[Gpdd] Health...need your advise, Please!

[Penny Charlesworth]

Hi Tina and Hemi,

I see that Sandy has already posted a lot of advice. You really do need to
seek out a vet who has years of experience with piggies as your average cat
and dog vet often knows very little about our small friends. If you are in
England I would recommend you see a Rodentologist, who specialises in
piggies but these are few on the ground in other countries. People bring
their piggies from all over England to see mine.

Without seeing Hemi, diagnosis is well nigh impossible but read this quote
from Peter Gurney's "The Proper Care of Guinea Pigs" and see if the
description matches Hemi. When I read your post, this immediately sprang to
mind so I went and fetched the book. It is from the chapter called "lumps
and bumps"....

"There remains one lump that can hardly be classed as cancerous. It feels
more like a small sinuous nodule, or a series of them grouped together. It
can be felt just below the surface of the skin, usually high up on the
body, just behind the front legs. However, it sometimes occurs elsewhere.
This is invariably subcutaneous fat, and, if the animal was a human being,
it would certainly be advised to go on a diet!"

Piggies can get all sorts of lumps which do not require any treatment. My
Roscoe lived for years with a lipoma - just a fatty lump which causes no
problems. My Fuzzypeg has one underneath but I will only have it removed if
it gets large enough to cause him trouble walking. I had to have this done
with my Lima many years ago. Piggies can get sebaceous cysts, the contents
of which can be squeezed out and the area kept scrupulously clean. I do
these myself but my Rodentologist also removes the gland which causes these
without anaesthetic - not a job for the amateur. These usually seem to
occur singly but my Snickers, from years ago, had a cluster of small ones
on her head between her ears..

If a piggy does require anaesthesia, it is vital that only Isoflurane or
Sevoflurane are used. Anything else would prove fatal. But you need to find
that cavy specialist before considering any kind of op and it is good to
have one before he/she is needed. Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions
such as how many piggies they treat. Ask how many piggy ops they have
performed successfully. You need to be confident in your vet.

Do you know what the vet found from the biopsy?

Don't forget to give Hemi some probiotics to put the good bugs back when
the course of Baytril is finished. I use acidophilus from the health food
shop, the same as I take myself if I have to have antibiotics - in a
smaller dose of course. So many human meds are perfect for piggies.
Overseas members, of whom I suspect you are one, will recommend something
suitable.

Please do not hesitate to ask any other questions that you may have. The
more we share, the more we learn. Here is a link to Ann's website. It is
the easy to remember www.piggyville.com.

Good luck with Hemi. Keep us all posted.

Penny and the Piggyfriends ( a little rescue in England ).

Disclaimer. I have no veterinary training but too many years of cavy care
to count. I have learned from the best - Peter, a great cavy vet and my
wonderful Rodentologists.