Euthanasia Experiences

[WickedGirls]

Hi,
I've posted a couple of times about my almost 5 year old Glinda here. Long story short, back in April/May she had surgery to remove her uterus, and a subsequent one to remove her ovaries after she started bleeding regularly. Since then we have been on a rollercoaster. She wasn't gaining weight back post surgery as our vet would like and we found her cheek teeth were overgrown so she was having monthly dentals for that. In early August we lost her sister pig Elphie suddenly (another long story - our exotics vet screwed up cleaning a lump on her back, damaged her spine and she died about 4 hours after we got back from the vet). Immediately after that we changed to a new exotics vet who has been great. They said we were ok to leave her by herself while we tried to get her dental issues under control as long as she didn't have any significant behavioural changes. At that first visit it was found that her teeth had actually completely overgrown, trapping her tongue (which the other vet hadn't picked up on) and that she had lost a lot of muscling in her cheeks. At that appointment I think she was about 540g (she was 760-820 pre-surgery). Our goal weight was to get her above 600g and she should improve after 6 weeks of regular treatment and supplementations.

Fast forward 3 months, I've taken Glinda to the vet for her check up yesterday and it isn't good. She's battled two mouth infections in the past two months, with the last one a month ago being quite severe. The vet has found that on one side of her jaw her back teeth are extremely loose, to the point where they aren't functional. She thinks that its possible that the infections are constant in her jaw and its slowly going to spread until her jaw breaks. I had a feeling before going in that she hadn't responded to the last dental but I had high hopes. At the vet yesterday she was only 517g. Our vet has said that at this point if she was going to get better it would have happened, especially seeing as I've been syringing her critical care daily for 3 months as well as her eating it freely from a bowl (easily 50ml) a day. The vet thinks that its possible she could go downhill quite quickly and recommended euthanasia within the next week, as well as increasing her pain medication significantly (4 times more) and putting her on preventative antibiotics. In the hours after getting home from the vet I noticed she was already grinding her teeth/jaw, was drooling slightly and when she was in her hutch sat facing the corner, all of which I know are not good signs especially so soon after treatment. For a while all she will eat is critical care mixed with baby food and occasionally soft fruits such as strawberry or tomato.

I feel like all the signs are there that she isn't happy or comfortable but I'm struggling making that final decision to put her to sleep. I think part of my problem is that she will still stick her head out for food and get excited when she is hungry (but only critical care) and she will hop out of her hutch to go for a walk, but when she does it is just to find somewhere dark to sit under. In a way I wish she was obviously worse, but then I guess she has been living with this for a while so she might just work through it. Even when she puts weight on she will drop back in a day or too. I feel like if I put her to sleep this week I will feel guilty that I may have cut her short and that she may have had a few days/weeks left in her, but in saying that if I wake up tomorrow and find that she's in extreme pain and her jaw is busted I will feel so guilty as well. Sorry for the story but I'm just wondering if other piggie parents have had that clear moment of "yes this is what needs to be done" or if you feel some kind of resistance up until the procedure. I haven't had to decide this before really - Elphie passed naturally at the vets and other pets have been visually more sicker and the decision easier.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Guineapigfeet]

It is an awful decision to have to make but it is also the biggest gift you can give and the greatest show of love and selflessness.

I have always thought it is better a week too early than a day too late.

I had to have my dog pts due to cancer. Clinically he was no worse one day to the next but he was worse and he told me it was enough. We made the appointment and everything was in place. That morning he was so chipper and had a lamb steak for breakfast (he hadn’t eaten for a day and half) and barked at and chased the squirrels in the garden. He seemed better, he seemed happy. My brother said maybe it wasn’t time yet. I’m glad I went through with it that day. He died happy and comfortable with lamb in his belly and his family around him. He would only have got worse and in more and more discomfort/pain (he was on medication) until the cancer killed him. I believe it was the best final gift I could give him; to spare him that, even though it breaks my heart even 6years later.

