Abbey's Medical Thread

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Sat Mar 25, 2017 5:36 pm


There are hormone treatments for ovarian cysts. They're not the cure-all that surgery is, but they often are effective for many months, and may be a good option for an older pig.

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Delaine
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Post   » Sat Mar 25, 2017 6:19 pm


Thanks Lynx and bpatters. According to the threads there seems to be three choices vets use. My vet hasn't used hormone therapy so I would like to compile some information for her. The choices seem to be HCG, Cystorelin and Lupron. Are all three supposed to shrink the cysts?

In general do ovarian cysts grow quickly or do some grow more slowly? Abbey's vet said she would support me either way regarding the spay. She will do the surgery if I want but she is a little nervous because of her age. I am concerned because Abbey does have some eye issues which according to some members have been linked to heart problems. Should I get an X-ray of her heart?

Abbey is a little more withdrawn since she has become blind due to her cataracts. I am not sure if she has lost her hearing also. Her vet checked her ears and everything looks normal but Abbey no longer responds to my verbal cues. She also wheeks extremely loud as if she can't hear herself. She was always a quiet wheeker. I have to put food in front of her face to get her attention or tap her to show her where I am. Sometimes when she is sleeping and I put food in front of her it takes a few seconds for her to register it is food before she grabs it. During floor time she likes to eat her supper on my lap. I have to guide her with food so she knows where I am sitting and then she jumps up. When it is time to go back to her cage she runs around in all directions until I put the transfer box right in front of her. Then she goes in.

She still eats well and seems to know her schedule. She is always out and eager to eat at the usual times.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sat Mar 25, 2017 8:17 pm


I think your idea of shots is better. You could also watch carefully to see if things change - monitor the size of the cysts especially.

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Delaine
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Post   » Sun Apr 02, 2017 7:40 pm


I have been doing research so I can be as informed as possible when I meet with Abbey's vet on Friday. I have come up with some interesting information. From what I have read it depends on the type of cyst present whether or not hormone therapy will work. According to what I have read only Follicular cysts will respond to hormone therapy. If a pig is showing hair loss and crusty nipples then Follicular cysts would be most likely. If there is no hair loss, etc. then it may be a Serous (cystic rete ovarii) which according to the information is the most common and won't be helped by hormone therapy. Guinea pigs can get Parovarian cysts but they are rare.

Some information came from "Clinical Veterinary Advisor, Bird and Exotic Pets, by Jorg Mayer and Thomas M. Donnelly (starting on Page 270). I was only able to locate the ovarian pages on my tablet but I am not sure how to copy a link on it. Wasn't able to find these pages on my lap top.

I found further information "Ovarian Cysts in the Guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) by Andrew D. Bean, DVM (Pages 757 - 763). There is a table on Page 763 titled "Table 1 - Comparison of historical findings and clinical signs associated with rete cysts versus follicular cysts". This shows symptoms and which type of cyst is most likely.

Here is the link. I hope it worked:

https://books.google.ca/books?id=2PoxAg ... ts&f=false

In Abbey's case she has no hair loss or crusty nipples which might indicate a Rete cyst (Serous cyst). If this is the case hormone therapy wouldn't work.

Any discussion and input on this information would be appreciated.

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Delaine
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Post   » Sun Apr 02, 2017 7:49 pm


Lynx: Thanks for letting me move the above to the correct thread. When I click on the link page 763 comes up. I was hoping it would work because this page has Table l comparing the symptoms of rete cysts follicular cysts.

Here is a link describing the three types of ovarian cysts in guinea pigs.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11913549

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sun Apr 02, 2017 8:59 pm


Delaine, I was successful this time. Looks like I need to do a review of the ovarian cysts page here with an update!

And I wrote on the other thread:

p.s I will read this more closely later but I thought follicular cysts were epidermal cysts! I have found plenty only referencing follicular cysts and the ovaries though, more than for skin issues.

Here's one for skin issues:

Epidermal Inclusion Cyst (Follicular Cyst)
http://missinglink.ucsf.edu/lm/dermatol ... _cyst.html

I found on google books I guess something from Select Topics in Dermatology
edited by Peter G. Fisher.
Follicular Cysts
Follicular cysts are less commonly reported in guinea pigs, and reports on prevalence vary widely. One researcher noted that, "In studying a great many (gps) ovaries for cystic conditions during several years, we have never observed a follicular cyst." (citation 30) A study of 85 Hartley sows showed a follicular cyst prevalence of 22.4% when cyst diameter was greater than 0.5 mm. Follicular cysts were most commonly seen during the first half of the estrous cycle. (cytation 40). Beregi and colleagues (citation 41) ultrasonographically verified the presence of ovarian cysts in 10 guinea pigs; histopathology later identified 100% of these cysts as follicular. The true prevalence of follicular cysts in guinea pigs remains unknown.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sun Apr 02, 2017 9:14 pm


Ah, and the PubMed abstract notes that the article is free. There is a 7 page pdf here:

https://wwww.unboundmedicine.com/medlin ... oactivity_

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Delaine
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Post   » Sun Apr 02, 2017 10:59 pm


I am going to attempt to send this other link. I can bring it up on my tablet but not on my laptop. I sent it to my sister and she was able to access it. I use Firefox and she was using Google Chrome so that may be the difference. I hope it works. This information is from "Clinical Veterinary Advisor, Birds and Exotic Pets" by Jorg Mayer and Thomas M. Donnelly. If it works you are looking for Page 269 and 270 on Ovarian Cysts. It also talks about treatment options.

https://books.google.ca/books?id=Ksyx3o ... py&f=false

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Delaine
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Post   » Fri Aug 25, 2017 6:45 pm


Abbey continues to lose weight and has gone from 1162 grams in March 2017 to 1028 grams August 21st. It has been a steady decline. In her prime she was over 1300 grams.

