

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Fri Mar 16, 2018 8:30 am


They can be a reasonable choice for an old or ill guinea pig but may need to be repeated.

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Fri Mar 16, 2018 11:33 am


Hormone treatments are generally used for ovarian cysts, not for lumps on other parts of the body. I'd recommend seeing another vet.

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