Mocha's medical thread

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Noellium

Post   » Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:51 am


Mocha is an 8 year female Golden Agouti. Spayed on Dec. 2011 for ovarian cysts and hyperplasia (I think).

She was treated for two UTIs earlier this year (in January and February) and passed what looked like a 2mm stone during the

first treatment.
--

I found this on the outside of her ear late last night.

Image

(from a different angle--the wet areas are just water to hold her hair back)
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It looks like a wound of some kind I guess? The piece of skin sticking up looked like a growth to me, until I noticed the red areas, which looked like exposed flesh.

There doesn't seem to be any blood spots in the cage. She is eating and drinking normally. She lives by herself unfortunately (no money for a second guinea pig at the moment), so it couldn't have been from a fight or anything like that.

Any thoughts?

Talishan
You can quote me

Post   » Tue Aug 28, 2012 3:43 am


Is it warm to the touch? Oozing anything?

Does it smell bad?

Does it bother her if you touch it -- that is, evidence of pain, not just the normal "don't touch my ears"?

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:07 am


Is it scabby or warty? When you say on the outside of her ear, do you mean on the inside of the ear flap?

I can add your very good photos permanently to this thread if you wish.

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Noellium

Post   » Tue Aug 28, 2012 4:51 pm


@Talishan: It's not unusually warm (same temperature as her other ear), oozy or smelly. She doesn't seem to be bothered by me touching her ears or anything.

@Lynx: It feels a bit scabby (kind of rough...I actually thought it was a layer of dried skin, kind of like their feet spurs). It's actually on the outside of the ear flap, like on the top, underneath the tufts of fur.

Image

Also go ahead and add any photo you like!

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:31 pm


I added your photos (thanks).

Perhaps skin tags?

If nothing about the ear changes and they do not seem infected or painful, perhaps you could just point them out to the vet the next time your guinea pig is seen.

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Noellium

Post   » Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:41 pm


I looked up some threads on skin tags on GL, but couldn't find any actual definition of them.

In any case, I'll keep an eye on it, thanks!

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:43 pm


If you try google, you'll likely find some human skin tags. One of my guinea pigs had a small one on her head.

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Noellium

Post   » Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:45 pm


Oh, are they kind of like these things?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrochordon

(Sorry, I thought they were cavy-specific!)

Edit: Looks we replied at the same time. Thanks Lynx!

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:48 pm


Skin sometimes does do weird things! Hopefully your pig is not irritating it (making it bleed).

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Regiane
Cavy Slave Since '08

Post   » Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:50 pm


I was thinking if maybe she scratched the ear and it got hurt, as happened with Scruffles once. It looks different, I know, but just a thought.

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Noellium

Post   » Tue Aug 28, 2012 11:10 pm


She is seems to be pretty good about not irritating it luckily. :D

@Regiane: Aww, poor Scruffles! Although, it does seem possible. Her back toenails sometimes look a little pointy before I cut them. Guess I'll have to cut off the points as well. Thanks!

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Noellium

Post   » Sun Sep 02, 2012 10:55 pm


Just a small update: The skin tag/ear scar thing seems to have fallen off on its own and there is a pale brownish spot in its place.

Image

After reading the posts about Miss Scruffles, I gave Mocha a little spa treatment (trimmed and filed her nails--filed her back nails at least, she wouldn't let me file the front ones).

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