My old guinea pig has bumps behind her ears. How can I help her?

Thanks for reaching out about Charlie and including a photo. My the picture, it appears to be a scab with no discharge. Monitor the site for increase in size, seeming itchy or any discharge. If these are noted, a veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about your guinea pig. Common ear masses are abscesses (infections) and benign wart-like growths. Due to the nature of guinea pig pus and its thickness, both these conditions probably will require some surgical intervention. Seeking a veterinarian and having the mass lances with a surgical blade will help diagnose the problem but also possible remove it. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Sprou and including pictures. By the history and pictures, the most likely answer is a dermal (sebaceous) cyst. This condition is very common in middle aged guinea pigs. Keeping it clean as you did, is a good start. Clipping the hair around the edges to prevent further contamination is important. Ideally a veterinarian should be seen to have the cyst surgically removed, else it is likely to come back, over and over. Secondary infections of the open wound are also possible. Good luck.

Hello, and thank you for your question. The skin lesions may be due to a bacterial infection, fungal infection, parasites such as mites, or an ear infection. I am glad to hear you will be taking Charlie to the vet soon. They may recommend performing some tests such as an ear swab to check for infection, or a skin scraping or cytology. Based on the results, the appropriate treatment can be prescribed. For example, if an ear infection is confirmed, ear drops or oral antibiotics may be needed. If mites are found, then topical monthly drops will help to clear the parasites. In the meantime, keep their environment clean and remove soiled bedding daily. Also ensure they are eating a good quality diet consisting of mostly timothy, and a small amount of pellets, and leafy green veggies. I hope this helps, and that Charlie feels better soon!

Thanks for reaching out about Meeko and including pictures. This appears to be benign growth called a trichofolliculoma. These are tumors of the skin with very low likelihood of metastasis but likely to recur if not surgically removed. Hair should be gently clipped around the mass in an attempt to decrease bacterial contamination. Clean cotton tipped applicators can be used to gently remove the debris from inside the lesion. Gentle flushing with sterile saline can help irrigate the lesion, then allow to heal on its own. As previously stated, these are likely to recur. Do not apply any topical antibiotics such as Neosporin or triple antibiotics since guinea pig gastrointestinal tracts are very sensitive to antibiotics. Good luck.

I am sorry to hear about Chewy! A photo of the bump may help us in providing you with a better answer. I would be concerned if this is a large bump about a possible abscess (pocket of infection), cyst, or tumor. I would recommend having her seen by a vet since she obviously seems to be bothered by it. The vet may aspirate the bump by putting a small needle into it to help identify what the bump is and how best to treat it.

Thanks for reaching out about Teddy and including photos. This could be a sebaceous cyst or abscess. For now, wash the lesions with a mild soap, such as Johnson Baby Shampoo or Dawn dishsoap. If the lesion continue to grow or appears to be bothering Teddy, a veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.