Buddy - Palliative Care

[Littlesqueaks]

Hello
First, I’m so grateful for this space - whenever I have had a query over the last 5 years, I hopped on here and read the advice and support given to others and taken such comfort from it! Thank you.

I’m just looking for a bit of moral support as I’m currently caring for our Buddy, who is essentially on end of life care.
We are based in the UK. He is a rescue and approx 5.5-6 years old. We’ve had him for nearly 3 years. He had bladder stone surgery in June 2025 to remove a large stone. He started to become noticeably uncomfortable in October, with blood in his wee. Antibiotics didn’t seem to work (suspected UTI), so we took him back to our guinea-savvy vet for more tests - very diluted wee and blood present. X-ray showed a new stone had formed. Obtained further advice from an exotics specialist via our usual vet, and they think we are dealing with underlying kidney problems. Even if we did try to remove the new stone, it would likely come back quickly because of the kidney issue. Against that backdrop, we’ve decided against putting him through a further surgery.
Buddy is currently in good spirits, with a healthy weight, and on multiple medications to try and keep him comfortable: a good measure of dog strength Metacam and antibiotics twice a day, paracetamol 4 times a day an gabapentin 3 times a day. Bottled low calcium water, limited pellets, urinary tract capsules for his bladder, low calcium veg etc. - we are doing the works! I am also having to soak one of his paws twice daily for bumblefoot, but that seems to be healing ok.

Ultimately, he is not 100% comfortable. He does sometimes squeak when he wees/poos, and blood/pink urine is common (vet said it will be the norm at this stage). He still has an incredible appetite for hay and veg, and good lust for life.

I suppose my question is: is ‘mostly comfortable, but sometimes a bit uncomfortable’ enough? Our other pig will be devastated (as will I!) when the time eventually comes to say goodbye. I think we are on the right side of the fence at the moment, but I don’t want to be selfish.
My thinking is he will let us know when it is too much - going off food, not coming to say hi, etc. and not 100% comfortable is probably ok at the moment.

 

[Wiebke]

Hello
First, I’m so grateful for this space - whenever I have had a query over the last 5 years, I hopped on here and read the advice and support given to others and taken such comfort from it! Thank you.

I’m just looking for a bit of moral support as I’m currently caring for our Buddy, who is essentially on end of life care.
We are based in the UK. He is a rescue and approx 5.5-6 years old. We’ve had him for nearly 3 years. He had bladder stone surgery in June 2025 to remove a large stone. He started to become noticeably uncomfortable in October, with blood in his wee. Antibiotics didn’t seem to work (suspected UTI), so we took him back to our guinea-savvy vet for more tests - very diluted wee and blood present. X-ray showed a new stone had formed. Obtained further advice from an exotics specialist via our usual vet, and they think we are dealing with underlying kidney problems. Even if we did try to remove the new stone, it would likely come back quickly because of the kidney issue. Against that backdrop, we’ve decided against putting him through a further surgery.
Buddy is currently in good spirits, with a healthy weight, and on multiple medications to try and keep him comfortable: a good measure of dog strength Metacam and antibiotics twice a day, paracetamol 4 times a day an gabapentin 3 times a day. Bottled low calcium water, limited pellets, urinary tract capsules for his bladder, low calcium veg etc. - we are doing the works! I am also having to soak one of his paws twice daily for bumblefoot, but that seems to be healing ok.

Ultimately, he is not 100% comfortable. He does sometimes squeak when he wees/poos, and blood/pink urine is common (vet said it will be the norm at this stage). He still has an incredible appetite for hay and veg, and good lust for life.

I suppose my question is: is ‘mostly comfortable, but sometimes a bit uncomfortable’ enough? Our other pig will be devastated (as will I!) when the time eventually comes to say goodbye. I think we are on the right side of the fence at the moment, but I don’t want to be selfish.
My thinking is he will let us know when it is too much - going off food, not coming to say hi, etc. and not 100% comfortable is probably ok at the moment.

Hi and welcome back

BIG HUGS

I am very sorry for the diagnosis. Kidney problems are not at all uncommon in older pets but in guinea pigs they are sadly still beyond the horizon of effective treatment and life-prolonging drugs; which of course impacts on any stone treatment.

