• 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

Just had to put another guinea pig down…having a hard time…

B

Breee12199

New Born Pup
Joined
Oct 14, 2020
Messages
31
Reaction score
7
Points
130
Location
New york
I just had to put my 2 year old guinea pig down although i feel like he could have been saved ..what the emergency vet wanted to do was hospitalize hm etc….all for $3,600…honestly i dont have it. If there was a payment plan i would have done it for sure but I'm just torn because i feel like i should have took him home and waited for his next vet appointment which was Tuesday and see if they give him so medication to help…i feel like him being out down was too much and I'm beating myself up over it. The vet said that even with the hospitalization there would be a 25% chance of saving him…i just didnt want him to suffer..i had to force feed him last night and this morning and he hated it but then he was able to eat a bit of veggies on his own so i figured hey he isnt doing so bad..he was having difficulty breathing though…And the veg also said it sounded like there was fluid in his lungs so possibly and pneumonia…i didnt want him to suffer so i put him down…Am i doing something wrong? Please someone help. Is there anything you guys do to stay on top of Your guineas health? I feel like maybe i am not too attentive…i also feel like maybe i took him to the wrong place…or i am just overthinking it..this is the second guinea i had to put down at the same place…its like its either pay the outrageous amount of money they are asking or put him to sleep…it feels so unfair…
 
I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm sure you made the right decision for you and your piggy. I'm glad that you're sharing. I'm sure you'll get support here as many of us can relate to what you're going through. Hugs.
 
Breee12199 said:
I just had to put my 2 year old guinea pig down although i feel like he could have been saved ..what the emergency vet wanted to do was hospitalize hm etc….all for $3,600…honestly i dont have it. If there was a payment plan i would have done it for sure but I'm just torn because i feel like i should have took him home and waited for his next vet appointment which was Tuesday and see if they give him so medication to help…i feel like him being out down was too much and I'm beating myself up over it. The vet said that even with the hospitalization there would be a 25% chance of saving him…i just didnt want him to suffer..i had to force feed him last night and this morning and he hated it but then he was able to eat a bit of veggies on his own so i figured hey he isnt doing so bad..he was having difficulty breathing though…And the veg also said it sounded like there was fluid in his lungs so possibly and pneumonia…i didnt want him to suffer so i put him down…Am i doing something wrong? Please someone help. Is there anything you guys do to stay on top of Your guineas health? I feel like maybe i am not too attentive…i also feel like maybe i took him to the wrong place…or i am just overthinking it..this is the second guinea i had to put down at the same place…its like its either pay the outrageous amount of money they are asking or put him to sleep…it feels so unfair…
Click to expand...
BIG HUGS

I am so sorry. Your feelings are very normal for the situation and the stage of the grieving process; we are wired to always seek the fault with ourselves first and foremost - the more we love, the more we do it at the onset of the grieving process. :(

You have made the right decision. At that cost/success ratio, I would have made exactly the same decision without having a bad conscience. Take consolation in that you have spared him any unnecessary suffering and that you have given him a very happy life full of love.
Guinea pigs don't have a concept for an average life expectancy; they measure their lives in happy moments and good days. As long as you have given him days filled love and care, he has had from his point the kind of life he would wish for again. ;)

There seems to currently be a real issue with respiratory infections in petstore piggies in the USA and Canada - the commercial mass breeding, transport, caging in stressful and cramped conditions back-store and then at the front for youngsters whose life is upturned several times while their immune system is not yet fully developed makes the whole system a perfect breeding ground for respiratory bacteria to be passed around that can come back if under- or untreated and cause real problems later on. We are seeing a real upsurge in US piggies with respiratory problems sadly. Not your fault at all; just cosmic bad luck that your boy was one of the really unlucky ones!

In the UK, the largest chain did get rid of their breeding stock and old supplier and must have started with a new one some years ago because we suddenly stopped being questioned loads about respiratory illnesses and mange mites. Instead we were battling ringworm in large numbers in chain petshop piggies over the last several years. :(

Please take the time to read this guide here; I hope that it will help you to make sense of your strong emotions and unexpected issues as you go through the grieving process: Human Bereavement: Grieving, Coping and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children
 
Hope4gem said:
I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm sure you made the right decision for you and your piggy. I'm glad that you're sharing. I'm sure you'll get support here as many of us can relate to what you're going through. Hugs.
Click to expand...
Thank you for replying…i hope the choice i made was alright…it just feels so wrong…
 
Breee12199 said:
Thank you for replying…i hope the choice i made was alright…it just feels so wrong…
Click to expand...

You have made exactly the right choice, and it was made with love. As stated before, I would have made the same.