 

[Little Ones]

For me, there was resistance as well as the “yes it needs to get done” attitude.
My boy was dealing with liver disease as well as respiratory problems. I had a feeling he was going to die in the night and he didn’t, however in the morning he couldn’t walk or lift his head properly. He was just stumbling about, unable to eat. Took him straight to the exotic vets (40 min drive) to be euthanised just because he literally couldn’t eat or drink and if I’d have left him then he would have starved/dehydrated. The vet saw him and instantly he was perfect. He was eating, walking fine. It was like I’d made the whole thing up. There was absolutely no way I could let him be euthanised when he was his perfect self before my eyes. The vet kept telling me it could be the adrenaline but I couldn’t count on that. The vet told us to go back to the car and think it over, within 5 mins of us being back in the safety of the car, he couldn’t walk or eat or lift his head again and I just knew it had to be done. I had to stop his discomfort and his frustration as he was trying to eat but couldn’t open his mouth. I couldn’t leave him in such a state, I had to put him before myself. I felt horrible that I’d left him any longer as we had to wait another hour before there was time to fit him in. I just wanted him to be out of his misery, his pain, his confusion. I was bawling in the waiting room, absolutely distraught. They put us in a room to wait until they could take him away. I was so sad, cuddling him and crying my eyes out. About 5 minutes after they took him away, my crying took a pause because I knew I’d done the right thing for him.
I’m sorry I can’t offer anymore concrete advice apart from sharing my story (which I cried whilst typing even though he passed in July), but I hope it helps you in some way. Listen to what your Guinea pig is telling you, but also make the choice that allows you to live with yourself - if that makes any sense.
I couldn’t live with myself if I had had him euthanised when he became himself at the vet table, despite the feeling that I’d done him wrong by then prolonging his pain for an extra hour. I also had to do right by myself, I couldn’t live with the what ifs, i had to know it was his time

 

[Piggies&buns]

I lost my previous rabbit, Bella, about 11 years ago now. She had a problem which was operated on but it was not a cure. She lived 18 months or so after her op but I had known all that time that she wouldn’t ever get better from it. One morning I went to check on her and found her looking very very poorly and i then had to let her go. it was only with hindsight that I wondered whether she had in fact been going downhill a few days before. It wasn’t obvious at the time though, she was still eating, happy to see me etc but perhaps her spark had started to go in those days earlier. Probably denial on my part that after 8 years with her I was about to lose her. I am so sad that she went so very poorly and I feel bad that if I had picked up on it sooner and let her go a few days earlier, she would have died happier.

It’s never an easy decision to make, we never want to say goodbye to our beloved pets.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi,
I've posted a couple of times about my almost 5 year old Glinda here. Long story short, back in April/May she had surgery to remove her uterus, and a subsequent one to remove her ovaries after she started bleeding regularly. Since then we have been on a rollercoaster. She wasn't gaining weight back post surgery as our vet would like and we found her cheek teeth were overgrown so she was having monthly dentals for that. In early August we lost her sister pig Elphie suddenly (another long story - our exotics vet screwed up cleaning a lump on her back, damaged her spine and she died about 4 hours after we got back from the vet). Immediately after that we changed to a new exotics vet who has been great. They said we were ok to leave her by herself while we tried to get her dental issues under control as long as she didn't have any significant behavioural changes. At that first visit it was found that her teeth had actually completely overgrown, trapping her tongue (which the other vet hadn't picked up on) and that she had lost a lot of muscling in her cheeks. At that appointment I think she was about 540g (she was 760-820 pre-surgery). Our goal weight was to get her above 600g and she should improve after 6 weeks of regular treatment and supplementations.