As you are stating, the big issue is all about quality of life and how much pain is tolerable. As long as your piggy is able to enjoy a normal life with all its perks, is able to exhibit normal species behaviours and has a good appetite and is able to hold their weight, then occasional pain is tolerable. He will hopefully have still got some more months rather than just weeks of a happy normal life as he is now.

Painkiller support will work but there comes a stage where you have to assess, once you get into opiods, whether the balance between pain relief and being conked out/other side effects is worth it. That is the issue you want to be aware of in terms on pain support and once you get into the heavy guns there.

But right now, I would accept the occasional pain - as Buddy is - and concentrate on quality of life. Live each day with Buddy and his mate consciously, live in the now and plan a little enrichment activity for every day, so you do not have mourn about wasted time. You will be amazed how much more life you will get out of a comparatively small span of time if you use it more actively; you can create lots of precious memories that will stay with you forever.

There is a surprising lot of life to be had on palliative care if you make the most of it. It's not about stuffing it with events; it is about appreciating all the little things, savouring the companionship and shared time and activities. As a counterpoint running underneath it all, there is your ongoing grieving process. Please do not suppress it, let it run. Grieving doesn't start with the death; it starts with the moment you realise that you yourself or somebody you love (whatever the species) is on the ticker.

If you do it right, you will find that you can do a lot of the emotional grieving 'homework' in parallel so that death - whenever it comes - is in some way more of an end point where you can let go and can just concentrate on the actual pain of the loss and not having Buddy in your life but you can do so with a certain peace of mind and in the emotional security that you have got it as right as you could and that you have made Buddy's journey the best and most enjoyable as you could.
This is the hidden boon in palliative care: to make the best of what is left because it can turn out to be so much more than just a sad span of time; you can pack a whole lifetime's worth of shared memories into it that you would have otherwise not have had. That goes for humans as much as for pets.

You will know when the pain is getting too much and kidneys will fold. Then is the time to think about calling it shots. The most stressful and tricky time comes when you get closer to that area of discretion but you are not quite there yet. You will know when the day has come or when you have to think about sending him off a little earlier rather than waiting for the last. But that is a discussion for later. Right now, focus on making the remaining time count.

And lastly, there are some simple mindset tricks you can do for yourself in order to make the most of it and have a bit more peace of mind:
- Turn Buddy's life clock to zero and see every day more as the special gift that it is. When you have a finite life jar, concentrate on filling it. Don't waste precious time by staring at the rim of the jar and measuring down - wasting time on dreading the end makes the jar smaller and the end come sooner emotionally; for both of you.
You will find that by appreciating and making use of what you have got will leave you with a jar that feels a lot bigger and full of wonderful memories, which you can revisit in your darkest moments to warm the cold hands of your soul on. Buddy will always stay with you in your memories; you just cannot physically touch him.

- It also helps if you see time from the perspective of a guinea pig with a much faster metabolism instead from your human perspective. For guinea pigs, a month very, very roughly correlates to a human year of life. See every month he lives longer as an extra year for Buddy. A human year is more like a decade for a piggy.
This way you can make that limited jar of life seem a lot larger and the quality of your shared activities and moments will seem greater and last longer in your own perception, too.
Piggies count their lives in happy todays; they live in the moment. Try to do the same as much as you can. That is the area where you have full control and can make the greatest positive difference.

- Make sure that you include Buddy's mate at all times. He knows that Buddy is not well (actually better than you since guinea pigs have a much finer sense of smell) and he is on his own grieving journey.

You may have already read these links here but I try to include them each time for those, like you, who prefer to do their own searches. We are of course always glad to be contacted directly since we need to keep active and running as forum as well and keep on creating more content or we will fossilize and will sadly eventually fold if we have too little traffic.
A Practical and Sensitive Guide to Dying, Terminal Illness and Euthanasia in Guinea Pigs

This guide looks at all the different levels of enrichment; it is intented to be more of a thought-provoking inspiration of all the different ways you can interact with and fill a piggy's life beyond lap time and pet shop toys. It is however a fact the same as with humans with a terminal illness: the more you keep that will to live stimulated, the more time together you will get.
Enrichment Ideas for Guinea Pigs

I hope that this helps you?

