• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

end of life palliative care

M

magpiemegg

New Born Pup
Joined
Apr 29, 2025
Messages
10
Reaction score
12
Points
60
Location
USA Maryland
In this post I only want suggestions for palliative care.

My 6 year old guinea pig, Maddie, is dying of a mammary gland tumor. It's big enough that there is no question of what it is. In Maryland it is illegal to get Metacam/Vivlodex/ Mobic/ Comfort Pac-Meloxicam without a vet seeing the pet and prescribing it.

There are no vets that take guinea pigs in the area I can travel to. I just finished calling every vet in the area.

Do any of you have suggestions for other ways of pain management. Maddie's tumor clearly hurts, but she's still enjoying life. She gets excited for food and purrs when being held. So far her poops are mostly fine. I'm not sure how well she's doing at reaching her poop to eat.

I have 2 other girls. Zip is almost 2 and adores her. Kiki is an older baby and snuggles with her. Kiki also annoys both girls when she's bored.

I'd also very much appreciate suggestions on how to keep Maddie hydrated, and help her nutrition uptake. I can't do food just for her because if I separate the girls they all stress out and no one will eat.
 
So very sorry that you are in this position.
I’ve had 2 piggies receive palliative care.
My practice has been to ensure they are comfortable, pain free and happy.
I have tried to ensure every day was happy and gave them their favourite foods and treats.
At the end of life it doesn’t matter so much if they get extra carrots or more apple than usual.
I have taken lots of photos and made as many good memories as possible.
I have been fortunate in that they died at home, peacefully with their cagemates present.

It’s not an easy time because you are grieving already.
It’s important that you look after yourself as well.

Holding you in my heart ♥️
 
I'm so sorry you're going through this with Maddie. For palliative care at home, you can try giving children's liquid Tylenol (acetaminophen) only under expert guidance, but it's risky without a vet's approval. To support hydration, offer water-rich veggies like cucumber and lettuce, and syringe-feed unflavored Pedialyte or critical care mash if needed. Keep her warm, comfortable, and monitor her closely for changes.
 
Hi and welcome

I am so very sorry about your lack of vet access.

Calpol infant suspension is an over the counter paracetamol brand for children in the UK. It is not ideal and we would normally not recommend it but seeing that you are not in the UK and that you are without vet access, we are technically not breaking the rules. You may have to look for a comparable brand in a US superstore or pharmacy.
The amount is weight based but we don't have any experience with it on here. You may want to start low and then see how much works for her. It will hopefully help to stimulate her appetite a little more.

Practical tips for caring for terminal piggies and piggies that have stopped moving around much (including access to water) can be found in these links here:
A Practical and Sensitive Guide to Dying, Terminal Illness and Euthanasia in Guinea Pigs
Looking After Guinea Pigs With Limited or No Mobility

Could you offer mushed up pellets or a mix of recovery formula and mushed up pellets to all your girls, trying to shield your ill one with the others distracted with their own bowls and offer water via syringe without forcing it into her mouth where she is lying?

Wishing you all the best. My thoughts are with you.
 
Merab said:
So very sorry that you are in this position.
I’ve had 2 piggies receive palliative care.
My practice has been to ensure they are comfortable, pain free and happy.
I have tried to ensure every day was happy and gave them their favourite foods and treats.
At the end of life it doesn’t matter so much if they get extra carrots or more apple than usual.
I have taken lots of photos and made as many good memories as possible.
I have been fortunate in that they died at home, peacefully with their cagemates present.

It’s not an easy time because you are grieving already.
It’s important that you look after yourself as well.

Holding you in my heart ♥️
Click to expand...
thank you for your love
 
Wiebke said:
Hi and welcome

I am so very sorry about your lack of vet access.

Calpol infant suspension is an over the counter paracetamol brand for children in the UK. It is not ideal and we would normally not recommend it but seeing that you are not in the UK and that you are without vet access, we are technically not breaking the rules. You may have to look for a comparable brand in a US superstore or pharmacy.
The amount is weight based but we don't have any experience with it on here. You may want to start low and then see how much works for her. It will hopefully help to stimulate her appetite a little more.

Practical tips for caring for terminal piggies and piggies that have stopped moving around much (including access to water) can be found in these links here:
A Practical and Sensitive Guide to Dying, Terminal Illness and Euthanasia in Guinea Pigs
Looking After Guinea Pigs With Limited or No Mobility

Could you offer mushed up pellets or a mix of recovery formula and mushed up pellets to all your girls, trying to shield your ill one with the others distracted with their own bowls and offer water via syringe without forcing it into her mouth where she is lying?

Wishing you all the best. My thoughts are with you.
Click to expand...
thank you for the links
 
jackwilliams said:
I'm so sorry you're going through this with Maddie. For palliative care at home, you can try giving children's liquid Tylenol (acetaminophen) only under expert guidance, but it's risky without a vet's approval. To support hydration, offer water-rich veggies like cucumber and lettuce, and syringe-feed unflavored Pedialyte or critical care mash if needed. Keep her warm, comfortable, and monitor her closely for changes.
Click to expand...
pedialyte might work. I've done the mash with another pig.
 
This is a sad post. Just a heads up.


Just as I couldn't find a vet to give her pain meds they also won't euthanize her. There's an organization called Animal Control that has pets for adoption and also for surrender. In our town it is very caring. They will euthanize her on Monday.

In the interim, I'm using Ibuprofen. It was listed on guinea lynx and on another vet site. It has made quite a difference. Maddie is interested in food and treats again. She's drinking more. I don't know if Ibuprofen would be good long term or for a recoverable illness, but for her it's made a big difference.

