RSPCA Friends of West Hatch Newsletter | Issue 16 RSPCA-Newsletter-SummerAutumn-2019-online | Page 17

Beverley
the Brave
Beverley the Guinea Pig came into the
Centre in August 2018 along with several
other female Guinea Pigs following
concerns for their welfare.
They all arrived thin and in poor condition. It
was clear that Beverley had had several back
to back pregnancies based on her condition
and the various ages of the Guinea Pigs she
arrived with.
It soon became apparent they were all
suffering from the fungal infection ringworm.
A six week course of anti fungal treatment
was prescribed and during this time Beverley
became quite round and began to lose her
hair. Having ruled out pregnancy our vet
discovered she in fact had ovarian cysts.
To remove the cysts our vet needed to
spay Beverley, this can be very risky in such
a small animal. Beverley thankfully pulled
through the operation but faced a long
recovery process. Her stitches burst open
and she had to be operated on again to
repair her wound. This time the veterinary
team were taking no chances and she was
wrapped in bandages to prevent her
nibbling at her wound and she even had
a sleepover with our vet so she could be
carefully monitored.
After what felt like an eternity, Beverley
was finally given the all clear to find a new
forever home. Shortly after, along came the
perfect family whose own Guinea Pig Susan
was looking for a companion, she was of
a similar age and had also previously
been neglected.
In December 2018, some four months after
her arrival at the Centre, we said a fond
farewell to Beverley.
We are very pleased to report that she and
Susan get on famously and Beverley finally
has the loving family she so deserves.
Ovarian cysts are quite common in older
female Guinea Pigs and can often be missed
or misdiagnosed. The common signs are hair
loss on both sides of the flank and looking
pregnant. It is always best to contact a vet as
they are able to discuss treatment options.
If you would like to help us care for
more Guinea Pigs like Beverley, we are
always looking for donations to help
enrich their time with us. Please visit
our Amazon wish list at:
bit.ly/small-animal-wishlist
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