asnnbrg
Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2012
- Posts
- 495
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2012
- Messages
- 495
I haven't posted in a long time. I have three pigs: Lia, Smore and Flower. I have noticed that Lia (about 3.5 years old) has been quieter the last few days. She was eating great, but she seemed to be resting more than usual. When I went to get her last night to clip her nails, I saw this bulge coming out of her front shoulder. I immediately thought, "OMG BROKEN LEG!" but I couldn't do much about it at the time since the emergency vet doesn't "do" exotics. I figured she'd jumped out of the hammock and maybe jammed or jarred herself too hard. I took out both the hammocks that were in her cage. I didn't want to pick her up or do anything more intensive with her because I didn't want to cause her pain, and as far as I could tell, she wasn't really in a lot of pain (as far as I could tell -- we all know how guinea pigs are). Even after the "injury," she was still eating -- she tore through her nightly salad as usual, ate some pellets and munched hay.
My vet opened at 7:30 this morning, so I just went right away so that I could be there when they opened -- they're great about squeezing in emergencies. Well, it wasn't broken and it wasn't dislocated. The vet gave her pain meds, just in case, and said we are in a watch-and-wait situation. She said it's either a sprain or lymphosarcoma (I think is what she said). I would think that they'd be able to tell the difference, but apparently not. On the X-ray, it just looks like, well, swelling. If she's not better after a week, she's probably not got a sprain. The prognosis for the cancer isn't good with or without treatment, the vet said, so we'll essentially be telling her goodbye. As quickly as it (whatever it is) blew up, I want to believe it's a sprain. But at the same time, she was already acting a little different (resting more than usual) in the days before the swelling started. So I don't know.
I don't know why I'm posting about this especially since I don't know yet what's going on. I guess because you guys are probably the only ones who would really understand the range of emotions I'm having right now. Most people would shrug and say, "Meh, guinea pig, whatever." They don't realize that these critters might be small but they have mighty personalities. Lia is bossy and opinionated and sometimes just rude. I can't imagine our little herd without her.
My vet opened at 7:30 this morning, so I just went right away so that I could be there when they opened -- they're great about squeezing in emergencies. Well, it wasn't broken and it wasn't dislocated. The vet gave her pain meds, just in case, and said we are in a watch-and-wait situation. She said it's either a sprain or lymphosarcoma (I think is what she said). I would think that they'd be able to tell the difference, but apparently not. On the X-ray, it just looks like, well, swelling. If she's not better after a week, she's probably not got a sprain. The prognosis for the cancer isn't good with or without treatment, the vet said, so we'll essentially be telling her goodbye. As quickly as it (whatever it is) blew up, I want to believe it's a sprain. But at the same time, she was already acting a little different (resting more than usual) in the days before the swelling started. So I don't know.
I don't know why I'm posting about this especially since I don't know yet what's going on. I guess because you guys are probably the only ones who would really understand the range of emotions I'm having right now. Most people would shrug and say, "Meh, guinea pig, whatever." They don't realize that these critters might be small but they have mighty personalities. Lia is bossy and opinionated and sometimes just rude. I can't imagine our little herd without her.