Fast forward 3 months, I've taken Glinda to the vet for her check up yesterday and it isn't good. She's battled two mouth infections in the past two months, with the last one a month ago being quite severe. The vet has found that on one side of her jaw her back teeth are extremely loose, to the point where they aren't functional. She thinks that its possible that the infections are constant in her jaw and its slowly going to spread until her jaw breaks. I had a feeling before going in that she hadn't responded to the last dental but I had high hopes. At the vet yesterday she was only 517g. Our vet has said that at this point if she was going to get better it would have happened, especially seeing as I've been syringing her critical care daily for 3 months as well as her eating it freely from a bowl (easily 50ml) a day. The vet thinks that its possible she could go downhill quite quickly and recommended euthanasia within the next week, as well as increasing her pain medication significantly (4 times more) and putting her on preventative antibiotics. In the hours after getting home from the vet I noticed she was already grinding her teeth/jaw, was drooling slightly and when she was in her hutch sat facing the corner, all of which I know are not good signs especially so soon after treatment. For a while all she will eat is critical care mixed with baby food and occasionally soft fruits such as strawberry or tomato.

I feel like all the signs are there that she isn't happy or comfortable but I'm struggling making that final decision to put her to sleep. I think part of my problem is that she will still stick her head out for food and get excited when she is hungry (but only critical care) and she will hop out of her hutch to go for a walk, but when she does it is just to find somewhere dark to sit under. In a way I wish she was obviously worse, but then I guess she has been living with this for a while so she might just work through it. Even when she puts weight on she will drop back in a day or too. I feel like if I put her to sleep this week I will feel guilty that I may have cut her short and that she may have had a few days/weeks left in her, but in saying that if I wake up tomorrow and find that she's in extreme pain and her jaw is busted I will feel so guilty as well. Sorry for the story but I'm just wondering if other piggie parents have had that clear moment of "yes this is what needs to be done" or if you feel some kind of resistance up until the procedure. I haven't had to decide this before really - Elphie passed naturally at the vets and other pets have been visually more sicker and the decision easier.

Thanks in advance.

Hi!

HUGS

The most difficult time is always the one when you come close to the line because you question yourself constantly. There is a grey zone where there is no right or wrong as long as you put your piggy's welfare before your own needs and fears; it all depends on which aspects you weigh more.

Generally as long as she is interested in food and is still moving around on her own, she still has got enough quality of life to want to keep going. As a loving owner, you will know when the day has come and the line has been crossed.

You may find this link here helpful; it includes a chapter about looking after a terminally ill guinea pig, including a discussion of the factors and ethics involved about when to call it a day to help you work things out for yourself: Human Bereavement: Grieving, Coping and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children

It is always a difficult decision to make; especially when you have to call the shots and the decision is not taken out of your hands one way or other. It never gets any less heart-breaking although over time you tend to work out your stance on certain aspects of it and don't have to do it all from scratch. It is also normal to make the decision a bit earlier when you are a long term owner than when it is your first or one of your first piggies - hence the grey zone. It is normal to have doubts in the run up or be shocked at first and it is also very normal to feel guilty/do some serious soul searching afterwards. In the long term it has to feel right for you in your heart of hearts knowing that you have done your best for your piggy when it counted most.

PS: If it is any consolation for you, I have had to pts 4 of the 8 piggies I have lost this year. 3 as an emergency and one old lady who between advanced arthritis in her whole body and sudden back leg paralysis had lost all her mobility and struggled to lift her head enough to eat so it came down to a question of quality of life. That is about par for the course in my long term experience.

 

[Sue and Smartie]

Geraldine had similar issues with infection in her jaw, and I delayed euthanasia because I was still hoping she would recover. I wish I had listened to my vet and not waited tbh, I still feel guilty about that now.
It is a horrible decision to have to make and you are in my thoughts x

 

[Merab]

It’s such a hard decision to make.
I feel that we each make the choice to let a pet go based on our instinctive sense of what is best and right for them.
Holding you in my heart

 

[Cat906]

I had to make this decision yesterday. On Thursday when the vet initially said it would be the next step I was in denial because I was terrified that it should be me that decides when her time is up. Vet agreed to give medication one more time. 24 hrs later and I took one look at Coco and could see it was time for her to go. I managed to understand that there was no way she was going to get better and therefore it was the best thing. She was clearly very unhappy and in pain and quite possibly I should have made the decision the day before but she was still reacting to me and therefore I didn’t feel she had completely gone. I 100% knew yesterday it was time so for me - yes there was a definite moment I knew, but in all honesty I think I should have done it a day earlier.

