In the space of just under 12 hours I have lost 2 of my beloved boys Jerry & Pippin. 8...8...8...8...8... A very large guinea pig shaped hole has been left in my heart & it won't be easy to fill. I don't keep things short - sorry.
<*>Jerry was a nearly 5 year old, handsome, long-haired, ginger boy. He was a placid, gentle boy, who loved nothing more than sitting under a hot radiator or having his nose stroked as much as possible.
He has been slowly dying for several months. Nothing was obvious - just withdrawing from his brothers, sitting alone, losing weight. But he was happy & always the first to the cucumber which he could smell as soon as I removed it from the fridge! He even developed bumblefoot, which developed into severe ulcers that had severe bleeding when they were cleaned, so I made the decision to not put him through much painful treatment. That said, his ulcers had actually started to heal in recent weeks & he was able to move better.
I have never had a piggy go grey or white before with age, but Jerry started to go white about a year ago. First it was under his nose and over time it 'spread' to his fur. His head remained dark ginger but the rest of his went whiter & whiter! He had a bath on Saturday with his 'Posh & Go' & his fur looked so soft & even more strokable since then! But I realised when he was wet how small, old & frail he actually was.
When I took Pippin to the vet on Monday I also took Jerry & had him weighed. Jerry looked bigger than Pippin, but when weighed he was lighter - the fur fattened him up! The vet asked me about having him pts when I felt it was time, but for me it is never an option. I like to have my pigs at home with me when they leave me to go over the bridge, knowing that they are surrounded by their brothers & love. Plus Jerry was his usual happy self, so we went home.
Yesterday Jerry had his food & especially his cucumber as usual! He trotted round the lounge & even said 'hello' to the baby guineas, which he didn't normally do. Then at bedtime when I was rounding the boys up, I found him by the sofa, lying down. I knew that it was time for him to go to his brothers over the bridge. We settled on the sofa and I gave him permission to go. He left me quietly about 10.15pm, looking as handsome as always.
<*>Pippin was just under 3 years old. He was a cheeky little boy, with a punk hairdo & hormones to match! Poor Jerry was a release for his hormones on more than one occasion! He liked to boss everyone else around although it never worked on his 'biological' brother Legolas! It wasn't unusual to see Pippin running round the lounge with Legolas hot on his heels ready to nip his bum!
Pippin took to sitting near me for 'protection'! He would sit by the side of my comuputer or under it whenever he got the chance to wiggle between my folders - although that always rewarded him with a smack on the nose for peeing on the desk & chewing my internet wires! That siad, I never stopped adoring him!
He was also a sneeky pig, finding dark corners to hide in & material to hide under! On more than one occasion I panicked as I couldn't find him anywhere & had to destroy the lounge looking for him, only for him to be sat asleep somewhere logical (to him!) wondering what all the fuss was when I hugged & kissed him!
On Sunday he hid under my cardigan, which was on the floor. I answered the phone & stood on his boys bits. He didn't even squeak at the time. In some ways it does sound funny, but it turned out to be devastating. He had a huge swelling & I even called a GP (dr!) friend of mine to check him over as it was Sunday night & I couldn't afford the emergency vet fees. He was actually OK in himself, just this swelling. Monday we went to see our vet. Pippin was given an anti-inflammatory injection & given a relatively clear bill of health & to go back on Wed. He was still running round - on his own & with Legolas close on his heels! He still kept hiding & sitting by me, eating his food & appeared to be his usual self.
The lump was the same until Wed when it was a bit bigger. He was given more anti-inflammatory meds, anti-biotics & anti-diuretics to remove fluids. He didn't even squeal when he had the 3 injections & an attempt to remove fluid from the swelling. When we got home, he was still his usual self. At bedtime I put him & Legolas in the cage, whilst Jerry was dying. Pippin was still the same as ever.
When I woke this morning, I heard him squeal. I first thought Legolas was being a little swine, but when I opened the cage I knew that Pippin was very sick & in severe pain. He kept squealing out & I knew we had to rush to the vets. I woke a friend up to take us there & rang the vets. The nurse was there early & said we could get in although the vet wouldn't be in til about 8.50, which was when we would arrive. I tried to let Pippin & Legolas say their 'goodbyes' to Jerry, but Pippin was in too much pain & Legolas confused by what was going on.
