Guinea pig being put down

[Stuart74]

My guinea oig ollie is 2 and half years old..
He has maluccusion and since last march has had his teeth trimmed every 3 months...
Last visit he now has 4 teeth in and outgrowing at the back effectively now stopping him eating and its now down to me to syring feed him...
Vet said its the worst teeth hes seen for a longtime and that it would literally be filed down every 6 weeks at £110 a time...
Its not getting any better and decided i cant let him live a abnormal life anymore as he is practically inactive..
I had a young dog and a cat put down years ago and that was awful.
I decided to leave him at the vets as i cant watch him go..
There was part of me that wanted to keep him going but its only that i love the little guy that i want whats best for him

 

[Wiebke]

BIG HUGS

Hi and welcome

Can you please clarify whether you already have left Ollie at the vets for pts or is he still at home with you? Which county are you in (as you are obviously in the UK)?

I am sorry that you have come to make this decision. There are sadly very few dental savvy vets in this country, and cost can mount up very quickly.

Pts/euthanasia practice has changed a lot in the last decade and is now generally a lot kinder and with more respect for the animals and their owners both. You do not have to be present if you don't want to (you are not the only one who is struggling in that respect, so please don't feel bad about it!). Guinea pigs are most often put deeply under with the same gas that is used for operations first, so they are no longer with it before they are sent on their journey to the Rainbow Bridge, but this doesn't happen in the examination room.

But it is always such a heart-breaking decision to make, especially in a younger piggy.

 

[Claire W]

I am so very sorry I too had a piggy who had maluccusion. His teeth grew badly inwards therefore trapping his tongue. He too was two and a half. My vet suspected it was genetic as he had a good diet and was young.

I understand what you’re going through and it’s so hard. My thoughts are with you. Please be kind to yourself xx

 

[Stuart74]

BIG HUGS

Hi and welcome

Can you please clarify whether you already have left Ollie at the vets for pts or is he still at home with you? Which county are you in (as you are obviously in the UK)?

I am sorry that you have come to make this decision. There are sadly very few dental savvy vets in this country, and cost can mount up very quickly.

Pts/euthanasia practice has changed a lot in the last decade and is now generally a lot kinder and with more respect for the animals and their owners both. You do not have to be present if you don't want to (you are not the only one who is struggling in that respect, so please don't feel bad about it!). Guinea pigs are most often put deeply under with the same gas that is used for operations first, so they are no longer with it before they are sent on their journey to the Rainbow Bridge, but this doesn't happen in the examination room.

But it is always such a heart-breaking decision to make, especially in a younger piggy.

Hes been in decline for a little while...
Hes had a good life but i cant stand back amd watch him go through this anymore..
Its not natural or normal....

 

[Stuart74]

I'm in east sussex an

I am so very sorry I too had a piggy who had maluccusion. His teeth grew badly inwards therefore trapping his tongue. He too was two and a half. My vet suspected it was genetic as he had a good diet and was young.

I understand what you’re going through and it’s so hard. My thoughts are with you. Please be kind to yourself xx

thanks..
Yeah 4 teeth have been effected..
2 inwards and 2 outwards and he cant eat or drink...
I got a new guinea pig as a companion for zach...
Not a replacement for ollie but I'm not leaving zach by himself in a 10x2 square foot cage

 

[Lady Kelly]

Really sorry that you have had to reach this decision. I understand it is very difficult but it sounds like you trust your vet and have let them guide you in terms of what is best for your piggy. For future reference there is a vet in Northampton that is a specialist in guinea pig dentals and carries them out consciously (as far as I am aware still the only vet that does this). A number of members on this forum travel considerable distances to see him and he has been able to save a great number of piggies who would have ultimately died. There's obviously no guarantee though that he could change your situation.

Glad Zach has a friend, that is definitely the right thing to do. The new friend will never be a replacement for Ollie in your heart or Zach's but your hearts are big enough to share the love a little further for Zach's health. Hope he has settled in

 

[Merab]

So sorry for the decision you have had to make.
Hold on to the knowledge that although it breaks your heart it’s a gift of love to Ollie.
I hope Zach will be very happy with his new companion - have you already bonded them?
If not you will find the bonding threads very good and helpful.
You sound like a very caring and loving owner which means you will grieve for Ollie - be gentle with yourself

 

[PigglePops]

Oh you poor thing! I had to have one of my piggies put to sleep a few years ago and it was absolutely heartbreaking but I knew it was the right thing to do as he’d been so unwell and miserable for such a long time. Try not to beat yourself up about it. You have acted in his best interests, no matter how hard it was to make that decision.
It’s lovely that you have got a new companion for your other piggie, they do grieve for their loss just as you will.
Big hugs and love to you at this difficult time

 

[Stuart74]

So sorry for the decision you have had to make.
Hold on to the knowledge that although it breaks your heart it’s a gift of love to Ollie.
I hope Zach will be very happy with his new companion - have you already bonded them?
If not you will find the bonding threads very good and helpful.
You sound like a very caring and loving owner which means you will grieve for Ollie - be gentle with yourself

Charlie has even sat in the hidey with ollie and zach..
Hes the same breed as ollie so sits with him..
Zach he is ok with but they have little spats here and there

 

[Wiebke]

I'm in east sussex an

thanks..
Yeah 4 teeth have been effected..
2 inwards and 2 outwards and he cant eat or drink...
I got a new guinea pig as a companion for zach...
Not a replacement for ollie but I'm not leaving zach by himself in a 10x2 square foot cage

I am very sorry that you haven't found us earlier.

