Fluffy- heart,URI?

ottosmom · Post » Mon Jan 26, 2004 12:09 am

Thank you J. I hope my little guy's lump doesn't turn out to be cancerous. The vet here in Davis is not very familiar with mammary tumors in guinea pigs; she told me she would consult with some other exotic vets, including one over at the Bird & Pet Clinic in Roseville who does have a lot of experience with piggies. Did you have your boar's surgery done by a vet in the area?

Julian · Post » Mon Jan 26, 2004 12:11 am

If you are in Davis, can you use the vet school?

Maybe Jo has a recommendation for the exotics department?

Josephine · Post » Mon Jan 26, 2004 3:02 am

My boar's sx was done in Oroville. A great gp surgeon and vet, but about 2 hours away from you. I'd offer a referral, if you're interested.

Are you talking about Acorn? If they have done any tumor surgeries on cavies, that should be fine. I have no idea how large you're talking, but my pig's mass was about marble-sized and fairly easy to dissect out.

I sweated the whole week it took the results to come back. I was so sure that it was cancer. It wasn't. I'm just a worrywort, but I'm so glad I had it removed early on and it wasn't as involved as it could have been had I left it longer.

I don't know how good the surgeons are at UCD. I know they treat a lot of malocclusion cases, but I have yet to see many cavy cases here, period. I would prefer a private vet myself, since I think that the general client service can be wonderful.

ottosmom · Post » Mon Jan 26, 2004 1:14 pm

Fluffy goes in to the vet tomorrow for x-rays and aspiration of the lump. I hope he doesn't get too traumatized. I'm supplementing with Critical Care because his appetite has decreased a bit. He's not losing any weight but I don't want to take any chances.

Josephine · Post » Mon Jan 26, 2004 11:34 pm

Why are they doing an aspiration of the lump? If it is for a biopsy, it is probably better to get it removed altogether. The composition is sometimes difficult to get with just a needle aspiration and the results of such biopsies are general and can be more unreliable than punch, wedge, or complete excision biopsies.

ottosmom · Post » Tue Jan 27, 2004 1:32 am

I will print out this forum and take it with me tomorrow Josephine. I agree with you. The lump has to come out anyway. Will definitely do x-rays to check heart and lungs.

Josephine · Post » Tue Jan 27, 2004 3:12 am

If you're going to take it out anyway, I prefer one biopsy to two! Sending out the histo will be adequate unless you want to know if it's simply an abscess. From the way you describe it, I'm thinking that isn't the feeling of the DVM.

ottosmom · Post » Wed Jan 28, 2004 6:27 pm

Fluffy went to vet's yesterday and had x-rays and a fine needle aspiration of the lump. His heart appears ok and there is no indication that there is any spread of the tumor, if it is malignant, into the lungs. They said the lump is very vascular and bled easily when they did the aspiration. They looked at the slide and can see cells, but in order to determine if cancer cells are present they need to send it to a lab. I've decided to have the lump removed when Fluffy's URI clears up anyway and did not feel it was necessary to pay for the slide to be sent to a pathology lab when there is a good chance it would not give accurate results. Now it's just a matter of waiting until he's healthy before scheduling surgery. He's seems to be doing ok, eating, drinking, pooping, peeing just fine and not in any discomfort.

Post » Wed Jan 28, 2004 9:56 pm

Sounds like a plan. Hope things turn out okay (I take it you will have an analysis done of the lump after it's removed so you know if it is malignant).

Josephine · Post » Wed Jan 28, 2004 10:27 pm

Yes, send in the lump once it is removed. I'll look up Michel's histo and see what my boar had. It might be the same type of tumor. You never know.

ottosmom · Post » Thu Jan 29, 2004 3:23 am

Most definitely I will have the lump sent in for analysis. Thanks everyone for all the advice and moral support.

ottosmom · Post » Sat Feb 28, 2004 9:50 pm

Update on Fluffy: He is scheduled for surgery to have his nipple lump removed on 3/9. The vet will send it out for diagnostics to determine if it is malignant. His "snufffling" or hooting sound the vet believes to be due to his extra thick skin in his neck area. He is on cipro to clear up any infection if present. Fluffy is doing great otherwise. Hopefully the surgery will go smoothly and the lump will turn out to be benign.