When we got to the vets, I said goodbye to Jerry & saw the vet straight away. She was concerned about the change in Pippin & when she felt his stomach he squealed in so much pain. It was so hard to see him like that, especially as he had been so brave over the last few days. She felt that the lump was going necrotic (the tissues were dying) but worse still he had a blackage in his gut. We talked about what we could do & agreed to try fluids, keeping him warm, surgery on his swelling to remove the dead tissue & drugs to stimulate his gut. I even signed the consent form, when his little arms started shaking. Having held most of my guinea pigs when they have left me I knew it was time for him to leave us.
I still couldn't have him pts, but the vet suggested a large dose of painkiller, so I could take him home to die with me, which I did agree to. She even checked this was what I wanted as she said once she gave it, it couldn't be reversed & death would be sooner rather than later. But I knew it was the right thing to do. Again, he didn't squeak when he had the injection & I told him he could cross the bridge to be with Jerry & his other friends. I got to my friend's car & we started to drive when I told her to stop. Pippin left me about 5 minutes after having his injection, quietly & for the first time in a couple of hours , free from pain.
We went back into the vets & were allowed into one of the rooms to say goodbye to Pippin. The nurse even brought Jerry to us also. I had Legolas with me, the last of my 'big pigs' and he looked so confused by his 2 brothers lying there, still. I got Legolas & Pippin as babies for my birthday 3 years ago & Jerry within a week. They had always been with each other.
I feel so empty & guilty about Pippin, although I know the decisons made were based on how he was at the time. I only hope he is happy & free over the bridge, reunited with Jerry & that he can forgive me. Jerry I have no doubt is wondering round, trying to find 'his own spot' where he can sit & watch the other guineas go by. He will no doubt have his best friends Pippin & Fudge sat either side of him, and all my other piggies going up to him not the other way round! Plus, of course, a huge pile of dandelions, grass & all the cucumber he can eat! Pippin, well, he would eat just about anything in front of him!
Don't worry though Jerry & Pipps! I am looking after Legolas. He is quiet & subdued - hard to believe I know! But he has been with the babies but their racing around confused him & he tried to bite them on their bums! Pipps, you know what I mean! I am going to try & get them all in the same cage, so he won't be lonely, but I will look after him & give him lots of love. Tell Aragon not to worry about Legsy - he has a lot left to do here & will have the babies under control very soon!
We love & miss you both Jerry & Pippin x
RIPxxxx
<*>Jerry was a nearly 5 year old, handsome, long-haired, ginger boy. He was a placid, gentle boy, who loved nothing more than sitting under a hot radiator or having his nose stroked as much as possible.
He has been slowly dying for several months. Nothing was obvious - just withdrawing from his brothers, sitting alone, losing weight. But he was happy & always the first to the cucumber which he could smell as soon as I removed it from the fridge! He even developed bumblefoot, which developed into severe ulcers that had severe bleeding when they were cleaned, so I made the decision to not put him through much painful treatment. That said, his ulcers had actually started to heal in recent weeks & he was able to move better.
I have never had a piggy go grey or white before with age, but Jerry started to go white about a year ago. First it was under his nose and over time it 'spread' to his fur. His head remained dark ginger but the rest of his went whiter & whiter! He had a bath on Saturday with his 'Posh & Go' & his fur looked so soft & even more strokable since then! But I realised when he was wet how small, old & frail he actually was.
When I took Pippin to the vet on Monday I also took Jerry & had him weighed. Jerry looked bigger than Pippin, but when weighed he was lighter - the fur fattened him up! The vet asked me about having him pts when I felt it was time, but for me it is never an option. I like to have my pigs at home with me when they leave me to go over the bridge, knowing that they are surrounded by their brothers & love. Plus Jerry was his usual happy self, so we went home.
Yesterday Jerry had his food & especially his cucumber as usual! He trotted round the lounge & even said 'hello' to the baby guineas, which he didn't normally do. Then at bedtime when I was rounding the boys up, I found him by the sofa, lying down. I knew that it was time for him to go to his brothers over the bridge. We settled on the sofa and I gave him permission to go. He left me quietly about 10.15pm, looking as handsome as always.
<*>Pippin was just under 3 years old. He was a cheeky little boy, with a punk hairdo & hormones to match! Poor Jerry was a release for his hormones on more than one occasion! He liked to boss everyone else around although it never worked on his 'biological' brother Legolas! It wasn't unusual to see Pippin running round the lounge with Legolas hot on his heels ready to nip his bum!
Pippin took to sitting near me for 'protection'! He would sit by the side of my comuputer or under it whenever he got the chance to wiggle between my folders - although that always rewarded him with a smack on the nose for peeing on the desk & chewing my internet wires! That siad, I never stopped adoring him!
