ovarian cyst and bladder stone removal surgery at same time

Midge

Post   » Thu Sep 19, 2002 8:53 pm


Hello

I have an older female (blood in urine) confirmed to have stones in bladder from xray. Ultrasound is very expensive here and I want to have her spayed due to incidence of ovarian cysts.

Has anyone ever had both surgeries done at same time. Yes, I do know two very experienced exotic vets comfortable with this surgery. They do not think it´s alot more risk to do both, but I understand it keeps the guinea pig under anesthesia at least 30 minutes longer for the spay. I could have blood work done, but a bit worried about too much surgery at once.

Any thoughts or experience with this?

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Thu Sep 19, 2002 8:56 pm


I have heard of vets doing both surgeries at the same time but I don´t remember any details. I think the incidence of ovarian cysts is not as high as some people believe but I do understand your wanting her to live as long and healthy a life as possible.

Midge

Post   » Thu Sep 19, 2002 9:25 pm


Hi.

Her mother died of tumor on her liver/bladder and was found to have ovarian cysts as well when she had a necropsy. This guinea pig is offspring to her and about the same age now as when the mother died. I do not know if development of ovarian cysts are partly genetic, but I read if they get too big and "pop", it´s instant death for the guinea pig. Just don´t know how if it´s better to wait or not on having both surgeries.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Thu Sep 19, 2002 9:50 pm


It sounds like you have a good reason to spay. If your vets are good and you need the other surgery anyway, I guess I would be tempted to have both procedures done.

pinta

Post   » Thu Sep 19, 2002 9:55 pm


I don´t know that it is instant death if they pop. They are usually full of benign fluid, unlike an abscess that is full of infectious pus that does mean septacemia(sp?) if it pops. Josephine?

In humans it isn´t instant death if an ovarian cyst pops.

I think some pigs can live with cysts with no problems, Others get bladder infections, bad mood swings from hormones out of whack and serious hair loss.

I have a couple of pigs living comfortably with ovarian cysts simply because they are poor surgical candidates.

I have one who did need to be spayed - cysts and tumour - who I am still nursing 6 weeks after the spay. We almost lost her at one point. She is now incontinent (a rare side effect of spaying but one none the less) and needs to go on estrogen. I would be kicking myself if the spay wasn´t necessary - but it was.

And I have a pig I just got spayed beacuse the vet was concerned about pyometra. She´d had huge cysts for about a year. Her hair loss was getting bad and it was decided that she would eventually need to be spayed and it was better to do it before she showed signs of illness. So far she´s doing well.

If your vets have a doppler monitor in the clinic it shouldn´t be a problem to do both procedures at once. But if she doesn´t need to be spayed - I wouldn´t have her spayed. It is a serious surgery to be undertaken as a prevention rather than a treatment.

Josephine
Little Jo Wheek

Post   » Thu Sep 19, 2002 10:24 pm


Well it does depend on the pig and situation. In general, two abdominal surgeries is more stressful and risky than one (if it is done expediently). I had a sow with a bladder biopsy and a spay done at the same time. She was about 3 years old? and lived a couple more years. She had ovarian cysts diagnosed through ultrasound and chronic hematuria. Turns out her cystitis cleared up on sulfa drugs. She did very well post-op and was as skinny as a rail.

If there is a serious concern in the reproductive tract, I´d go for the spay. Cysts when ruptured are very painful (at least in humans). There can be infection accompanying cyst rupture, but I don´t know how often that occurs. I´ve never seen documentation that ruptured cysts cause instant death. Usually in other animal species, routine spaying takes care of those things. I don´t advocate routine spaying in cavies right now, but I will spay a sow if it will improve her health and she is considered a somewhat decent surgical candidate.

Midge

Post   » Thu Sep 19, 2002 11:11 pm


Hello.

I´m often researching medical information written by exotic vets on google.com and I read that in one of the articles. They phrased it more as "sudden" death.

I use to live in California and vets would use ultrasound at minimal or no extra cost, at least the ones I saw. In Oregon, seems to be more limited. The vet said it would cost over $300 to bring someone in to ultrasound her for cysts.

She doesn´t have any hairloss and I don´t remember if the mother did, but I don´t think so.

Sounds like it would be best to try to confirm existance of the cysts first, but the exotic vets I spoke with, didn´t think it was such a big deal to do both. Me on the other hand, feel a bit more cautious about that.

Evangeline

Post   » Fri Sep 20, 2002 6:46 pm


Pinta-
In humans it isn´t instant death if an ovarian cyst pops.
Ha! Sure feels like it, though. Oh, the pain, the pain!!! Trust me, when it happens, you almost wish it was sudden death.

Midge-
You´re new here, aren´t you?

Midge

Post   » Sat Sep 21, 2002 12:36 am


Here is that link that stated if the ovarian cysts broke, it would most certainly lead to death or something to that effect. View that under Ovarian Cyst subcatagory. I can´t tell if this one is written by a vet or not.

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plai ... icine.html

pinta

Post   » Sat Sep 21, 2002 3:58 am


I don´t think that was written by a vet and I don´t think bacteria lurks within. If it did it would be a cyst. But I could be wrong....Josephine?

None of the exotic vets I am familiar with have reported sudden death from burst cysts.

Josephine
Little Jo Wheek

Post   » Sat Sep 21, 2002 10:17 pm


Not written by a vet. I think this may be the same person that recommends hydrogen peroxide as a disinfectant.

I would love to see any documentation by a vet that a ruptured cyst causes sudden death. Lots of intense pain, I would agree with. I´m not sure about amounts of bacteria in the fluid. I do believe it is fairly benign. Any bacteria would be from other places and perhaps an accompanying infection would be an incidental finding. In any case, it would take quite a bit of time for an infection to establish.

pinta

Post   » Sat Sep 21, 2002 10:26 pm


Ack - typo due to migraine.

and I don´t think bacteria lurks within. If it did it would be a cyst.

"Cyst" should be abscess.

My vet has told me that the fluid inside a cyst is harmless - unlike fluid in an abscess. Bacteria has to find a way in as I understand it and the cyst is self contained. In other words the cyst isn´t a result of an injury. Is that right, Josephine? I can´t remember what the fluid is inside a cyst but I´m under the impression it´s naturally occurring in the body.

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