Scrotal swelling in a castrated guinea pig

RE: Scrotal swelling in a castrated guinea pig

Elivet — Thu, 07 Jun 2018 10:53:15 GMT

I had one last year with anorexia and scrotal swelling 6 months after scrotal castration. Attempts to reduce ended in disaster. There was intestinal adhesions in the scrotum and some degree of strangulation. Took a long time trying to release the intestines but got a bad tear that I could not repair.

You may need to use both scrotal and abdominal approach and an extra pair of hands.

I never do scrotal castrations after learning about the abdominal approach some years ago in Vetsurgeon.org.

RE: Scrotal swelling in a castrated guinea pig

Jill Butterworth — Wed, 06 Jun 2018 12:40:21 GMT

Marie will know best, but I would go in (carefully!) near where the swelling is, to see what it is and work out how to correct it. I recall seeing one years ago which was similar to schirrus chord in horses and a reaction to the suture material (cat gut is the usual culprit and not recommended). It could be an abcess too.

Or offer that they go back to the RSPCA for their vet to fix it, as it was their op, and might avoid an embarrassingly large bill that no one wants to pay?

RE: Scrotal swelling in a castrated guinea pig

Neil Wheadon — Wed, 06 Jun 2018 11:49:10 GMT

Personally I'd fix it as you've noticed it, or at least offer it to the client to make the decision. I'd simply go in via the scrotum, push the abdominal contents back in and suture anything you can find to keep the contents in the abdomen again. (An abdominal approach would be trickier?)

Neil