The following guides have been written to support pet owners in the most difficult of times and to guide them in a very practical and hopefully sensitive way through a most heart-breaking and emotionally taxing period.
For most people the loss of a pet is the first time they are ever confronted with death, whether that is the bad news that their pet won't be able to recover and caring for a dying guinea pig; the sheer physicality of the dying process; the difficult decision whether, when and how to euthanise and how it works as well as the instinctive fear of a loss are all being addressed.
The shock of a sudden death and the inevitable questions why; the intensity of your feelings (or sometimes the total lack thereof); the soul-searching or guilt trip at the onset of the grieving process; how to tell your children and where to find help for yourself in various countries as well as practical tips and ideas for marking and processing your loss.
At no time differ human and cavy needs so much as after a bereavement but working around this conflict is often not easy - but possible! Practical tips on what you can do after the loss of a companion, as well as what to look our for, both in the immediate and longer term, can be found in our last guide link.
Here are the links that you will hopefully find very useful for yourself and your families in helping to make sense of what is happening, to be able to make any necessary decisions with a clearer mind and heart and know where to look for and find help when you need it:
- For aspects of a natural death or euthanasia you have questions about:
- Understanding the strange places the grieving process can take you to right from the start and how you can support your children:
- What your can do for bereaved companions in the immediate wake and in the longer term, including how urgent new companionship actually is and do guinea pigs need time for their own grieving?
- This guide also includes tips for supporting a person with anxiety through dying and loss:
Access link free UK pet bereavement platforms by the Blue Cross:
Pet bereavement and pet loss
The community on this forum does offer moral support and help with any questions you have about the dying process or your loss.
For most people the loss of a pet is the first time they are ever confronted with death, whether that is the bad news that their pet won't be able to recover and caring for a dying guinea pig; the sheer physicality of the dying process; the difficult decision whether, when and how to euthanise and how it works as well as the instinctive fear of a loss are all being addressed.
The shock of a sudden death and the inevitable questions why; the intensity of your feelings (or sometimes the total lack thereof); the soul-searching or guilt trip at the onset of the grieving process; how to tell your children and where to find help for yourself in various countries as well as practical tips and ideas for marking and processing your loss.
At no time differ human and cavy needs so much as after a bereavement but working around this conflict is often not easy - but possible! Practical tips on what you can do after the loss of a companion, as well as what to look our for, both in the immediate and longer term, can be found in our last guide link.
Here are the links that you will hopefully find very useful for yourself and your families in helping to make sense of what is happening, to be able to make any necessary decisions with a clearer mind and heart and know where to look for and find help when you need it:
- For aspects of a natural death or euthanasia you have questions about:
1 Your mental health, sensitivities and work commitments
- Mental health and support resources
- Sensitivity aspects
- When work and other commitments clash
2 Life or death emergency – Can my piggy be saved?
- Contacting a vet clinic at all times and link to life and death emergencies list
- What to do if I cannot access vet care instantly?
- The need to save up for emergency vet access
3 Is my...
- Mental health and support resources
- Sensitivity aspects
- When work and other commitments clash
2 Life or death emergency – Can my piggy be saved?
- Contacting a vet clinic at all times and link to life and death emergencies list
- What to do if I cannot access vet care instantly?
- The need to save up for emergency vet access
3 Is my...
- Wiebke
- Replies: 6
- Forum: End of Life and Bereavement Support Corner
- Understanding the strange places the grieving process can take you to right from the start and how you can support your children:
1 The grieving process
- Loss and the start of the grieving process
- Grieving with a terminally ill guinea pig
- Going through the grieving process
2 Ways of coping
- Expressing and processing your feelings
- Regaining your guinea pig
- Burial and marking the passing
- Dealing with special days
3 How do I tell my children?
- Finding local support lines and charities...
- Loss and the start of the grieving process
- Grieving with a terminally ill guinea pig
- Going through the grieving process
2 Ways of coping
- Expressing and processing your feelings
- Regaining your guinea pig
- Burial and marking the passing
- Dealing with special days
3 How do I tell my children?
- Finding local support lines and charities...
- Wiebke
- Replies: 4
- Forum: End of Life and Bereavement Support Corner
- What your can do for bereaved companions in the immediate wake and in the longer term, including how urgent new companionship actually is and do guinea pigs need time for their own grieving?
1 What can I do immediately after a guinea pig has died?
- Saying goodbye
- What can I do for my grieving piggy?
- Emergency: acute pining (not eating/drinking) or sudden illness
2 New companionship and human grieving
- When can I start looking for a new mate?
- "Replacing" a guinea pig: the conflict between human and cavy needs
- How do I best go about finding a new mate? (Possible options listed for bereaved sows and boars)...
- Saying goodbye
- What can I do for my grieving piggy?
- Emergency: acute pining (not eating/drinking) or sudden illness
2 New companionship and human grieving
- When can I start looking for a new mate?
- "Replacing" a guinea pig: the conflict between human and cavy needs
- How do I best go about finding a new mate? (Possible options listed for bereaved sows and boars)...
- Wiebke
- Replies: 3
- Forum: End of Life and Bereavement Support Corner
- This guide also includes tips for supporting a person with anxiety through dying and loss:
1 What is Pet Owners Anxiety?
2 What can I practically do when I suffer from it?
3 What can I do when dealing with an anxiety sufferer?
4 Conclusion
5 Practical Resources
This article has been written for Guinea Pig Magazine issue 62 in May 2021 and is shared on this forum with the permission of the magazine. The copyright for this article remains with Guinea Pig Magazine.
We are all often in equal measure excited and scared at taking care of a new pet or pet species, and frightened when our beloved guinea pigs are...
2 What can I practically do when I suffer from it?
3 What can I do when dealing with an anxiety sufferer?
4 Conclusion
5 Practical Resources
This article has been written for Guinea Pig Magazine issue 62 in May 2021 and is shared on this forum with the permission of the magazine. The copyright for this article remains with Guinea Pig Magazine.
We are all often in equal measure excited and scared at taking care of a new pet or pet species, and frightened when our beloved guinea pigs are...
- Wiebke
- Replies: 3
- Forum: New and Wannabe Owners Corner
Access link free UK pet bereavement platforms by the Blue Cross:
Pet bereavement and pet loss
The community on this forum does offer moral support and help with any questions you have about the dying process or your loss.