Eva's Tumour Page

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Tumour

In scientific litterature you can read that guinea pigs has a lower incindence of tumours than many other species used as pets. Of course they can get tumours, but that is very uncommon in younger cavies.

Here is a photo of my pet cavy Bulan, 7 years old at the time I took the photo.Tumours are not very common. The tumour in this photo is quite big. Sometimes what is thought to be a tumour are actually an abcess. Still older cavies often get a small unidentified lump somewhere, and as long it does not continue to grow it usually do not affect the cavy's quality of life.

Guinea pigs can live long with a tumour, the fact that the pig has a tumour must not necessarily mean that the guinea pig has to die.

Potential dangers

The worst potential danger is that the lump in question is not a tumour but an abcess. An abcess is much more dangerous to the cavy than a tumour, from experience. An abcess can kill a cavy within two weeks. A good vet can usually tell for sure which is which. An experienced cavy breeder might also be able tell which is which.

Treatment

A vet can operate to remove some tumours. Depending on where the tumour is located the vet may advice to leave the tumour where it is. I've had a tumour removed from my pet cavy Haida by a vet once and that was a success. That tumour was probably harmless, the vet said so before the operation, and confirmed it afterwards. The reason I had it removed was the location of the tumour. The vet adviced me that Haida would not live that much longer unless it was removed.

Bulan lived to become over 7 years even though her tumour grew rather big. She kept on being a happy piggy that loved her food all her life. Her tumour may have started out with a bite from another cavy before I got her, it sure looked like teeth marks where the tumour started to grew. Strangely enough this big lump also contained some pus, like an abcess, but most of it was a tumour. I've seen other cavies with tumours that had some pus in it. Since she had no pain and no discomfort, that could be noticed I just let her be. Also this tumour was situated in a bad location for being removed.