I have had two guinea pigs now with ovarian cysts
Dilly and
Meg
Both guinea pigs shared symptoms but there were also some differences. If you notice any of the below types of symptoms in your female guinea pigs you need to take them to a cavy savy vet. Spaying is the most common form of treatment but hormone injections can also be successful and may be a better option in an elderly pig or one that is a poor surgery risk(more info available on Dilly's GL thread)
Symptoms my pigs had
- Increased sexual aggression. Both Dilly and Meg acted like they were in heat non-stop. This included mounting, chasing, rumblestrutting.
- Changed body type. Meg, more then Dilly, became more pear shaped almost as if she was in the early stages of pregnancy
- Hair loss. Both suffered hair loss although the placement of the hair loss was different at first.
- Crust on Nipples. Only Meg developed crustiness. Dilly did not.
Dilly first lost hair on her back
A within days Dilly then showed signs of bilateral hair loss along with secondary infections from scratching and chewing at her sides. She also started to lose hair on her chest and belly. Ovarian cysts can be very irritating and cause the guinea pig to pull and chew off their own hair as well as the biting and scratching
Left Side (Dilly)
Right Side (Dilly)
Meg only lost hair on her sides and did not scratch herself.
Right Side (Meg)
Left Side (Meg)
-continued