 

[artcasper]

Sending you a big hug at this difficult time... we had to put Gladys to sleep rather suddenly as it was discovered she had a brain tumour which could not be treated.. such a shock but we felt it was the right one - as gut wrenching as it was.. we knew she wouldn't suffer xx

 

[Freela]

I'm so sorry, it's such a hard decision to make. I feel like if there is quality of life still, I will support them... but if there comes a time when they are just uncomfortable and not able to enjoy daily things anymore, I knew the time had come. For me, at least, as hard as it was, there came a day where I was like, "No, this just isn't fair for them," and I knew it was the right thing to do. If she isn't enjoying anything, not even normal behaviors that are what make up the life of a small animal, I think that's a sign that you, who know her best, will be able to pick up on. ((HUGS)) to you, I know it's not easy.

 

[sixhappypiggies]

I had a piggie names Willow. I got her when she was only a few weeks old and she immediately showed signs of a URI. Sneezing, crusty eyes etc. The vet prescribed an antibiotic and some eye drops. A few days later and she seemed to be worse instead of improving so I took her back in to see the vet. They took her back to give her some fluids and came back to tell me she was having trouble breathing and had fallen onto her side unable to get back up. At that moment the vet said she recommended she be put to sleep. I was so sad, I hadn't had the chance to really get to know her but, I knew it was the best thing to do. May she rest in peace. Sometimes we have to make the hard decisions and it sucks. My thoughts are with you.

 

[WickedGirls]

Sorry for the late response but thought I would finish out this thread. I ended up deciding to put Glinda to sleep on the 30/11. Over the course of the week her appetite decreased and I could see that she was consistently in pain, despite her pain meds. I think if I had wanted to keep her going I would have had to take her for dentals every two days which wouldn't have been fair on her.

For anyone curious, we went to a local vet rather than our exotics to save having a 1.5 hour trip with her. The vet was lovely, he decided to use an injection sedative rather than a mask because his experience was they fought the mask more. She jumped a little at the injection but afterwards went for a little walk around the table before lying down and drifting asleep. The second injection she didn't react to and she slipped away.

While I'm obviously devastated I've felt rather at peace with it as I know how miserable she must have been. Thank you everyone here who responded to this post or my random other posts throughout the years.

 

[Wiebke]

Sorry for the late response but thought I would finish out this thread. I ended up deciding to put Glinda to sleep on the 30/11. Over the course of the week her appetite decreased and I could see that she was consistently in pain, despite her pain meds. I think if I had wanted to keep her going I would have had to take her for dentals every two days which wouldn't have been fair on her.

For anyone curious, we went to a local vet rather than our exotics to save having a 1.5 hour trip with her. The vet was lovely, he decided to use an injection sedative rather than a mask because his experience was they fought the mask more. She jumped a little at the injection but afterwards went for a little walk around the table before lying down and drifting asleep. The second injection she didn't react to and she slipped away.

While I'm obviously devastated I've felt rather at peace with it as I know how miserable she must have been. Thank you everyone here who responded to this post or my random other posts throughout the years.

I am very sorry for your loss but you have made absolutely the right decision and have not failed Glinda in any way.
I am glad for both you and Glinda that your experience was a much better one than you have feared and that her passing was gentle and easy. I had my Heini put to sleep in the same way in January as my own local vet felt as well that he had more control.
The experience was less upsetting for Heini with me being able to hold and stroke her while she drifted away. But I also understand that it can upsetting for some people to see a piggy being injection, so it is not necessarily for everybody. Generally vets are much better trained for these situations than they used to be.

You are welcome to post a tribute to Glinda in our Rainbow Bridge section if you would like to leave a tangible reminder of her life. The section is there for anybody who wants to remember a beloved pet of theirs at an time.

 

[YvonneBlue]

I am so sorry for the loss of your beloved Glinda. You made the right decision for her as it was made with love.

RIP little one.