There is a vet in Northampton who sees guinea pigs with Ollie's kind of problems from all over the UK - from as far as Edinburgh and the Southwest. He is performing about 15 guinea pig dentals every week (that is about as many as most vets, even exotics ones, see in their whole career), as much as possible with no or as little anaesthesia as he can get away with. Because he is so experienced, he is very quick and efficient and has also learned to burr the teeth down just right, so he may be able to extend the intervals between treatments in many cases - even with piggies on life long support. He's saved many piggy lives and has given many piggies in need of life long support a much extended life span.

All the best for the new bond. You are welcome to post a tribute to Ollie in our Rainbow Bridge if you wish to.

Here are our bonding tips:
Looking After A Bereaved Guinea Pig
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

 

[Stuart74]

Oh you poor thing! I had to have one of my piggies put to sleep a few years ago and it was absolutely heartbreaking but I knew it was the right thing to do as he’d been so unwell and miserable for such a long time. Try not to beat yourself up about it. You have acted in his best interests, no matter how hard it was to make that decision.
It’s lovely that you have got a new companion for your other piggie, they do grieve for their loss just as you will.
Big hugs and love to you at this difficult time

Worst part is taking him there tommorow...
Zach has his little friend charlie now but he will miss ollie as they grew up together for 2 and half years..

Really sorry that you have had to reach this decision. I understand it is very difficult but it sounds like you trust your vet and have let them guide you in terms of what is best for your piggy. For future reference there is a vet in Northampton that is a specialist in guinea pig dentals and carries them out consciously (as far as I am aware still the only vet that does this). A number of members on this forum travel considerable distances to see him and he has been able to save a great number of piggies who would have ultimately died. There's obviously no guarantee though that he could change your situation.

Glad Zach has a friend, that is definitely the right thing to do. The new friend will never be a replacement for Ollie in your heart or Zach's but your hearts are big enough to share the love a little further for Zach's health. Hope he has settled in

its too late as ollie has very bad teeth and i cant put him through it anymore...
Hopefully zach will take charlie as a friend and charlie is only 3 months old..
Just a baby really

I am very sorry that you haven't found us earlier.

There is a vet in Northampton who sees guinea pigs with your problems from all over the UK - from as far as Edinburgh and the Southwest. He is performing about 15 guinea pig dentals every week (that is about as many as most vets, even exotics ones, see in their whole career), as much as possible with no or as little anaesthesia as possible. Because he is so experienced, he is very quick and efficient and has also learned to burr the teeth down just right, so he may be able to extend the intervals between treatments in many cases - even with piggies on life long support. He's saved many piggy lives and has given many piggies in need of life long support a much extended life span.

All the best for the new bond. You are welcome to post a tribute to Ollie in our Rainbow Bridge if you wish to.

Here are our bonding tips:
Looking After A Bereaved Guinea Pig
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

How do i post a tribute?

 

[Eriathwen]

So very sorry you are in this situation. Years ago I had a beautiful little satin called Honey, she had malloclusion due to bone issues associated with the breed that affected her jaw. She had to undergo regular dentals and in the end the anaesthetic was just too much for her to deal with. One of my biggest regrets was not making the decision to let her go, rather than ploughing on trying to make her better. I wish I had known about the Northampton clinic back then, but we can only do what we can do.

 

[GuineaPiggy101]

I have been in your situation. I lost my first guinea pig, Jasper, due to Malocclusion. I had to have him put down and he was only 3 years old. I send my sincerest sympathies and hugs to you.

 

[Lady Kelly]

Worst part is taking him there tommorow...
Zach has his little friend charlie now but he will miss ollie as they grew up together for 2 and half years..

its too late as ollie has very bad teeth and i cant put him through it anymore...
Hopefully zach will take charlie as a friend and charlie is only 3 months old..
Just a baby really

How do i post a tribute?

I see you have found the rainbow bridge post and I will reply separately on there. I appreciate the information about the vet was too late which is why I said for future reference. Dental problems crop up fairly regularly with piggies though *touch wood* I have only had one experience of it. It's always worth knowing where the help is in advance of any problems.

I hope Charlie and Zach become best of friends though of course Ollie will always be missed

 

[Stuart74]

I see you have found the rainbow bridge post and I will reply separately on there. I appreciate the information about the vet was too late which is why I said for future reference. Dental problems crop up fairly regularly with piggies though *touch wood* I have only had one experience of it. It's always worth knowing where the help is in advance of any problems.

I hope Charlie and Zach become best of friends though of course Ollie will always be missed

Thanks...they have bonded not too bad and have pictures of ollie above the cage now as a remmebrance for him

 

[Stuart74]

Pictures

 

[Flutterby]

I'm so sorry you have had to come to this decision, sending huge hugs xx

 

[Tabybim]

So sorry for your loss. When I had to have my skinny pig, Godfrey put to sleep I was devastated. It's the toughest decision in the world and I still miss him every day but it's also the last gift you can give them when you love them enough to let them go.