My guinea pig has a growing lump on his neck. What should I do?

I can see that Lilo has a swelling over her jaw, which may be a sign of a tooth root abscess. This can result in discomfort and difficulty eating. I recommend having this evaluated by a vet as soon as possible, as she may need to have teeth extracted or dental x-rays. In rare cases, this can also be caused by a growth on the bone, either due to a tumor or inappropriate nutrition. In the meantime, you should ensure that Lilo has a well balanced diet and keep an eye on her for issues eating, weight loss, or any nasal discharge. I hope all is well and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Have him examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating pocket pets. A fine needle aspirate can be done to collect a sample for pathology. This may lead to a diagnosis. In the meantime, make sure he is eating, drinking and eliminating normally.

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.

Thank you for reaching out about Piglet - that is a very cute name. I didn't see how old he was? The reason that I ask is that it is common for older guinea pigs, including males, to have problems occur with their nipples. This can include trauma, masses, and crusting. This can be due to hormonal changes, other systemic disease processes, and cancer. I would recommend one of two courses of action - you can continue to monitor the masses for changes (if this occurs, please take Piglet to a veterinarian) or you can take him to a veterinarian for evaluation now, and get additional recommendations based on the exam that s/he performs. I hope that gives you a place to start, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

This is likely an abscess which will need to be seen and treated by a veterinarian. The vet will need to lance the abscess and flush it. Since it may be involving the teeth, your vet may want to x-ray the head to see the extent. Kuri will need antibiotics. If you have financial concerns, investigate the possibility of getting care credit (www.carecredit.com), make a few phone calls to some pet charities in your area and talk with your vet about a payment plan.

Hello, I would recommend having Paisley seen by a veterinarian to check the lumps. A lump could be anything from a lipoma (accumulation of fat), a spreading skin infection, or a tumor, which could be either benign or malignant. The best way to find out what a given mass could be is histopathology with a surgical biopsy, but sometimes a needle aspirate can positively identify a tumor type or skin infection. A lipoma would not require any further treatment. A skin infection may be cured with a course of antibiotics. A more serious tumor may warrant x-rays, bloodwork, and ultrasound to be sure it hasn't metastasized extensively before surgery. I think it is absolutely worth investigating the cause of growths in guinea pigs. I hope this is helpful! If you get a diagnosis and have more questions, we will always be happy to answer them! :) Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

This could be potentially rubbing against cornea and in the long term cause both chronic irritation/inflammation (the cornea can get darker than normal) and possibly corneal ulceration. This lump/growth should be ideally examined by your veterinarian to have a definitive diagnosis. Your vet will examine it and possibly perform with an FNA (fine needle aspiration) or a biopsy. Differentials would include skin cyst, infections or benign or malignant type of tumors. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!