Ovary cysts in a guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) – case report

Ovarian cysts are not funcional fluid-filled structures, which can spontaneously develop in the ovaries during the reproductive cycle, and secrete female hormones in increased amounts, causing irregular reproductive cycles and infertility. We describe the case of a 4 year old, intact female guinea pig presented with anorexia, progressive weight loss and enlarged abdomen. She was fed commercial rodent dry food, fruits and vegetables. An abdominal ultrasonography revealed the presence of ovarian cysts, and an exploratory laparotomy was recommended. The pig was anesthetized with a combination of intramuscular xylazine (1 mg/kg); ketamine (25 mk/kg) and nalbuphine (1 mg/kg) followed by inhalatory anesthesia with 3% isoflurane during induction and 1% for maintenance. Surgical approach was median laparotomy. Bilateral ovariectomy with removal of the ovariany cyst was performed. Postoperative treatment consisted in administration of enrofloxacin 5 mg/kg every 24 hours via SC, feeding of commercial food until sutures were removed, 10 days after surgery.