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Bereavement.

Catherine Brown

Catherine Brown

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Apr 27, 2014
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Location
Macclesfield, Cheshire
Please note this post is quite disturbing for me to write so might not be nice for you to read.

Hi all,

Today I had to have my little Luna pts. She'd started showing signs of an illness on Sunday and has been in and out of the vets for the past few days until today I decided enough was enough and I couldn't put her through anymore. She had a lump in her bladder and begun falling ill with several other conditions and a diagnosis was not determined and so she left for the rainbow bridge. It was a very hard decision to make.

I brought her home so her friend Tonks could say goodbye. Upon discovering her she began to wash her ear as there was a bit of dried blood on it. I let her continue as I thought she was washing her. Before I knew it she had her whole ear in her mouth and was beginning to tug at it, enough so that her head was being pulled. I looked a bit more closer and noticed that there was now a little slit in her ear about 1 cm long which she had just created. I had to stop her because to be honest I found it disturbing to watch and I didn't know what she was doing.
She went into her hay tray and watched as I took Luna's body back out of the hutch and into the carry case.
Upon reflection I don't know if she was just washing her ear so vigorously that she'd accidentally cut her ear, or if she was trying to rouse her friend or even if she was deliberately harming her and I'm worried that by taking Luna away that I've disturbed her grieving process.

Please only nice comments I have never experienced this before as my two girls are my first experience with GPs.
 
Aw, sending you big hugs, what a dreadful time you are having. I’m sure Tonks was trying to wake her up by tugging on her ear like that, no malice was intended. Keep a keen eye on Tonks while she goes through the grieving process, make sure she is eating, drinking and pooping x

Sleep tight little Luna x
 
Catherine Brown said:
Please note this post is quite disturbing for me to write so might not be nice for you to read.

Hi all,

Today I had to have my little Luna pts. She'd started showing signs of an illness on Sunday and has been in and out of the vets for the past few days until today I decided enough was enough and I couldn't put her through anymore. She had a lump in her bladder and begun falling ill with several other conditions and a diagnosis was not determined and so she left for the rainbow bridge. It was a very hard decision to make.

I brought her home so her friend Tonks could say goodbye. Upon discovering her she began to wash her ear as there was a bit of dried blood on it. I let her continue as I thought she was washing her. Before I knew it she had her whole ear in her mouth and was beginning to tug at it, enough so that her head was being pulled. I looked a bit more closer and noticed that there was now a little slit in her ear about 1 cm long which she had just created. I had to stop her because to be honest I found it disturbing to watch and I didn't know what she was doing.
She went into her hay tray and watched as I took Luna's body back out of the hutch and into the carry case.
Upon reflection I don't know if she was just washing her ear so vigorously that she'd accidentally cut her ear, or if she was trying to rouse her friend or even if she was deliberately harming her and I'm worried that by taking Luna away that I've disturbed her grieving process.

Please only nice comments I have never experienced this before as my two girls are my first experience with GPs.
Click to expand...

Hi!

I am very sorry for your loss! You are welcome to post a tribute in our Rainbow Bridge section at any time, if you feel that that would help you.

A companion's desperate attempt to wake up a seemingly sleeping deceased companion can be very disconcerting for an unsuspecting owner, especially when it goes occasionally even further with gnawing right down to the bone in more extreme cases. These reviving attempts generally happen in and around the face (including the ears), unless a companion cannot get at it. This is not an uncommon reaction to a sudden, unexpected death.
Many humans react similarly when confronted with a comparable situation, only that the methods used to revive a person are not quite as drastic, but then we have more physical options (especially use of hands and often basic knowledge of first aid techniques) and can call an ambulance in most cases.

You may find the tips in this guide here helpful: Looking After A Bereaved Guinea Pig

PS: Please note that we are a friendly and supportive forum, and that we are working hard to keep it like that in order to provide a safe space where any questions can be asked and will be answered in a friendly, factual and supportive way. ;)
 
I am very sorry for your loss of little Luna. I'm sure shes very happy running in piggy heaven and I am sure you gave her a wonderful long life
 
I'm really sorry for your loss. Guinea pigs definitely pay attention to a deceased companion and will often nuzzle, lick, and yes, even chew, especially around the face. It's probably either an attempt to wake them up, overzealous 'grooming' behavior, or something that we don't quite understand (nuzzling around the ears is sign of affection and group affirmation for guinea pigs.) It's possible that since Luna was at the vet when she passed, she had picked up a lot of unfamiliar smells that could provoke a reaction too. ((HUGS)) to you, I totally understand how upsetting it is to say and I'm so sorry you lost Luna.
 
Thank you all for your comments. My grief hits me unexpectedly and I feel such a huge loss. Tonks is eating and doing well.
I bought a wooden box from the craft store last night which I decorated and filled with veg and flowers to bury Luna in and a tulip plant sits over where she's buried.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kind words.
 
There is one thing I'm struggling with today.

It's not stopped raining today. We buried her last evening in a wooden box next to some hedges.

I can't stop thinking that she's out there cold and getting wet. I spent years keeping her warm and safe and now she's just in the ground.

I usually get my pets cremated but decided now we own a home that I would bury her. Grief is just the worst.
 
Sending you hugs, I am so sorry for your loss. Grief is so very hard, it hits you often when you don't expect it. No reaction is odd or wrong we are all different and each loss we suffer is different too. PTS is a very difficult decision to make, I've had to do it a few times and even though you know it's the very best thing you can do for an animal to stop it's suffering it still hurts. I made the decision for one of my piggies at the begining of January and I still have moments of what if, even though I know deep down it was the only thing I could do. My piggy is in the garden too and I get that feeling of him being in the cold, it was several weeks before I could water his tree. Grief takes time to pass but one day you will look back and remember Luna's funny little ways with a smile.
We are all here for you.
 
I'm so sorry, I understand how horrible grieving is when you lose a lovely little one and it can hit you hard. I'm still grieving for past amazing pets to be honest!
My beautiful chinchilla, rats and pigs all hold a massive space in my heart.

My gorgeous fishy that I'd had nearly a decade has been buried under an apple tree in my garden since Saturday. It's been miserable rain since and with him being tropical I'd also had the same thoughts, poor guy in the cold.

It's hard to get past when it's so close to them passing but time is definitely a healer.
Hope you feel better soon, remembering the good times is a great healer too x
 
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