Guinea pig ovariectomy/spey

RE: Guinea pig ovariectomy/spey

Catriona MacIntyre — Sat, 28 Nov 2015 17:36:52 GMT

Thank you Mark

I wasn't sure if there would be ischaemic necrosis or other complications if you chose the wrong place

RE: Guinea pig ovariectomy/spey

Mark Naguib — Sat, 28 Nov 2015 13:38:33 GMT

Hi Catriona - not dumb at all as you can do it in more than one place. I tend to go close to the tip of the uterine horn but you can go very caudal. There is a description of a partial hysterectomy in the article I posted where the author goes very caudally and removes a large portion of each horn.

RE: Guinea pig ovariectomy/spey

Catriona MacIntyre — Fri, 27 Nov 2015 19:13:19 GMT

Can I ask what may seem a really dumb question to some?

When you do an ovariectomy, one ligature is placed around the ovarian pedicle... where do you place the other one? I.e. how far/close to the ovary?

I've only ever done ovariohysterectomy in any species that I have spayed, but would consider ovariectomy in Guinea Pigs

RE: Guinea pig ovariectomy/spey

Marie Kubiak — Fri, 27 Nov 2015 09:24:48 GMT

I'm a fan of the flank approach too, unless there is uterine pathology present. Guinea pigs don't cope with pain, dorsal recumbency and long GAs as well as other small mammals so there is a higher complication rate with a ventral midline approach.

The literature points towards a single dorsal incision moved to each side with separate muscle incisions but I have found that really tricky so now use short bilateral incisions and do the ovariectomy via these. There is a pictorial guide to my technique from one of our recent CPDs online at http://www.manorvets.co.uk/ckfinder/userfiles/files/Manor%20rodents%20main.pdf

Pain relief post op is crucial as with stress these will be anorexic, miserable and difficult patients. I use 0.8mg/kg metacam bid for >5d, plus buprenorphine (0.06mg/kg) as needed. We syringe feed as soon as they are up and about and do so until they start eating.

Marie

RE: Guinea pig ovariectomy/spey

Mark Naguib — Thu, 26 Nov 2015 16:36:35 GMT

Michael is correct - unlike in rabbits, uterine disease is relatively uncommon in guinea pigs, although it does occur. If uterine disease is not suspected and there is no need to assess other organs during an ex-lap, then I would personally elect for flank ovariectomy.

The ovaries are actually easier to access from a bilateral flank approach - your incision is right over the ovarian and uterine fat and thus the major advantage is that you don't need to navigate past or indeed touch any of the GI tract. There's also a much smaller risk of tearing the very short suspensory ligaments. If the cysts are massive, then they can be drained with a needle and syringe after bringing the ovary up to the incision. The two small flank wounds are well away from the ground and anecdotally recovery appears to be faster and smoother than a midline procedure. There's a good description in Capello V (2006) Flank approach to elective ovariectomy in guinea pigs. Exotic DVM 8(5):33-37.

As with all guinea pig surgery, paying close attention to pre and post op care - warmth, fluids, analgesia and syringe feeding of a sufficient amount - is as important as the surgical technique.

RE: Guinea pig ovariectomy/spey

Michael Woodhouse — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 14:51:22 GMT

Cow vet so speaking with zero authority and little experience of small furies, but I understood that uterine cancer common in rabbits, whereas in guinea pigs it tends to be ovarian disease. Simply from first principals I would have thought remove uterus in rabbits prudent, but just ovaries in g-pig may be sufficient?

Any exotic people have any thoughts? Mark Rowland Marie Kubiak Gillian Mostyn

RE: Guinea pig ovariectomy/spey

ell — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 13:28:10 GMT

Our vets usually do midline, easier to find and also if you can palpate one large ovary you may find it has cystic

ovaries as they seem ver ycommon in the ones we have done. Also makes it easier to find. Good Luck

RE: Guinea pig ovariectomy/spey

Neil Wheadon — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 00:36:14 GMT

I'd go midline, purely because it's your first and it will be an awful lot easier to find the uterus. Not sure you'll enjoy fishing, trying to find something pink amongst bowel loops that are easily damaged.

Post op, keep her warm and dry as they have very short legs and you want to keep the wound clean

See rabbit discussion on ovariectomies, if the bunny brigade don't know, not sure that anything on GP's

Good Luck

Neil