Guineasmama
Junior Guinea Pig
Hi all
I had to have my 4 month old boar put to sleep yesterday afternoon as since the first day I bought him from pets at home, he had a chest infection and then pneumonia. He had crusty eyes but this was resolved with isthal ointment. Although he ‘recovered’ from the chest infection, he was left with slightly laboured breathing and recent scans showed he has only one functioning lung. He has been on metacam since day 1 and bayril initially.
He lived as normal as can be life for a month until he got an eye ulcer from grass seed in the garden and this was resolved after 2 weeks of eye drops. He was fine for 2 days and then he got a bad head tilt. He couldn’t even stand without being wobbly. I asked the vets maybe he should be put to sleep and she said no, it broke my heart to suggest it but she said it’s an inner ear infection and baytril should help. It did help initially for 4 days and he has one clear day of no head tilt but the day he was put to sleep, he wasn’t taking his syringe feed like before and the head tilt and worsened. Hardest decision I ever made but I decided time had come. Here is my concern:
I took him to my vets who have never seen him before as Teddy was seen by the pets at home vets for previous issues. The vet checked his breathing and heart beat and said it was best to put him to sleep as he will never have a quality of life. He didn’t discuss how he was going to put him to sleep and I imagined an injection that will peacefully make him fall asleep or gas sedation. I didn’t ask any questions about it as I was assured my the receptionist he’s got 20 years experience and is a good man. I had my 2 daughters with me and the vet said can you sign this form to give me permission. I said yes. I then started to say goodbye to Teddy and my girls wanted to hold him one last time. The vet said he will go out and get the euthanasia equipment.
When he came back... he said can you all go out. I said I want to stay and my eldest daughter went out and my youngest who is 9 wanted to stay. The vet said he doesn’t recommend us watching as it can be distressing and I said I want to stay as Teddy took comfort from me. I asked if I could hold Teddy and vet said no as he has to have access to his tummy so he needs to be on the table. At which point my youngest started to cry and said she wanted to leave as she had seen the needle.
I saw the needle and before I had a chance to ask about sedation, he put the needed into the tummy and took it out because it wasn’t in right place. At which point Teddy’s eyes had widened and he opened his mouth really wide. The needle quickly went back in and the solution was injected. Teddy again gasped mouth open wide when the needle went in 2nd time and then slowly kept opening and closing his mouth. I began to cry and the vet said “he’s not quite gone so I have to give him the injection again”. He gave the 3rd one but Teddy was heavily sedated to notice I think and it took 2 seconds and he was gone.
I asked where the injection went in and he said the liver.
I’m very upset he wasn’t sedated first and then it took 3 needles. So I called back today to ask why wasn’t he sedated. They tell me the vet doesn’t like using the gas sedation because it means taking the pet away from owners onto the theatre and placing into a small box with 2 gas chambers and many pets hold their breath as they don’t like the smell and it takes sometimes minutes to be sedated and many pets fall over and feel funny. Thereby getting distressed.
I told them I was upset that he seemed to have passed away in discomfort and I wanted him to go peacefully since his whole short life he had so many issues with his health.
I just find it so unfair and I can’t stop crying. He was so cute and my handsome boy.
I had to have my 4 month old boar put to sleep yesterday afternoon as since the first day I bought him from pets at home, he had a chest infection and then pneumonia. He had crusty eyes but this was resolved with isthal ointment. Although he ‘recovered’ from the chest infection, he was left with slightly laboured breathing and recent scans showed he has only one functioning lung. He has been on metacam since day 1 and bayril initially.
He lived as normal as can be life for a month until he got an eye ulcer from grass seed in the garden and this was resolved after 2 weeks of eye drops. He was fine for 2 days and then he got a bad head tilt. He couldn’t even stand without being wobbly. I asked the vets maybe he should be put to sleep and she said no, it broke my heart to suggest it but she said it’s an inner ear infection and baytril should help. It did help initially for 4 days and he has one clear day of no head tilt but the day he was put to sleep, he wasn’t taking his syringe feed like before and the head tilt and worsened. Hardest decision I ever made but I decided time had come. Here is my concern:
I took him to my vets who have never seen him before as Teddy was seen by the pets at home vets for previous issues. The vet checked his breathing and heart beat and said it was best to put him to sleep as he will never have a quality of life. He didn’t discuss how he was going to put him to sleep and I imagined an injection that will peacefully make him fall asleep or gas sedation. I didn’t ask any questions about it as I was assured my the receptionist he’s got 20 years experience and is a good man. I had my 2 daughters with me and the vet said can you sign this form to give me permission. I said yes. I then started to say goodbye to Teddy and my girls wanted to hold him one last time. The vet said he will go out and get the euthanasia equipment.
When he came back... he said can you all go out. I said I want to stay and my eldest daughter went out and my youngest who is 9 wanted to stay. The vet said he doesn’t recommend us watching as it can be distressing and I said I want to stay as Teddy took comfort from me. I asked if I could hold Teddy and vet said no as he has to have access to his tummy so he needs to be on the table. At which point my youngest started to cry and said she wanted to leave as she had seen the needle.
I saw the needle and before I had a chance to ask about sedation, he put the needed into the tummy and took it out because it wasn’t in right place. At which point Teddy’s eyes had widened and he opened his mouth really wide. The needle quickly went back in and the solution was injected. Teddy again gasped mouth open wide when the needle went in 2nd time and then slowly kept opening and closing his mouth. I began to cry and the vet said “he’s not quite gone so I have to give him the injection again”. He gave the 3rd one but Teddy was heavily sedated to notice I think and it took 2 seconds and he was gone.
I asked where the injection went in and he said the liver.
I’m very upset he wasn’t sedated first and then it took 3 needles. So I called back today to ask why wasn’t he sedated. They tell me the vet doesn’t like using the gas sedation because it means taking the pet away from owners onto the theatre and placing into a small box with 2 gas chambers and many pets hold their breath as they don’t like the smell and it takes sometimes minutes to be sedated and many pets fall over and feel funny. Thereby getting distressed.
I told them I was upset that he seemed to have passed away in discomfort and I wanted him to go peacefully since his whole short life he had so many issues with his health.
I just find it so unfair and I can’t stop crying. He was so cute and my handsome boy.
I’m not sure what to say as my vet has always taken my piggies away to be put to sleep as they have been sedated first. But be assured that you made the right decision.
