Guinea Pig Lump Under Chin: Cause, Treatment and How to Care
You’ve noticed there’s like a bump on the chin of your guinea pig which wasn’t there originally. And we get that you’re worried. And this is definitely alarming.
Which is why we’re here to tell you why Guinea pigs have lumps under their chins, its causes, the treatments, and how to take care of it.
Guinea Pig Lump Under Chin: Cause and How To Treat
Lumps under the chin are a common spot for abscesses to form. Note that differentiate between ‘lump’ (which can have many causes) and abscess (an infection that is pus that forms into a lump). Abscesses (not all lumps) are infection pouches that can spread inside, rupture, enlarge and squeeze the neck, limiting the guinea pig’s capacity to breathe.
Common causes of these are teeth growing rapidly that push other teeth within the mouth of the guinea pigs, or infection entering the mouth that causes abscesses or swollen lymph nodes, tumors, cysts, or fatty lipomas. The best treatment is via surgical operation (Not for all lumps, but likely for tumours and some abscesses).
Why Do Guinea Pigs Get Lump Under Chin?
Infections that enter the tissues through the mouth or the skin are the most common causes.
Guinea pig teeth are known as open rooted because they develop continuously. This means that, compared to other animals, they are more susceptible to infection invading the tooth root and jaw, forming lumps.
Guinea pigs are also prone to mouth scratches and abrasions, which can lead to infection beneath the skin. These can lead to abscesses, and in the worst-case scenario, the infection can spread to the lymph nodes which are often in their neck.
How To Treat Lump/ Abscesses
The best way to treat Lumps or Abscesses is via surgery. So it is best that once you have noticed that your guinea pigs have lumps, it is imperative to have them checked up immediately.
In some cases, veterinarians administer antibiotics over a 2 to 4 week period depending on the severity, there is no one way of treating lumps or abscesses so it is still best to have your guinea pigs checked up by professionals to ensure their health and safety.
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What Can Happen If Left Untreated?
Lumps under the chin are extremely uncomfortable, and painful for guinea pigs, and if left untreated, the tendency of the lump is to increase in size and effectively block out air pathways of the guinea pig resulting in difficulty of breathing, and even death.
Other known cases of untreated lumps and abscesses are the spread of bacteria on different body parts of the guinea pig, causing them more discomfort and other health issues, especially cancer.
How Long Can A Guinea Pig Live With A Lump?
This depends on the type of lump and how fast it spreads to other body parts or block out the air pathways of the guinea pig.
If the tumor is cancerous, only a few weeks after diagnosis, but if it’s not cancerous, it takes a few years depending on the level of care received by the guinea pig.
However, It causes much discomfort for the guinea pig so it is still important to have a proper veterinarian diagnosis.
How Do You Take Care Of A Guinea Pig after Lump Surgery?
Once the abscess or the lump is successfully removed, owners need to give a more intensive care for the guinea pigs:
- Improve its enclosure. Make it as clean and as quiet as possible. Remove any sharp objects, and clean the tank frequently preferably twice a week.
- Administer Antibiotics. This is to make sure that the cyst, lump or abscesses is cleaned every so often and drained of its bacteria. Guinea pigs after surgical treatment usually need one rund of antibiotics or depends on the prescription of the vet. Do not purchase any antibiotic, and listen to the vet and do not stop treatment until your vet says so.
- Sanitize the affected area as per the recommendation of the vet. Keep the incision clean, and dirt-free at all times as this is an open but healing wound, bacteria could easily infect it making this worse. So keep it regularly clean by using a slightly damp and clean towel.
- Set a follow-up check-up. Any operation needs to have a follow up checkup to check and monitor the progress to know which moves should follow. Such as removing any sutures if there is any, changing the administered antibiotics, etc.
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Wrapping Up
Lumps, abscesses, cysts, are dangerous to the health of your guinea pig especially if left untreated. Which is why immediate veterinarian care is advised and recommended as this causes tremendous health risks, and discomfort for your guinea pig.
We hope that your guinea pig is in good health, and if ever, we hope that the information on this article helps you.
