PoptartShop
Junior Guinea Pig
Hi guys, I know I haven't posted in a while. Life has gotten in the way, but all of the piggies are doing well except for one, Patches. He's about 4 & a half yrs old. Every pig I own is special in their own way and he is special because he just lights up the room and he is just so attached to me because when I got him, he was the only one at the pet store for a few weeks and I just had to get him and he is housed with his brother Powder. I call him his brother because they both needed each other and they love each other so much and again he is like stuck to me like glue like I've never had a pig so so so attached he just loves me and I know I am his world. He is always so joyful and sooooooo smart and he builds hay forts and roofs and he can just do so many things I can't even think right now because I'm just upset.
The other day I had noticed that he wasn't himself and then I noticed that he started to squeak a little bit when he was peeing, and there were a little droplets of watery blood very little, but I knew something was wrong obvi so I took him to the vet (I love my Vet. They are so gracious and kind, and I've been going to them for like 10yrs) and they said it could be a number of things, but let's start with an x-ray and worst case scenario if it's a bladder stone and it turned out to be a bladder stone.
This is my first time dealing with a piggy with a bladder stone and boars obviously cannot pass them as easily as some of the sows can, it can be fatal. I've dealt with piggies that had cystitis and some other things, but never this. I can share the x-ray if you would like, but it has not reached his urethra or the exit or anything (yet). It's in his bladder and they said there are 2 options: well he is currently on pain medication and antibiotics along with a probiotic for it. Even though obviously it won't dissolve on its own. They gave me a few weeks supply just in case and they said in like two weeks, we could do a recheck with an x-ray to see where the stone is or if it's gotten bigger. He's been on the meds since Monday evening. Regarding surgery it would be risky with his age and they also do not do the surgery there I would have to go to a surgeon/specialist far away from where I live and I also do NOT have the funds for that and if I did, I still don't think I would do it because I just don't want to put him through that at this time.
Before anyone judges - I know that a lot of the surgeries can be successful however again I don't have the money for it and with anything we don't know the outcome and stones can also return.
The vet had of course mentioned euthanasia is the other option and the only one I have right now. They didn't believe that he needed to be PTS right then and there however they said see how he does with the medication and it's basically like he's on hospice right now and he is still drinking and eating hay, however he's not eating as much as I would prefer so I have been feeding him critical care as needed which sometimes he refuses and he just wants to eat the hay, which is fine and he's pooping normally and I haven't seen any more blood or anything. He does squeak sometimes when he pees and poops and it's gotten a bit better probably because he's on pain meds, but I still don't want him in any pain of course so I know that I will have to make the decision eventually, but this is the very first time I've had to make these decisions because the piggies in the past have either gone quickly or they've passed away right in my arms and I've never had to take them and euthanize them and I'm giving him a lot of playtime and he's getting to see his buddies and of course he's with his brother and I'm spending as much time with him as I possibly can around the clock and I just want to know if anybody else knows how this feels because it's just really hard and you want to make the right decision at the RIGHT time and I am sorry for such a long post, but this has been really difficult for me.
Also, and I have been reading the euthanasia links and stuff and it's helpful but it's still just so sad all around to even think about taking him to the vet and then him not coming home and he is so full of life so I think that makes the decision harder and I understand that it's always a day or a week earlier than a day too late however, like somebody else had said in a post I read it's definitely easier said than done when it's you dealing with it. I am monitoring him around the clock, and if I notice a strong decline as I don't want him suffering, of course I would never allow him to suffer and of course I know there is a risk with the stone moving or getting to his urethra and of course I DO NOT want that to be the case.
If you've gotten this far, thank you so much as I know I was rambling. This is just very difficult for me.
basically if you've ever had to deal with something like this, how did you get through it and basically not beat yourself up over it.
