Nessy - Mastitis

rpaws

Post   » Sun Apr 22, 2018 9:06 pm


My guinea pig girl "Vanessa" or "Nessy" got her card from the vet for her annual checkup. Now my guinea pigs seemed to be programmed to have to go to the vet before a year passes so this was a first for me.

Nessy went to the vet and everything apparently checked out ok. She had gained 1000 grams since I adopted her last year so the vet told me to limit her pellets to a 1/4 cup/day. (I took her at a year old from a place that fed her not-so-great pellets and never gave her any vegetables so I think the weight gain might be attributed to a better diet.)

So Nessy was flipped for her manicure and pedicure. Then it was discovered she had mastitis on her right side. I asked if the vet had ever seen this before in a guinea pig. ("Not really.")

She on antibiotics and pain medication. She goes for a checkup next week. The vet said if doesn't clear up, then then we are talking surgery.

So has anyone ever had a guinea pig with mastitis? If so, potential outcomes? I've had her for about a year and according to the person from whom I got her, she was about 6 months old, a pet store purchase. She lived as a single guinea pig. She certainly hasn't had any babies with me this past year.

Possible sources of her getting this infection when it most likely with nursing mothers?

Anybody have a guinea pig that has had this time of surgery? If she needs the surgery and is a good candidate she'll get it, I just wish I could catch a break here.

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Sun Apr 22, 2018 9:36 pm


Mastitis? In a non-nursing pig? As far as I know, that's a pretty rare thing. How did the vet decide it was mastitis and not a mammary tumor, which is MUCH more common?

The general recommendation for pellets for adult guinea pigs is 1/8 cup per day, not 1/4.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sun Apr 22, 2018 10:05 pm


Ditto bpatters. Much more likely to be a mammary tumor.
https://www.guinealynx.info/tumor_mammary.html

You might want to read over the guidance on this page for evaluating weight/condition for a guinea pig.
https://www.guinealynx.info/weigh.html

rpaws

Post   » Tue Apr 24, 2018 3:01 am


Thanks for the information and links.

Will continue with antibiotics and pain medication. Nessy has a vet appointment this Saturday so will suggest tumor if the swelling isn't gone.

Ironically one of the ladies in my book club told me her husband got mastitis. He got an infection elsewhere also. Didn't ask about nursing as he was too old to be doing that.

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Kimera

Post   » Tue Apr 24, 2018 12:54 pm


It is worth mentioning that in guinea pigs mammary tumors are prevalent in males. Early symptoms are similar to mastitis.

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lisam

Post   » Thu Apr 26, 2018 7:27 pm


I had a pig with a mammary tumor that had discharge from the nipple. Perhaps that's what's going on?

rpaws

Post   » Sat Apr 28, 2018 10:58 pm


Took Nessy to the vet today. The vet could see what I thought I saw - hard to do as Nessy got wise to me checking her so often she would climb into my hair and tangle her claws in it.

The lump is the same size. The vet squeezed and liquid came from it - she said no blood or pus.

So now this puts Nessy in cyst territory/possibly a mammary tumor.

The vet didn't sound very cheerful when discussing opinions on what can be done - xray, etc Her feeling right now is to do at least a biopsy. By not cheerful, she didn't sound very positive about surgery. She has successfully done surgery on my other guinea pigs. I thought since Nessy is approximately 2 years old (adoption so don't know how old but she was full grown when I got her and I've had her for a year). Maybe the lump she felt is really deep into the body,

The vet is going to confer with other vets and get back to me at the latest Tuesday evening.

Other than the lump Nessy is a healthy little porker. She loves her chow, purrs/pancakes when petted, and screamed bloody murder when the vet was examining her.

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Sat Apr 28, 2018 11:10 pm


Removal of a mammary tumor generally isn't considered a difficult surgery. They're not going into the abdominal cavity, and the pig usually recovers pretty quickly. Is this vet worried about something in particular?

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lisam

Post   » Sun Apr 29, 2018 8:40 pm


I agree with bpatters--there were no issues with removing the mammary tumors on the animals I've had (guinea pigs included).

rpaws

Post   » Sun Apr 29, 2018 11:35 pm


Good to know mammary tumors - if this is what the lump is - do NOT go into the abdominal cavity and the guinea pig usually recovers generally quickly.

The vet seemed not to be sure what the lump was - mentioned a biopsy as the next step. Not sure of her hesitation as she has done surgeries on my guinea pigs in the past, the most recent in 2016.

I guess if it is a mammary tumor shouldn't just the surgery be done - as long as the guinea pig is healthy? Wondering how the tumor can be detected. As the vet said a biopsy seems to be the next step. Would that tell if it is a mammary tumor?

Again the vet is supposed to contact me by the end of Tuesday to see what she has learned from consulting with other vets.

Meanwhile Nessy is eating well, struggling when I give her the antibiotics and pain medicine. Whenever I try and check the lump, I swear she starts wheeking/screaming "Sexual Assault."

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Apr 30, 2018 3:47 pm


Yes, I would discuss getting it just removed instead of biopsied.

rpaws

Post   » Thu May 03, 2018 11:41 pm


Update: On Tuesday the vet put Nessy on another antibiotic. So she is on 2 antibiotics and a pain killer.

The vet is doing some research on mammary tumors. She still doesn't say it, but I think it is a mammary tumor.

Supposed to make an appointment in about a week for a checkup.

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