[Gpdd] Re: HEALTH: loss of fur on her tummy and ovarian cysts

[mims at sas.upenn.edu]

Hi Rebecca,  I'm sending my response to you directly as well as to the GPDD, so
that you can get the answer sooner.  

You wrote, in part:
> Anyway, the vet checked them both over and found a problem, with Gemma.  She >
found that Gemma has lost her fur on her tummy and she gave them a good feel >
and she says Gemma has a cyst on her overies.  She says that they can 
> operate ? and spay her, but I am not happy about putting my baby through all >
that.

My 5.5 year old piggy, Miss Fergusson, has ovarian cysts, too.  Her vet is the
University of Pennsylvania Vet School (which I HIGHLY RECOMMEND to anyone and
everyone who lives near Philly).  Last year, and again this year, Miss
Fergusson lost fur around her belly and sides, and the vet diagnosed ovarian
cysts.  Both times, she has received injections of hCG (human chorion
gonadotropin, a hormone found in pregnant women).  I believe the dose is .1mg
per injection.  Last year, a series of 3 injections, ~10 days apart, solved the
hair loss problem completely.  This year, it has only been a couple of weeks
since her last injection, and though the hair has not started to grow back yet,
I fully expect it to, as it took a long time last year (I don't remember
exactly how long, but I remember it being long enough that I was sure it wasn't
going to happen, then one day I saw a bit of fuzz on her bald spots, and lo and
behold, the piggy had hair!).  

My vet told me that if the hCG didn't help, or if the cysts kept coming back,
then surgery was an option.  However, I know guinea pigs to be fragile
creatures, and my vet says that even under the best of circumstances surgery is
dangerous to them (apparently, and unsurprisingly, it's difficult to get the
anasthetic dose right on such a small animal).  So, in my humble opinion, you
should explore all your options before consenting to surgery.  Ask your vet
about treating the cysts medically (rather than surgically) with a series of
hCG injections.  

If your vet doesn't know about hCG, or seems unwilling to learn, or pushes
surgery as your only option, you might consider finding a new vet.  Hopefully,
your vet will look into this option with you. 

Also, just FYI, ovarian cysts are less common in guinea pigs who spayed or have
had babies.  But that's just FYI, since I certainly do not advocate breeding or
spaying your piggy just to give some protection against cysts.  Especially
since they seem to be treatable in a fairly inexpensive and safe way.

Take care, and good luck to you and Gemma.

-Karen and the cyst-free (for now) Miss Fergusson.