Like of course I don't want to wait until there's an emergency with the stone but if he's also bright and happy right now, I'm just feeling guilty I guess almost like you know what I mean does anybody understand what I'm saying? and I am off today and tomorrow, Friday I work all day, & Saturday and Sunday my vet is closed. So I am monitoring him and spending as much time with him as I can. If there is a decline, obviously I will take him, but I'm also afraid because I don't want to wait until there's a big emergency if that makes sense because I'm very new to the bladder stone situation.
Photos of the patient:
The other day I had noticed that he wasn't himself and then I noticed that he started to squeak a little bit when he was peeing, and there were a little droplets of watery blood very little, but I knew something was wrong obvi so I took him to the vet (I love my Vet. They are so gracious and kind, and I've been going to them for like 10yrs) and they said it could be a number of things, but let's start with an x-ray and worst case scenario if it's a bladder stone and it turned out to be a bladder stone.
This is my first time dealing with a piggy with a bladder stone and boars obviously cannot pass them as easily as some of the sows can, it can be fatal. I've dealt with piggies that had cystitis and some other things, but never this. I can share the x-ray if you would like, but it has not reached his urethra or the exit or anything (yet). It's in his bladder and they said there are 2 options: well he is currently on pain medication and antibiotics along with a probiotic for it. Even though obviously it won't dissolve on its own. They gave me a few weeks supply just in case and they said in like two weeks, we could do a recheck with an x-ray to see where the stone is or if it's gotten bigger. He's been on the meds since Monday evening. Regarding surgery it would be risky with his age and they also do not do the surgery there I would have to go to a surgeon/specialist far away from where I live and I also do NOT have the funds for that and if I did, I still don't think I would do it because I just don't want to put him through that at this time.
Before anyone judges - I know that a lot of the surgeries can be successful however again I don't have the money for it and with anything we don't know the outcome and stones can also return.
The vet had of course mentioned euthanasia is the other option and the only one I have right now. They didn't believe that he needed to be PTS right then and there however they said see how he does with the medication and it's basically like he's on hospice right now and he is still drinking and eating hay, however he's not eating as much as I would prefer so I have been feeding him critical care as needed which sometimes he refuses and he just wants to eat the hay, which is fine and he's pooping normally and I haven't seen any more blood or anything. He does squeak sometimes when he pees and poops and it's gotten a bit better probably because he's on pain meds, but I still don't want him in any pain of course so I know that I will have to make the decision eventually, but this is the very first time I've had to make these decisions because the piggies in the past have either gone quickly or they've passed away right in my arms and I've never had to take them and euthanize them and I'm giving him a lot of playtime and he's getting to see his buddies and of course he's with his brother and I'm spending as much time with him as I possibly can around the clock and I just want to know if anybody else knows how this feels because it's just really hard and you want to make the right decision at the RIGHT time and I am sorry for such a long post, but this has been really difficult for me.
Also, and I have been reading the euthanasia links and stuff and it's helpful but it's still just so sad all around to even think about taking him to the vet and then him not coming home and he is so full of life so I think that makes the decision harder and I understand that it's always a day or a week earlier than a day too late however, like somebody else had said in a post I read it's definitely easier said than done when it's you dealing with it. I am monitoring him around the clock, and if I notice a strong decline as I don't want him suffering, of course I would never allow him to suffer and of course I know there is a risk with the stone moving or getting to his urethra and of course I DO NOT want that to be the case.
If you've gotten this far, thank you so much as I know I was rambling. This is just very difficult for me.
basically if you've ever had to deal with something like this, how did you get through it and basically not beat yourself up over it.Like of course I don't want to wait until there's an emergency with the stone but if he's also bright and happy right now, I'm just feeling guilty I guess almost like you know what I mean does anybody understand what I'm saying?
and I am off today and tomorrow, Friday I work all day, & Saturday and Sunday my vet is closed. So I am monitoring him and spending as much time with him as I can. If there is a decline, obviously I will take him, but I'm also afraid because I don't want to wait until there's a big emergency if that makes sense because I'm very new to the bladder stone situation. Photos of the patient:
Ugh either way it'll be hard!