 

[CTWC]

I can't add any advice but Buddy is clearly cherished what more could he ask for. It is heartbreaking of course we always want one more day/week/month/year but cherish each moment and as Wiebke says he has no concept of time like we do
Love and pamper them both and make wonderful memories

 

[Littlesqueaks]

Hi and welcome back

BIG HUGS

I am very sorry for the diagnosis. Kidney problems are not at all uncommon in older pets but in guinea pigs they are sadly still beyond the horizon of effective treatment and life-prolonging drugs; which of course impacts on any stone treatment.

As you are stating, the big issue is all about quality of life and how much pain is tolerable. As long as your piggy is able to enjoy a normal life with all its perks, is able to exhibit normal species behaviours and has a good appetite and is able to hold their weight, then occasional pain is tolerable. He will hopefully have still got some more months rather than just weeks of a happy normal life as he is now.

Painkiller support will work but there comes a stage where you have to assess, once you get into opiods, whether the balance between pain relief and being conked out/other side effects is worth it. That is the issue you want to be aware of in terms on pain support and once you get into the heavy guns there.

But right now, I would accept the occasional pain - as Buddy is - and concentrate on quality of life. Live each day with Buddy and his mate consciously, live in the now and plan a little enrichment activity for every day, so you do not have mourn about wasted time. You will be amazed how much more life you will get out of a comparatively small span of time if you use it more actively; you can create lots of precious memories that will stay with you forever.

There is a surprising lot of life to be had on palliative care if you make the most of it. It's not about stuffing it with events; it is about appreciating all the little things, savouring the companionship and and shared time and activities. As a counterpoint running underneath it all, there is your ongoing grieving process. Please do not suppress it, let it run. Grieving doesn't start with the death; it starts with the moment you realise that you yourself or somebody you love (whatever the species) is on the ticker.

If you do it right, you will find that you can do a lot of the emotional grieving 'homework' in parallel so that death - whenever it comes - is in some way more of an end point where you can let go and can just concentrate on the actual pain of the loss and not having Buddy in your life but you can do so with a certain peace of mind and in the emotional security that you have got it as right as you could and that you have made Buddy's journey the best and most enjoyable as you could.
This is the hidden boon in palliative care: to make the best of what is left because it can turn out to be so much more than just a sad span of time; you can pack a whole lifetime's worth of shared memories into it that you would have otherwise not have had. That goes for humans as much as for pets.

You will know when the pain is getting too much and kidneys will fold. Then is the time to think about calling it shot. The most stressful and tricky time comes when you get closer to that area of discretion but you are not quite there yet. You will know when the day has come or when you have to think about sending him off a little earlier rather than waiting for the last. But that is a discussion for later. Right now, focus on making the remaining time count.

And lastly, there are some simple mindset tricks you can do for yourself in order to make the most of it and have a bit more peace of mind:
- Turn Buddy's life clock to zero and see every day more as the special gift that it is. When you have a finite life jar, concentrate on filling it. Don't waste precious time by staring at the rim and measuring down. You will find that by appreciating and making use of what you have got with you end up a jar that feels a lot bigger and full of wonderful memories that you can revisit in your darkest moments to warm the cold hands of your soul on. Buddy will always stay with you in your memories; you just cannot physically touch him.

- It also helps if you see time from the perspective of a guinea pig with a much faster metabolism instead from your human perspective. For guinea pigs, a month very, very roughly correlates to a human year of life. See every month he lives longer as an extra year for Buddy. A human year is more like a decade for a piggy.
This way you can make that limited jar of life seem a lot larger and the quality of your shared activities and moments will seem greater and last longer in your own perception, too.
Piggies count their lives in happy todays; they live in the moment. Try to do the same as much as you can. That is the area where you have full control and can make the greatest positive difference.

- Make sure that you include Buddy's mate at all times. He knows that Buddy is not well (actually better than you since guinea pigs have a much finer sense of smell) and he is on his own grieving journey.

You may have already read these links here but I try to include them each time for those, like you, who prefer to do their own searches. We are of course always glad to be contacted directly since we need to keep active and running as forum as well and keep on creating more content or we will fossilize and eventually fold.

A Practical and Sensitive Guide to Dying, Terminal Illness and Euthanasia in Guinea Pigs

This guide looks at all the different levels of enrichment; it is intented to be more of a thought-provoking inspiration of all the different ways you can interact with and fill a piggy's life beyond lap time and pet shop toys. It is however a fact the same as with humans with a terminal illness: the more you keep that will to live stimulated, the more time together you will get.
Enrichment Ideas for Guinea Pigs

I hope that this helps you?

