Dave`s CYSTS CYSTS CYSTS - This Little Piggy Marketplace

CYSTS Dave’s
CYSTS Top Tips
CYSTS
BY DAVE ROGERS ,
IN-HOUS E EXPERT AND
MANAGE R OF PIGGY PALACE
GUINEA SANCTUARY
ooner or later you are likely
S
to come across cysts in your
guinea pig. It is a relatively
common problem. This article
is about just a few of the
many different types of cyst
that are often found. Here’s
a brief description of just
some, starting with the most
common...
cyst, that after a couple of years developed a hole in the top and started to discharge.
Generally speaking fatty lumps (lipomas) rarely cause any problem, and occasionally a
pig can develop many of them, with no ill effects, but it is always worth getting a vet to
evaluate them periodically. If they are situated in an awkward place and do become a
problem to the pig, your vet can quickly and easily remove them.
As with all lumps and bumps, if you are worried your vet can easily perform a fineneedle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) to put your mind at rest, in most cases they do not
hurt and is nothing more than an inconvenience to the pig and only takes a couple of
seconds. An anaesthetic is not needed.
Lipomas
Lipomas are very common in guinea pigs
and, loosely speaking, what is going on
underneath the lipoma is similar to a cyst.
A lipoma is a non-cancerous growth of
fatty tissue that develops just under the
skin. You can sometimes tell if a bump
is a lipoma by pressing it. It should feel
smooth and soft, like rubber or dough,
and may move around under the skin. For
diagnostic purposes the main difference
is that lipomas are slightly deeper under
the skin while cysts are close to the skin
surface. Lipomas are soft and doughlike whereas cysts are firm to the touch.
Lipomas don’t usually have an inflamed
appearance (red and swollen) that
sometimes accompanies a true cyst.
I have had lipomas in a couple of my pigs
that have been apparently misdiagnosed
and eventually turned out to be (or
possibly turned into) a sebaceous type
Sebaceous Cysts
Apparently this term is becoming outdated so you may hear sebaceous cysts being
called “epidermoid” or “pilar” cysts.
Sebaceous cysts are common, non-cancerous skin cysts. They are not life-threatening.
These cysts are smooth round lumps which you can see and feel just beneath the skin
surface. They are very common, particularly as the pig gets older. Often they are small
(pea size) but sometimes they slowly get bigger over many months to become a few
centimetres in diameter. They look very similar to each other but can be distinguished
if the cells that form the cyst sac are looked at under the microscope.
This type of cyst can pop up just about anywhere; I have one piggy that has one in her
ear, it is self draining and has been there for nearly three years now without causing a
problem (see pictures below).
It is not wise to attempt to burst these cysts as they could implode and/or lead to
cellulitis (a bacterial skin infection), far safer to have them periodically assessed by
your vet until they are ripe and start to discharge, depending on the location some
cysts quite happily self drain and remain that way for the life of the pig, whilst others
can become more troublesome!
At the moment I’m providing nurse care for a pig that belongs to a friend of mine.
The pig developed a sebaceous cyst a couple of years ago, and although quite large,
We appreciate the pictures are sometimes very blurred; The photographs were generally taken some time ago and, at the
time, it was not known that they would need to be publishable one day. It is only because of Dave’s meticulous record
keeping and dedication to his pigs, that we are able to bring you these rare images at all. As there has been very little
research or documentation of guinea pig illnesses or conditions, you will not find anything that could rival what Dave is
able to share exclusively with us! Occasionally these pictures will be gross ... of a graphic nature!
42
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it remained stable and then all of a
sudden it started to discharge, and
although a true cyst it had developed
channels under the skin that needed
a flexible canula to navigate and
flush properly! So because of the size,
and complicated nature of it my vet
considered it would be better if it
were flushed for a few weeks before
surgery. Surgery was successful but
the cyst was extensive (see pictures
right).
With the majority of sebaceous cysts
they will eventually develop a hole
and discharge, once it has been fully
discharged by the vet the chances are
it will never grow any bigger, in most
cases they slowly expel small amounts
of a cottage-cheese-like substance (see
picture right) and only need removing
surgically if they become a nuisance
or infected. It is worth noting that,
depending on the site where the cyst
is growing, some can be extremely
painful to touch i.e. around the neck, whilst others on the back cause little more than mild
discomfort when examined.
