How Much Should I Persevere?

[Liane]

Nellie is very poorly and hasn't eaten or drank since Friday due to a nasty kidney infection.

She also diarrhoea as a result of the antibiotics.

I've feed syringe feeding her water and critical care/nugget mixes, with probiotics. However, she takes very little and fights me like you wouldn't believe. She always seems distressed after feeds - her breathing is more pronounced.

The food and water is crucial, but how much should I persevere? I don't want to stress her out.

 

[Wiebke]

HUGS

It is always a very heart-breaking decision to make, but even harder when things are not quite clear cut. Generally, you make a decision somewhere in the triangle between the comfort/quality of life of a piggy, its chances of making a reasonable recovery and how much you can afford to spend over the course of a longer treatment, especially when bills are starting to really pile up or any further specialist treatment/lab tests would cost a lot.

If you are in doubt, you should be able to talk things over openly and honestly with a good and trusted vet to weigh up the different angles, so you can make an educated decision whether to see the treatment through or whether/when it would be kinder to call it shots; the ultimate decision has to be always yours. We all draw the line according to our own nature, ethics and experiences. Each situation is different and unique, so there is no right or wrong as long as you do so based on your love for Nellie.
Some piggies have a strong will to live, so you are prepared to give them a chance for a bit longer; with others you have to really balance out just how much disconfort you want to put your piggy through when you are dealing with a deteriorating/terminal issue. it can sometimes be a very much day-by-day or even hour-by-hour assessment once you come close to the line.

I am very sorry; a kidney infection is a nasty thing to have and it is no fun at all having to try to get food into a piggy that is not so minded. Round the clock care can also really drag you down when it is running on for any length of time without any signs of improvement.

 

[VickiA]

Big Hugs to you x making that decision is just so hard. It's awful when your piggy is fighting your attempts to help and doesn't seem to be making a good recovery. I've always thought that my piggies have given me some subtle sign to tell me it's time. I have always had a saying that it's better a day early than a day too late. Only you know when that day is. I know how hard that is -my day was yesterday so I feel for you.

 

[Critter]

Oh hun my heart goes out to you (and Nellie too).

Somehow the light goes out in their eyes, and you know it's time to help them on their journey.
It can happen before that stage too, when a condition is determined to be terminal by the vet, and you say goodbye before they really suffer.
I think perhaps you suspect that time has come though? I know we all hope for sudden and amazing turns for the better, and it's tempting to give it just that bit longer, and that bit longer again, but perhaps it's time to see the vet again and let him/her give a prognosis.

Sounds like trying to eat is causing deep discomfort inside.

It's always hard, even when you are absolutely sure. Give her a huge love, and see what the vet says tomorrow x

 

[Liane]

I don't want to get my hopes up too much, but Nellie seems a lot brighter today and we've had more success with feeding her. She even had a little nibble of some grass today.

There's still something going on in her tummy, but we're waiting until she's finished her antibiotics before we do any imaging as she's not strong enough for an anaesthetic yet.

I'm cautiously hopeful that things could be looking up for Nellie