End of life decisions

M

MargeryBaxter

Junior Guinea Pig
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One of my pair of 6 year old male guinea pigs is poorly and it’s not looking like a good outcome. He has stopped eating properly, he’s looking hunched with spiky fur. The vet has agreed that more treatments is inappropriate and he just has pain killers. I think we will need to pts in the next few days 🥲
This leaves me a big question about his partner. They have been living alongside each other as neighboars for about the last 2 years after their bond broke down. I am really worried about having a single pig. Unfortunately I am not in a position to adopt more piggies and I think he’s too old to be rehomed now?
Part of me wonders if I should consider putting both to sleep at once to save the other pig the emotional stress of being an only - he’s in fairly good shape though. - although has had teeth trouble and bladder stones…
Has anyone else considered this route for elderly gps?
 
No, never. Because you don't know how exactly the other 6yo is going to react. He might get over it OK.
Where I live you can foster a guinea till the senior dies and give the foster straight back to the rescue he came from, so no single pigs. That might not be easy in the UK. I'm sure UK members will get back to you with other solutions.

I'm sorry you're in such a bad place where you have to consider something like this. :(

If I really couldn't adopt a new guinea till the senior passed, I'd keep the senior single before getting pts. I think keeping single is less bad than getting pts before the latter is necessary.

I'm sorry about your poorly guinea. Hunched with spiky fur doesn't sound good. Keeping you and both your guineas in my thoughts.
 
I’m so sorry to hear this

It’s not something I have or would consider.
There is the option to temporarily foster/rescue - just to see out the life of your boy and then return the foster/rescue. You wouldn’t necessarily have to actually bond them (although you course could) but the side by side interaction would be beneficial to him.
Many people do decide to keep an elderly piggy single but there is the chance he could still live up to another two years so it’s a long time to be single.

Also, I guess it would be an ethical question to ask your vet before you ponder too deeply - whether they would allow a pts to happen in this situation
 
Personally no, I would have a really hard time making the decision to euthanize for anything other than serious illness. Not every pig is seriously distressed (at least not at first) by the loss of a companion, and there may well be options to foster a pig companion to be returned to a rescue upon your pig's natural death. It's also not too late to rehome if that's something you would consider so your piggie isn't left alone. Yes, he's on the older side, but that doesn't mean he won't be able to adapt to new circumstances.

All the best and I'm sorry your may soon by saying goodbye to your sick piggy. It's never easy. ((HUGS.))
 
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