I have 3 guinea pigs. I got the baby a month or so ago so they would have time to bond. I would welcome advice for a mourning guinea pig. The middle girl (Zip -coming up on 2) is attached to the baby (Kiki). However, Maddie is her world. And Zip is Maddie's world. I've read that it helps if friends can see the body. I'm not sure if I will be able to manage that. I would have to bring her home and bury her. The challenge is finding a place that has soft enough soil that I can dig in it. Most soil around her is clay. And I'm a not fit grandma age perdon. And also finding a shovel.

What else can I do to help Zip mourn? Kiki will help. She thinks Zip is the most wonderful best guinea pig in the world. Should I leave stuff like houses in the cage so Maddie's smell remains? Should I put in different stuff?
 
If I seem callous about Maddie's death I'm not. I cry so much. But I've had time knowing it is coming. And I know I've given her the best life I could. Zip is almost twice her size (Zip is an abyssinian. It's all fluff, but she looks very big), but Maddie was the one Zip turned to. Like Maddie always led when they explored.

I've had other guinea pigs who I've had to euthanize. But this was before all the vets around here stopped taking guinea pigs.
 
Very sorry to hear your local vets are not treating guinea pigs. I think you are being strong in a difficult situation to help your piggies and to make Maddie as comfortable as possible. Giving Zip and Kiki Maddie's scent on a blanket when you take her on that extremely sad, difficult last journey will help. Sending supportive wishes to you and your piggies ❤️
 
Morning I am so sorry for what you are going through I would leave their cage as it is when you go to help your girl cross The Rainbow Bridge and I hope that as they have eachother they will be ok they have probably already accepted what is happening as they will know she is ill. Sending you all a big hug 😞
 
I’m so sorry to hear this.

Her companions will already be aware that she is unwell.
You can put her body in the cage for a short time once you bring her home and before you bury her if you choose to. You dont have to. Do be aware there some piggies don’t take any notice at that stage though - as I say they will be aware she is unwell now.

I bury my animals in large pots. I choose a nice plant to put on top and add a little engraved memorial stone.

Sending you hugs
 
So sorry that your loss and are in such a difficult situation.
We all grieve differently and you don’t come across as callous at all.
You come across as a very loving and caring person who only wants the best for Maddie.

When I last had to have a piggy pts I brought her body home and placed it in the cage.
2 of her cagemates ignored her while one came to have a sniff before wandering off.
They had all been aware she was ill.

Holding you in my heart ♥️
 
magpiemegg said:
This is a sad post. Just a heads up.


Just as I couldn't find a vet to give her pain meds they also won't euthanize her. There's an organization called Animal Control that has pets for adoption and also for surrender. In our town it is very caring. They will euthanize her on Monday.

In the interim, I'm using Ibuprofen. It was listed on guinea lynx and on another vet site. It has made quite a difference. Maddie is interested in food and treats again. She's drinking more. I don't know if Ibuprofen would be good long term or for a recoverable illness, but for her it's made a big difference.

I have 3 guinea pigs. I got the baby a month or so ago so they would have time to bond. I would welcome advice for a mourning guinea pig. The middle girl (Zip -coming up on 2) is attached to the baby (Kiki). However, Maddie is her world. And Zip is Maddie's world. I've read that it helps if friends can see the body. I'm not sure if I will be able to manage that. I would have to bring her home and bury her. The challenge is finding a place that has soft enough soil that I can dig in it. Most soil around her is clay. And I'm a not fit grandma age perdon. And also finding a shovel.

What else can I do to help Zip mourn? Kiki will help. She thinks Zip is the most wonderful best guinea pig in the world. Should I leave stuff like houses in the cage so Maddie's smell remains? Should I put in different stuff?
Click to expand...

Hi
HUGE HUGS

I am so very sorry.


You have done everything you can to bolster the loss for Zip. Kiki will help enormously to prevent Zip from going into acute bereavement (which is thankfully actually RARE) because Zip has the social obligation of teaching her and looking after her, apart from the companionship. Zip has a group to look after, not just a companion to mourn.

What you can do is to please just leave some cosy in which Maddie has been lying for a while (and rather surrender Maddie in a cosy that smells of her friends), so Zip can sleep in it as the scent slowly fades. Don't clean the cage and allow Maddie's scent to fade naturally for a week, even if it gets grotty for once. That is the best support you can give Zip.
Dying guinea pigs remove themselves from their group, so your piggies - who know just how ill Maddie is - will assume that she has just done that. You do not have to bring back Maddie's body in the case of a slow illness and fading; it is more crucial with a more unexpected death/euthanasia; especially not if you worry that it may upset Zip majorly.

As long as Zip keeps eating and drinking, she will be OK; if not, often just a single feed can trigger the eating reflex again - especially in the case of a sudden, unexpected death when a companion is in shock.

You may find this link here helpful: Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig
 
Wiebke said:
Hi
HUGE HUGS

I am so very sorry.


You have done everything you can to bolster the loss for Zip. Kiki will help enormously to prevent Zip from going into acute bereavement (which is thankfully actually RARE) because Zip has the social obligation of teaching her and looking after her, apart from the companionship. Zip has a group to look after, not just a companion to mourn.

What you can do is to please just leave some cosy in which Maddie has been lying for a while (and rather surrender Maddie in a cosy that smells of her friends), so Zip can sleep in it as the scent slowly fades. Don't clean the cage and allow Maddies scent to fade naturally for a week, even if it gets grotty for once. That is the best support you can give Zip. As long as she keeps eating and drinking, she will be OK; if not, often just a single feed can trigger the eating reflex again - especially in the case of a sudden, unexpected death when a companion is in shock.

You may find this link here helpful: Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig
Click to expand...
Yes, if you will find it difficult to bring Maddie's little body back, you don't have to. The fading scent will help the other piggies adjust to her absence. Wishing you all comfort ❤️
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top