He was also a sneeky pig, finding dark corners to hide in & material to hide under! On more than one occasion I panicked as I couldn't find him anywhere & had to destroy the lounge looking for him, only for him to be sat asleep somewhere logical (to him!) wondering what all the fuss was when I hugged & kissed him!
On Sunday he hid under my cardigan, which was on the floor. I answered the phone & stood on his boys bits. He didn't even squeak at the time. In some ways it does sound funny, but it turned out to be devastating. He had a huge swelling & I even called a GP (dr!) friend of mine to check him over as it was Sunday night & I couldn't afford the emergency vet fees. He was actually OK in himself, just this swelling. Monday we went to see our vet. Pippin was given an anti-inflammatory injection & given a relatively clear bill of health & to go back on Wed. He was still running round - on his own & with Legolas close on his heels! He still kept hiding & sitting by me, eating his food & appeared to be his usual self.
The lump was the same until Wed when it was a bit bigger. He was given more anti-inflammatory meds, anti-biotics & anti-diuretics to remove fluids. He didn't even squeal when he had the 3 injections & an attempt to remove fluid from the swelling. When we got home, he was still his usual self. At bedtime I put him & Legolas in the cage, whilst Jerry was dying. Pippin was still the same as ever.
When I woke this morning, I heard him squeal. I first thought Legolas was being a little swine, but when I opened the cage I knew that Pippin was very sick & in severe pain. He kept squealing out & I knew we had to rush to the vets. I woke a friend up to take us there & rang the vets. The nurse was there early & said we could get in although the vet wouldn't be in til about 8.50, which was when we would arrive. I tried to let Pippin & Legolas say their 'goodbyes' to Jerry, but Pippin was in too much pain & Legolas confused by what was going on.
When we got to the vets, I said goodbye to Jerry & saw the vet straight away. She was concerned about the change in Pippin & when she felt his stomach he squealed in so much pain. It was so hard to see him like that, especially as he had been so brave over the last few days. She felt that the lump was going necrotic (the tissues were dying) but worse still he had a blackage in his gut. We talked about what we could do & agreed to try fluids, keeping him warm, surgery on his swelling to remove the dead tissue & drugs to stimulate his gut. I even signed the consent form, when his little arms started shaking. Having held most of my guinea pigs when they have left me I knew it was time for him to leave us.
I still couldn't have him pts, but the vet suggested a large dose of painkiller, so I could take him home to die with me, which I did agree to. She even checked this was what I wanted as she said once she gave it, it couldn't be reversed & death would be sooner rather than later. But I knew it was the right thing to do. Again, he didn't squeak when he had the injection & I told him he could cross the bridge to be with Jerry & his other friends. I got to my friend's car & we started to drive when I told her to stop. Pippin left me about 5 minutes after having his injection, quietly & for the first time in a couple of hours , free from pain.
We went back into the vets & were allowed into one of the rooms to say goodbye to Pippin. The nurse even brought Jerry to us also. I had Legolas with me, the last of my 'big pigs' and he looked so confused by his 2 brothers lying there, still. I got Legolas & Pippin as babies for my birthday 3 years ago & Jerry within a week. They had always been with each other.
I feel so empty & guilty about Pippin, although I know the decisons made were based on how he was at the time. I only hope he is happy & free over the bridge, reunited with Jerry & that he can forgive me. Jerry I have no doubt is wondering round, trying to find 'his own spot' where he can sit & watch the other guineas go by. He will no doubt have his best friends Pippin & Fudge sat either side of him, and all my other piggies going up to him not the other way round! Plus, of course, a huge pile of dandelions, grass & all the cucumber he can eat! Pippin, well, he would eat just about anything in front of him!
Don't worry though Jerry & Pipps! I am looking after Legolas. He is quiet & subdued - hard to believe I know! But he has been with the babies but their racing around confused him & he tried to bite them on their bums! Pipps, you know what I mean! I am going to try & get them all in the same cage, so he won't be lonely, but I will look after him & give him lots of love. Tell Aragon not to worry about Legsy - he has a lot left to do here & will have the babies under control very soon!
We love & miss you both Jerry & Pippin x
RIPxxxx
.I can't believe your two baby boys are gone,I'm sure that Jerry and Pippin are at peace now playing with all the other piggies at the bridge and no longer in pain,RIP sweet boysxxxxx Make sure you give Legolas lots of extra cuddles,and sending hugs to you as well .
