cancer/desease

Question
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Followup To
Question - Sorry Iam asking you so many questions, Im just curious:) Do you know how much it would cost if I went to a vet in Hamilton, Ontario? If my guinea pig had abcess, could it weaken her teeth, and make it painful to eat? A few days ago, two of my guinea pigs were fighting, they were sort of biting each others hips, should I seperate them?

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Followup To
Question - Thanx for the info, but what is Abcess? Could it be life threatening? What did you meen when you said, Abcesses are highly contagious to other pigs, if thats what she has "try to isolate her if at all possible" Where can I find a vet that knows how to handle small animals? What does lance meen? After an amount of days/weeks/months, will the abcess go away, or should I stop waiting and go to the vet? I have three female guinea pigs in a large cage, the one with abcess is in there, will the abcess catch on to the other two?

Thanx          
   
   One of my female guinea pigs, have a lump on her right cheek. She is a few months old, she was born June 25, 2004. The size of it is about a quarter of a thumb. The lump is hard. She did have a booger on her nose a few days ago that wouldnt come off, then she brushed it off with her paw and it looks like it hurt her, could that have anything to do with the lump? Can it be cancer or a desease? Can it spread? How can I prevent it? Should I go see a vet? Could it be a bug bite or just swollen?

You dont have to answer all questions. Thanx
Answer -
Hi Elise.  I would recommend you take her to the vet.  It sounds like a simple abcess to me.  They start out small, usually around the neck/cheeks.  Don't be too concerned about it, if it is an abcess the vet will lance it (or wait it out, they can pop on their own) and clean it out for you and your piggie will be good as new in no time.  You can ask the vet about the nose discharge while you are there, personally I would not be concerned with it.  She scratched it off, not you, so that means it was ready to go.  Abcesses are highly contagious to other pigs, if thats what she has try to isolate her if at all possible.  Make sure you find a vet that has worked with small animals or exotics, most cat/dog vets would be as clueless as any pet owner.  It could be a bug bite, but how would a bug get in her cage?  Very unlikely it is cancer/disease.  Can't prevent abcesses.  Unless you dropped her on her head its not just going to "swell" for no reason.  I hope this helps!  E-mail me and let me know what the vet says, I would strongly think its an abcess
Good Luck!
Anngela  astrathm@purdue.edu
Answer -
Hi Elise - sorry I wasn't very clear.  I am not sure of the book definition, it is sorta like a HUGE pimple that guinea pigs can get.  It can be the result of a puncture, or if a piece of hay poked them, or just from another pig.  It COULD be life threatening if it were on her neck, but on her check it shouldn't cause any difficulties breathing or swallowing. I would check the phonebook for an exotics vet or maybe call and ask the zoo?  I'm not sure, I live in a big enough city there are plenty of them.  The abcess won't be contagious untill it is lanced, or cut open.  There are differing views on how communicable it is.  I would recommend you go to a vet and have her look at it, see what she can do.  Remember, we don't know for sure she has an abcess, without seeing and feeling it it is hard to say.  Find a vet, have her looked at, if you are in Indiana I can recommend a few vets but chances are that you are not!  Let me know if you have any more questions.  I'll try to be as clear as possible.
Anngela

Answer
Hi Elise.  Don't worry about all the questions, the more the merrier!  Haven't a clue for Ontario - I've heard there are some good ones in MI, but you'll have to check around.  I am just not familiar with many out of the tristate region.  If her teeth seem to be bothering her maybe an infection gone bad?  Sounds like she really needs some attention from a vet.  As far as price, here usually we pay around $35 USD for the office call charge and then whatever other fees/xrays/medicines are extra.  As far as the fighting goes - If its the first time they have fought, they must have worked it out!  If it continues I would separate them, but if it was just a one time situation, I wouldn't worry unless someone is getting hurt.
Anngela