Thank you - your reply helps an awful lot. I’m very grateful this community exists! I sent your practical guide link to a friend a few weeks ago - she’d lost her cat unexpectedly.

Buddy is such a lovely pig. Here displaying his ‘lie in the hay protectively’ pose. We will enjoy our todays and not count tomorrows.

 

[CTWC]

He looks so sweet

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you - your reply helps an awful lot. I’m very grateful this community exists! I sent your practical guide link to a friend a few weeks ago - she’d lost her cat unexpectedly.

Buddy is such a lovely pig. Here displaying his ‘lie in the hay protectively’ pose. We will enjoy our todays and not count tomorrows.

Buddy is a gorgeous boy.

I hope that he will be around for a little while longer but if you celebrate each day as if it was the last and the only one that counts in the piggy book, you'll end up with something truly special, precious and ultimately heart-warming that will be there to be accessed by you whenever you are frightened or despair and need to find comfort from somewhere. Your happiest memories are something you carry with you, wherever you are and whatever happens to you.

It doesn't ultimately matter how long or short the remaining time with Buddy is because you have made it all count and will always come out on the positive side.

 

[weepweeps]

What a sweetie Buddy is.

My Pepper was on palliative care. I said as long as he was still coming to the bars for veggies and treats he was still happy. I hope you have lots of happy days with Buddy.

 

[Littlesqueaks]

What a sweetie Buddy is.

My Pepper was on palliative care. I said as long as he was still coming to the bars for veggies and treats he was still happy. I hope you have lots of happy days with Buddy.

Sorry you went through that with your Pepper. Thank you for sharing your experience with me. I think I will be using a similar yardstick. The sound of the pea flake bag is still very enticing!

 

[Merab]

So sorry that you are dealing with this situation.
It’s a hard time caring for a terminally ill piggy.
When Jemimah was on palliative care I tried to ensure that every day was a happy day.
She got all her favourite foods and meds to ensure she was pain free.
She died peacefully at home one night so I didn’t have to make a decision about when it was right to pts.
Go with your heart.
You know and love Buddy so you will know what is the right decision and when is the right time.

Holding you in my heart

 

[Littlesqueaks]

I think the time is coming to let Buddy go. He is no longer taking Metacam voluntarily. He is still eating by himself but he has started to lose weight and interest in pea flakes.

We also had some stringy poos. I stepped in with some syringe feeding the last few days and that does seem to have got him back on track with healthier poos and more of an appetite. However, he seems to have stopped squeaking when passing urine or poo. Usually, I’d think that be a good thing but he is unusually quiet and I think he’s telling me he’s had enough.

I’ve also noticed he has a particular smell - the last time I experienced it was a couple of years ago when one of our other piggies got very ill very quickly and had to be pts within 4 days.

He’s currently resting on my lap, falling asleep, after having gabapentin.

Our local vet can come to us tomorrow to help him at home, so hopefully things will be as stress-free for everyone.

Until then, lots of cuddles, a fresh delivery of third cutting timothy hay, and me being very thankful for having such an awesome pig in my life!

 

[Wiebke]

I think the time is coming to let Buddy go. He is no longer taking Metacam voluntarily. He is still eating by himself but he has started to lose weight and interest in pea flakes.

We also had some stringy poos. I stepped in with some syringe feeding the last few days and that does seem to have got him back on track with healthier poos and more of an appetite. However, he seems to have stopped squeaking when passing urine or poo. Usually, I’d think that be a good thing but he is unusually quiet and I think he’s telling me he’s had enough.

I’ve also noticed he has a particular smell - the last time I experienced it was a couple of years ago when one of our other piggies got very ill very quickly and had to be pts within 4 days.

He’s currently resting on my lap, falling asleep, after having gabapentin.

Our local vet can come to us tomorrow to help him at home, so hopefully things will be as stress-free for everyone.

Until then, lots of cuddles, a fresh delivery of third cutting timothy hay, and me being very thankful for having such an awesome pig in my life!

HUGS

My thoughts are with you and Buddy. You have done what you could and you are making his journey as gentle and as smooth as you can. He was lucky to find you and you are lucky to find him.

 

[weepweeps]

I’m so sorry. How lovely your vet can come to you though. Less stress for everyone. Sleep tight gorgeous Buddy. Popcorn pain free over the bridge.