What euthanasia/putting to sleep (pts) inevitably comes with is a a hefty dose of soul-searching afterwards and very often strong feelings of guilt. It usually takes a while until head and heart catch up with each other. It is a normal part of the grieving process but the circumstances of the loss and how traumatic they were for you can make it all muchh worse for you. :(
 
Wiebke said:
BIG HUGS

I am so sorry. Your feelings are very normal for the situation and the stage of the grieving process; we are wired to always seek the fault with ourselves first and foremost - the more we love, the more we do it at the onset of the grieving process. :(

You have made the right decision. At that cost/success ratio, I would have made exactly the same decision without having a bad conscience. Take consolation in that you have spared him any unnecessary suffering and that you have given him a very happy life full of love.
Guinea pigs don't have a concept for an average life expectancy; they measure their lives in happy moments and good days. As long as you have given him days filled love and care, he has had from his point the kind of life he would wish for again. ;)

There seems to currently be a real issue with respiratory infections in petstore piggies in the USA and Canada - the commercial mass breeding, transport, caging in stressful and cramped conditions back-store and then at the front for youngsters whose life is upturned several times while their immune system is not yet fully developed makes the whole system a perfect breeding ground for respiratory bacteria to be passed around that can come back if under- or untreated and cause real problems later on. We are seeing a real upsurge in US piggies with respiratory problems sadly. Not your fault at all; just cosmic bad luck that your boy was one of the really unlucky ones!

In the UK, the largest chain did get rid of their breeding stock and old supplier and must have started with a new one some years ago because we suddenly stopped being questioned loads about respiratory illnesses and mange mites. Instead we were battling ringworm in large numbers in chain petshop piggies over the last several years. :(

Please take the time to read this guide here; I hope that it will help you to make sense of your strong emotions and unexpected issues as you go through the grieving process: Human Bereavement: Grieving, Coping and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children
Click to expand...
Thank you soo much for replying and for your kind words…i hope i made the right choice and he had a happy life…that could be it i did get him i think at petco and hes always had allergies its just i feel like i could have tried to treat him at home…but i didnt want him to suffer unnecessarily…my other guinea that passed I only had him for 2-3 month and had to put him down for a URI and i got them at the same time. It just sucks honestly…
 
Wiebke said:
You have made exactly the right choice, and it was made with love. As stated before, I would have made the same.

What euthanasia/putting to sleep (pts) inevitably comes with is a a hefty dose of soul-searching afterwards and very often strong feelings of guilt. It usually takes a while until head and heart catch up with each other. It is a normal part of the grieving process but the circumstances of the loss and how traumatic they were for you can make it all muchh worse for you. :(
Click to expand...
Thank you I'm sure i did. It just sucks it has to be like this honestly..i wish it wasnt so expensive to save him..i guess that just what i am feeling is alot of guilt..ill get over it…its just that it was a few hours ago and its weighing heavy on my heart…thank you for the support!
 
Breee12199 said:
Thank you soo much for replying and for your kind words…i hope i made the right choice and he had a happy life…that could be it i did get him i think at petco and hes always had allergies its just i feel like i could have tried to treat him at home…but i didnt want him to suffer unnecessarily…my other guinea that passed I only had him for 2-3 month and had to put him down for a URI and i got them at the same time. It just sucks honestly…
Click to expand...

It really sucks! You are by no means alone in your experience but the whole situation IS NOT YOUR FAULT.

What you can do is make an official complaint to the store and also to your local agency for trading standards for selling infected animals, costing you hundreds and thousands of dollars and ending in heart-break. As long as there is not enough pressure from buyers, nothing will unfortunately change. :(

If you want to do something constructive for your boys start with complaining and see whether you can get a group together on social media that share your experience.
 
Wiebke said:
It really sucks! You are by no means alone in your experience but the whole situation IS NOT YOUR FAULT.

What you can do is make an official complaint to the store and also to your local agency for trading standards for selling infected animals, costing you hundreds and thousands of dollars and ending in heart-break. As long as there is not enough pressure from buyers, nothing will unfortunately change. :(

If you want to do something constructive for your boys start with complaining and see whether you can get a group together on social media that share your experience.
Click to expand...
You're right honestly i feel so powerless in it all i dont think they will even listen to me. Its not even just the petstores too( alrhough it is a large portion too) its the medical system that is so bs…$3,600 is just so absurd
 
Breee12199 said:
Thank you for replying…i hope the choice i made was alright…it just feels so wrong…
Click to expand...
As Wiebke said you made exactly the right choice for your piggy. Please be kind to yourself as you grieve. Give the guides linked in Wiebke's post a read when you can/are able to do so. Those guides and the support of others on this forum really helped me when I have been grieving the loss of a piggy. Hugs.
 
Breee12199 said:
You're right honestly i feel so powerless in it all i dont think they will even listen to me. Its not even just the petstores too( alrhough it is a large portion too) its the medical system that is so bs…$3,600 is just so absurd
Click to expand...

Prices in the medical sector have gone up like mad even though New York has always been one of the most expensive places for vet care.

But the right to buy a healthy pet can be tackled with enough people (and buyer) power by people complaining and insisting on having their vet fees from the sale of ill guinea pigs reimbursed by the pet shops. It won't be quick and easy but people power via social media can get things going.

