• 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

Hard decision

jfpj91

New Born Pup
Joined
Mar 16, 2021
Messages
37
Reaction score
6
Points
120
Location
Chattanooga, TN, United States
Long story short, I have had two guinea pigs that have been quarantined from the herd since last September.

First it was pneumonia, then psuedomonas, then it came back as two weak bacteria. We've done X-Rays, multiple culture and sensitivity tests.

We've done chloramphenicol, doxcycline, baytril (multiple courses of each, rotating through them).

The vet has said we kill one thing, but due to the damage done by the various bacteria, they keep catching something different that isn't cured by the antibiotic they were just on. One thing gets cured, another pops up.

This has been expensive, but we signed up for that when we bought them, and this hasn't put us in dire straights. The hard part is really the ups and downs of being almost cured and then going to crap again, not just for me, but for my wife and child.

For the most part the pigs have handled this very well. They are sisters, and very close. They mostly stay active, with the exception of bad weeks here and there.

That is until recently. Ix Chel seemed fine with the exception of diarrhea. We've had her on pedialyte, and she seemed to be getting better in that regard, but not putting on much weight. We keep fresh hay and fresh crit care with her at all times and she's often seen eating it, but I figured that the weight gain would take time. Currently she is having a hypoglycemic episode. She went from not being able to move at all, to now being able to eat a carrot, crit care, and hay.

Tldr; these girls have been fighters and have gone through hell for close to a year. Recently, things have taken a turn for the worse for one pig, Ix Chel.


So my question is, with the 2nd pig, Poli'ahu (nicknamed Popo), being super attached to Ix Chel and the likelihood she will have to be quarantined for the rest of her natural life, is it best to put her down if/when Ix Chel passes? I just want to do the humane thing, even if it hurts like hell for me.

Edit: They are right at 5 years old, now.
 
I'm very sorry that you, your family and your two girls are going through such a terrible time. 💔

I would never PTS a piggy that's not on the verge of dying.
Of course Popo could start pinning and fade away when loosing her sister, but she could also be fine on her own, if she gets enough attention and TLC.

You probably feel that it would be easier on all of you, especially your wife and child, if this tragedy came to an end soon. But it will be hard enough to go the last step of the way with Ix Chel, when the time comes without sealing Popo's fate as well.

Take care!
 
I have a piggy living on her own. It was her own choice. I tried to bond her with 2 others but she wasn't having any of it. Her cage mate Lexi toddled off to the Rainbow Bridge 4 months ago. Thea prefers living on her own. She has the other 2 for company but on a through the bars relationship. She is happy in herself and maintaining weight. Could you do the same thing for Popo?
 
Thank you both for responding.

Viennes, I appreciate the outside view of someone not a close to the situation as we are. It helps.

Betsy, I do have one guinea pig currently separated. We own a custom built cage, and I had to separate a part of the enclosure with plexiglass so she can still see and hear the main herd, but can't get in a fight with them. She's one of the happiest pigs, ironically enough, as she is constantly popcorning, even at a year old. (My others girls popcorn occasionally, but not as frequently).

However, Popo is contagious, and has to be quarantined away from the other girls, so as not to infect the herd.
 
Back
Top