My guinea pig has a tumor.

Question
I have a four year old male guinea pig.  I'm his only owner ever and he is relatively healthy.  His coat is shiny and soft, he is not obese, and he's very vocal and social.  

These are probably good signs of overall health, but he does have a tumor.  It is on his left shoulder.  He's had it for a while, and it would get really big, break, and then heal.  This time that is not the case.

He doesn't seem to be in any pain, but I do know that guinea pigs are very good at hiding discomfort due to their natural habitat.  Anyway, I was wondering if this is in fact a tumor and if you have any advice on how to deal with it.  At the present time me and my mom are debating whether or not to bring him to the vet, but a vet specializing in "exotic" pets is hard to find where I live....

Answer
Hi Katie

All that you say is very true, especially the need to consult a vet with knowledge of exotic animals like piggies. However, a tumour does need attention so I would advise you to call your local vets and ask to see the vet with the most knowledge of small animals. In this case, an exotic pet expert is perhaps less important as tumours are certainly not a condition that is exclusive to guinea pigs such as teeth problems or the use of the right anti-biotics etc.

I wish you all the best.

Andy