In stark contrast to the sebaceous cyst in the photos on the previous page, this is an
identical size and shape cyst that went totally the other way. This was originally diagnosed
as a lipoma, but a couple of years later to my surprise I picked the sow up one night to find
a quarter inch round hole in what once was a smooth lump. The hole was big enough and
the contents liquid enough for me to squeeze it, and I eventually got this much discharge
from it (see photos below). That was several months ago and the hole is still the same and
never needs discharging.
A VERY IMPORTANT NOTE:
I DO NOT advocate or recommend that you squeeze cysts you find on your guinea pig. The main reason
is that they can implode inside the pig, often causing very serious damage and more dangerous conditions
than the cyst itself. I haven’t seen a case as bad as the one below since my pre-camera days. However
I have recently taken on this poor piggy, and these pictures demonstrate exactly what I mean.
This is the only reason for their inclusion!
*Always check with your vet before embarking on any course of home treatment. Not only can they
advise, but they can also supply any equipment you need, and show you how to use it*
Why you should not squeeze a cyst without first consulting your vet
The pictures below are hot off the press: a very good reason why you should not squeeze a cyst without first consulting your
vet! As I said at the start, there are many different types of cyst. Some of them come out easily like cottage cheese, but
occasionally you’ll come across one like this; it is hard and rubbery and I have been working on it for two weeks now.
If this had been excessively squeezed, the likelihood is it would have ruptured, entered the bloodstream and possibly caused
septicaemia.
November/December
2014, ISSUE 23
43
Ovarian Cysts
Ovarian cysts are moderately common in female guinea pigs
that are between eighteen months and five years of age. This
condition occurs when the ovarian follicles do not rupture to
release the ova (eggs), resulting in the formation of cysts on the
ovaries. The cysts usually occur in both ovaries, but on some
occasions only the right ovary is affected. The symptoms are
usually very inconclusive and often do not present at all, so it
would be good practice to get your older sows examined by the
vet every six months, and if your vet detects one they should be
taken very seriously.
Ovarian cysts can be felt by gently pressing over the sow’s
ovaries. However this is only advisable if you know exactly where
to feel, as if you get it wrong and the cyst bursts your sow could
be dead within a few hours, so it is always advisable to leave it
to a vet, who may first feel around the ovaries, and then take an
Enlarged and crusty nipples
ultrasound scan to confirm (see picture below). If left
untreated, the ovarian cysts may continue to grow and
could potentially burst, placing the guinea pig’s life in
danger. The only 100% effective treatment for ovarian
cysts is spaying, in which the ovaries and uterus are
both removed from the body.
Hair loss along the sides...
... Or on the tummy
Ultrasound scan image showing ovarian cysts
Possible symptoms
Hair loss along the sides, or on the tummy
Hormonal changes / increased sexual behaviour
(not “just” a sow in season)
Enlarged/crusty/discharge from the nipple(s)
Loss of appetite and subsequent loss in body
weight
Abdominal pain and discomfort
Avoidance of touch/handling due to pain
44
Unfortunately unless the sow is a suitable candidate for
the flank incision methods of removing the ovaries (see
Issue 19) then it may be safer to have them drained.
There is medication that often successfully reduces the
size but the problem is this takes time and a sow with an
ovarian cyst is always at risk of the cyst bursting, and if
this happens there is nothing that can be done as a sow
will die within a few hours if septicaemia sets in.
Personally I prefer my sows with ovarian cysts to have
them drained, it is far less invasive than surgery and a
competent vet usually just administers a whiff of gas
and then performs a needle aspiration with the
assistance of an ultrasound to drain the fluid. After
draining there is no scarring, the sow will be up and
running within minutes, and in most cases should never
need the cysts draining again.
In the next issue I will be talking about DIY
treatments! What conditions can be diagnosed
or treated at home, and what symptoms should
have you running straight to the vet?
Until then,
Yours in Piggies DavePP
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