This is a picture of a very lucky little guinea pig who presented for a strange lump on his neck, just off to the side where a lymph node might be. He went to surgery to remove what was most likely an abscessed lymph node. However, there was some strange solid tissue mixed with hard tissue, and no abscess at all. The mass was sent off for analysis and it turned out to be something unusual, but not completely unheard of-thyroid cancer. The exact diagnosis is: “HYROID GLAND: PAPILLARY THYROID ADENOCARCINOMA, WITH INTERSTITIUM HETEROTOPIC BONE”
Fortunately, Myagi is doing well without the mass, but his owner is careful to watch for signs of recurrence, or problems related to changes in thyroid hormone levels. Since this is such an unusual tumor, predicting what might happen is difficult, but so far so good!
Myagi's owner found the lump while it was still small which made removing it much easier. That's why it's important to check your pets frequently for any unusual changes!