PS: I have noticed that hits on my ringworm care guide have sharply fallen since this summer - we hardly see any new UK cases now whereas in the previous 2-3 years we suddenly had around 10'000 hits every year; last year, we suddenly stopped around 8000 hits. Obviously enough people have been complaining and asking their vet fees back that it was finally cheaper and easier for the largest UK petshop chain to tackle their massive ringworm problem properly...

Just be kind to yourself in the coming days. It is OK to feel betrayed and hopeless right now. You can't walk away from this with just a little shake of your head; you are too caring and loving a person.
 
Wiebke said:
Prices in the medical sector have gone up like mad even though New York has always been one of the most expensive places for vet care.

But the right to buy a healthy pet can be tackled with enough people (and buyer) power by people complaining and insisting on having their vet fees from the sale of ill guinea pigs reimbursed by the pet shops. It won't be quick and easy but people power via social media can get things going.

PS: I have noticed that hits on my ringworm care guide have sharply fallen since this summer - we hardly see any new UK cases now whereas in the previous 2-3 years we suddenly had around 10'000 hits every year; last year, we suddenly stopped around 8000 hits. Obviously enough people have been complaining and asking their vet fees back that it was finally cheaper and easier for the largest UK petshop chain to tackle their massive ringworm problem properly...

Just be kind to yourself in the coming days. It is OK to feel betrayed and hopeless right now. You can't walk away from this with just a little shake of your head; you are too caring and loving a person.
Click to expand...
Ugh yes i hattttte being in NY everything is so expensive….it suck’s honestly youre right with enough uproar they will be force to confront this issue. I will see about writing a formal complaint and gather others with the same issue. Thank you i will try and be kind to myself and keep in mind my feelings are valid. Thank you for being so kind hearted and supportive, i really appreciate it :)
 
Hope4gem said:
As Wiebke said you made exactly the right choice for your piggy. Please be kind to yourself as you grieve. Give the guides linked in Wiebke's post a read when you can/are able to do so. Those guides and the support of others on this forum really helped me when I have been grieving the loss of a piggy. Hugs.
Click to expand...
Thank you i am going to take a look at them now. I definitely will try to be kind to myself during this time. Thank you for your support. Hugs.
 
So sorry for your loss, :hug:give yourself time to grieve and take good care of yourself, you’ve had a rough time x
 
I’m so sorry you had to make this difficult decision. You made it out of love. You gave your piggy a wonderful life with you. Take care. ❤️
 
I’m so sorry. You were faced with an unpalatable choice. But in your circumstances and with the poor chances of successful outcome I would have made exactly the same choice. Big hugs to you xx
 
I’m so sorry for your loss. PTS is never an easy decision for anyone.

My grandmom had to put her golden retriever down 2020 during covid’s early stages. I went with her to offer emptional support and still to this day she questions her decision. I always remind her Zoey could not breathe and her face was turning blue.

Right now you need emptional support and concelation through this difficult time. You have made the right decision and your piggy is not suffering.

P.S. for what it is worth exotic vets/vets in general are not great in my area either. I am just outside Philadelphia and I am switching vets. I have made a few threads over the last four months dictating the oddities my vet has done for my boys. Not a bad vet but the advice and care seem extremely outdated. Few things were said to me was totally archaeic and left me feeling off.

Good luck and godspeed.
 
dhill_cb7 said:
I’m so sorry for your loss. PTS is never an easy decision for anyone.

My grandmom had to put her golden retriever down 2020 during covid’s early stages. I went with her to offer emptional support and still to this day she questions her decision. I always remind her Zoey could not breathe and her face was turning blue.

Right now you need emptional support and concelation through this difficult time. You have made the right decision and your piggy is not suffering.

P.S. for what it is worth exotic vets/vets in general are not great in my area either. I am just outside Philadelphia and I am switching vets. I have made a few threads over the last four months dictating the oddities my vet has done for my boys. Not a bad vet but the advice and care seem extremely outdated. Few things were said to me was totally archaeic and left me feeling off.

Good luck and godspeed.
Click to expand...
I'm so sorry for her loss…yes it is a hard decision just dealing with anyone dying it so hard to cope with it feels like i lost a child..yes I'm in NY and I'm am so unsure of the treatment given to my Dash especially the way they handled him when given the shot…and also the decision to end his life…within time ill feel better…i felt very off and it felt so wrong, thank you for the support❤️
 
VickiA said:
I’m so sorry. You were faced with an unpalatable choice. But in your circumstances and with the poor chances of successful outcome I would have made exactly the same choice. Big hugs to you xx
Click to expand...
Thank you I'm sure it was the best choice and easiest to end suffering its just the guilt is killing me but i will be okay soon…thank you for replying ❤️
 
So sorry for your loss, especially under such circumstances.
Reading your post, I would have probably done the same as you.
@Wiebke has given you lots of great support and I would echo what she has said.
Be gentle with yourself as you grieve your beloved boy.
Hugs :hug::hug::hug::hug::hug:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top