 

[Littlesqueaks]

HUGS

My thoughts are with you and Buddy. You have done what you could and you are making his journey as gentle and as smooth as you can. He was lucky to find you and you are lucky to find him.

Thank you for your kind and gentle words.

 

[Littlesqueaks]

I’m so sorry. How lovely your vet can come to you though. Less stress for everyone. Sleep tight gorgeous Buddy. Popcorn pain free over the bridge.

Thank you. I am so glad they can come to us - he finds the vets very stressful.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you. I am so glad they can come to us - he finds the vets very stressful.

It's a rather new development for the UK and for guinea pigs but I am very glad that big strides have been made in that area and that there is much more of an acknowledgement of owner experiences and that small pets are not less loved than the bigger ones .

I still remember the olden days, and it wasn't pretty.

Anyway, I sincerely hope that you can give Buddy the best send-off, so it is sad for you all, but also comforting and you do not have to feel bad in any way.

 

[Merab]

You have made this difficult decision out of love for Buddy.
It’s good that the vet can come to you and so make everything a bit less stressful.
Holding you in my heart

 

[CTWC]

Keeping you both in my prayers and thoughts.
Treasure your moments you have been blessed to have eachother. The love will help you both tomorrow and afterwards.
Be proud of yourself for making this heartbreaking decision

 

[Littlesqueaks]

I am now worried he may depart for the rainbow bridge tonight. He was reluctant to take his medicines and stumbled a bit when he went back into the cage. I am trying to take comfort in the fact that he is on some pretty big doses of some serious medications so shouldn’t be in pain if that happens. I’ll feel pretty grim if I’ve fallen at the last hurdle though

 

[CTWC]

If he has crossed during the night you haven't failed him or fallen at any hurdle.
You have given him love, comfort and safety every single day

 

[weepweeps]

If he’s crossed the bridge in the night that’s a blessing. Sending you hugs

 

[Littlesqueaks]

He’s still with us but very weak. I’m putting in a warm snugglesafe and will do his meds as usual. The vet is coming in the afternoon.

 

[CTWC]

Bless you both, try to focus on the love, share some stories with him speaking gently to reassure him. We are all holding you in our hearts
If you need us we're here if you don't post everyone will completely understand

 

[Littlesqueaks]

Thank you for the kind words.

A vet at our usual practice (not our usual guinea pig savvy one) said to give him gabapentin only this morning, as it’s pain relief and a sedative. I really didn’t want to force unnecessary stuff through his system and cause him duress.

Thank you for the storytelling idea - he was sat on my lap for over an hour and we chatted about the day we got him and his habit of lying in the middle of the hay in the middle of the cage, completely uncovered.

He is now munching some lettuce and sitting on a warm snugglesafe under his house. I’ll check on him regularly and try to give off ‘light and loving’ energy.

 

[CTWC]

You are being amazing

 

[CTWC]

Where did you have him from? X

 

[Littlesqueaks]

Where did you have him from? X

We got him from a rescue in St Albans. He was company for Pip when he lost his pal very suddenly. I struggled a lot with guilt then - we went to a non-guinea pig savvy vet who prescribed a very low dose of cat strength Metacam and I felt awful about that whole episode. I struggled to bond with Buddy for some time as a result, but he is truly one of the best friends I’ve had.
I found this forum and the information is so helpful and comforting whenever I’ve had concerns over the last few years.

 

[CTWC]

It is rather a wonderful forum to be part of

 

[Wiebke]

We got him from a rescue in St Albans. He was company for Pip when he lost his pal very suddenly. I struggled a lot with guilt then - we went to a non-guinea pig savvy vet who prescribed a very low dose of cat strength Metacam and I felt awful about that whole episode. I struggled to bond with Buddy for some time as a result, but he is truly one of the best friends I’ve had.
I found this forum and the information is so helpful and comforting whenever I’ve had concerns over the last few years.

My Llinos and her cousin Lleian are from Hazelcroft as well. Just be with him and send him gentle, soothing and positives vibes and thoughts to help calm him down.

Wether he can make the journey on his own or will ultimately need only a very little help, you are giving him all the support he could wish for.

My thoughts are with Buddy and you.

 

[CTWC]

I think guilt goes hand in hand with loving them doesn't it

 

[Littlesqueaks]

He is now at peace and has no more pain.