She has had a rough summer. My daughter and year old grandson moved in with us for two months. Her usual quiet household was turned upside down with strange noises and sounds. His play area was in the living room behind the girls' cage. She has been more timid since she lost her sight to cataracts and things seem to scare her more easily. She has always been a piggy that saw Monsters on occasion. On top of this she lost her sister to a massive tumor July 25th. Now her companion and support of over six years is gone.

I have had her to the vet several times and here are some of the health concerns that may also be affecting her weight. Her teeth look good.

- Ovarian cysts (Not the type that cause hair loss, crusty nipples, etc. Really no symptoms. They were felt when she had her wellness check. She doesn't even rumble any more now her sister is gone.

- She has a very small bladder stone. She passed a large one and smaller one about two months ago.

- Her X-ray shows she has Spondylosis in her back. Could this be a source of pain causing her to be less active?

- Arthritis in her knees which may affect her activity level.

She begs for her greens and pepper but hasn't been as thrilled about hay and pellets so I made some changes. I hope they work. She loves critical care and licks it from a dish so I just started supplementing with ground pellets mixed with critical care and warm water. She gets this three times a day. I soak some hay which she loves. I also just started her on Metacam in case she is in pain. It has only been a couple of days with these changes but she is more active already and her weight is starting to climb a little. I was giving her some critical care before but not enough to make a difference. She is in a 2 x 4 cage but wouldn't venture to the other side of the cage. I brought the ends in a little so there is not such a great distance between houses. This seems to really help her feel more secure and I notice she is exploring the whole cage now. I put little piles of hay around to encourage her.

Any other suggestions to make a senior piggy's life more comfortable would be appreciated. She will be 6 1/2 next month. I hope the extra pellets and critical care don't contribute to stone formation but I am looking for quality of life for now. I just want her to gain some weight and feel better.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Fri Aug 25, 2017 9:38 pm


As for the Spondylosis (I had to look it up), I would just watch for sings of pain. Since you did decide to give Metacam and you are seeing more activity, it is likely she was in some pain.
www.guinealynx.info/pain.html

I am happy to hear she likes the foods you are giving her. It might be worth getting in the routine of weighing her daily so you catch any weight loss right away. I think you're doing a great job.

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Delaine
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Post   » Fri Aug 25, 2017 11:02 pm


Thanks Lynx. I didn't see the X-ray because they wouldn't come up on her computer in the Examination room. She did draw me a picture but I didn't pay as much attention as I should because I thought I could just look it up on Google when I got home. According to what I read Spondylosis seems to be a general term for more than one issue. I think Abbey's is degeneration of her disc or discs in her spine but I will clarify with her vet next time I take her in. I have noticed once in awhile a slight hitch in one of her back legs. It is hard to describe but she sort of drags one slightly but only for a second and then she walks normally. It is so slight that I wondered if I am seeing things. Now I wonder if maybe this degeneration in her spine could be causing some nerve pain in her leg. Just a thought and I will talk it over with her vet. This particular X-ray was taken in June but I only found out about this diagnosis on Tuesday when I asked her to look at the X-rays again for signs of arthritis. In June we were concentrating on whether there were more stones present and weren't focusing on her bones.

The mixture I am giving Abbey is 1 tsp. of ground Oxbow pellets plus 1/2 tsp. Critical Care and 20 mls of warm water. It ends up being a total of 20 mls of mixture. She gets this amount three times a day. It seems like a lot to give at one time but Abbey licks it up on her own. Towards the end I clean the dish with my finger and she licks that off. Is 20 mls too much to give her at one time? I like her eating the mash because without drinking any other water she is getting 60 mls. per day. She still drinks from her water bottle.

The other question I have is about Metacam. She is doing so well tonight so I want to continue giving her a daily dose. I haven't seen her this active in quite awhile. Is long term Metacam okay for her kidneys? She is only getting 0.08 mls every 24 hours.

I will weigh her daily. She gained 10 grams last night and another 10 grams tonight. I hope the trend continues.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sat Aug 26, 2017 10:57 am


I don't think 20 ml is too much at all, especially if she is eating it all and licking it from your fingers.

I think some guinea pigs are on Metacam log term. It sounds like a smaller dose? (need concentration and weight of guinea pig - www.guinealynx.info/calculate_dose.html ) Your vet could give you a better answer on the kidney question than I could (would depend on her health - but it is always a trade-off and I tend toward mitigating pain).

You are more than welcome to send me any xrays you can get that show this condition. They could be helpful to future readers.

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