disease

Question
Hi,

I have a 3 year old guinea pig that has enlarged nipples with a crust over them and her hair is thinning. I noticed this in her sister 2 years ago, then she got bald spots and a year later I put her down after she started secreting pus from her anus(/vagina?) and when I went to clean it her skin started coming off. The vet said it was kidney problems.

I'm wondering if most likely the same thing's going to happen to her? Also, I don't want the 2nd one to be in any pain like the first one probably was so; 1) how much does it cost to fix and 2) when should I put her down?  

Answer
Dear Julia,
I'm sorry to hear about your problem.  If you are seeing the same signs in your guinea pig that you saw in her sister 2 years ago, it is probably the same problem. I can't tell you how much it will cost to fix her problem because from your description I can't tell exactly what the problem is or how serious it has become.  Only your vet can tell you that when you take your pig in, which is something you must do right away.  Fortunately it sounds like you may be seeing the first signs of the disease your other pig had, therefore you may have caught the disease in its early stages which gives your current pig a higher chance of survival.  
 As for when you should put her down, the decision is entirely up to you.  If the vet says that your guinea pig is in a lot of pain and doesn't have a high chance of survival, you may decide that that is the best time.  Or you might never give up and do everything you can to try to save your pet.  Your pig could do excellent with treatment and be completely healthy soon.  But also, you have to remember that sometimes, no matter what you do, your pig may just not get better and you'll have to say goodbye, which is a part of owning any pet. If this does happen, just remember that you did what was best for your pet.  Good luck.  Keep me posted.

-I.J.