losing my first piggie

[whovian213]

hi friends. this is my first post because i guess i never felt the need to until now, but now that one of my piggies has passed unexpectedly, i feel so alone. for some context, i have had my two pigs for about five years now, and they were a year or two old when i adopted them from a classmate. last night i came home to find one with what i now know to be a uterine prolapse. i'll spare people the details, but it looked bad. after calling around and trying to find an emergency vet for hours, my mother took her to a vet quite far from our house. she went into surgery late last night and it was looking good, but i just got the message that she didn't wake up. i really don't know what to do with myself. all i can think about is how i never got to kiss her forehead goodbye, how she saved my life so many times, and i couldn't save hers. she and her sister would popcorn around, run up the ramp with so much energy, and i just can't bear thinking that that's all over. i wish i had gone with her or found her a little earlier or something, but i didn't and i don't know how i can forgive myself for not being with her at the end. i don't think her sister has realized yet, but i've read that they can even die from grief, and i can't bear to lose her too. i apologize for the disjointed nature of this post, but i have no idea how i am supposed to do this.

 

[Tiamolly123]

i’m so sorry it must have been quite a shock for you. A lot of the time it’s the anaesthetic that is bad for them.
Your piggy will be fine for a while, but it would be good to go to a rescue & see if they have a piggy for your one. It sounds so callous as if your trying to replace her. Because of how close, the two were she will miss her friend terribly. Hope you get on OK. Lots of kisses & cuddles for the remaining one

 

[weepweeps]

I’m so sorry you have lost your piggy. Such a terrible shock for you. Please don’t blame yourself. You saw she was ill and you found a vet to try and help her. That’s all anyone can do. It sounds like she had a wonderful life with you. She knew how much you loved her because she felt your love every day she was with you. Give your remaining piggy lots of love and attention. Keep an eye on them to make sure they are not pining. If you notice them not eating then it’s a good idea to get them a friend. Take care.

 

[h_and_piggies]

I’m sorry for your loss. Sleep tight little piggy.

 

[Merab]

I am so very sorry for your loss.
It’s a devastating way to los a piggy who was so deeply loved.
Be patient with yourself - grief takes time.
Have a look at some of the bereavement guides and help in the information threads.
Holding you in my heart

There is no right or wrong way to post here.
You said what is in your heart and that is exactly the right thing.

 

[VickiA]

I am so sorry for your loss. Take time to remember all the happy times. Sleep tight, little one.

 

[Claire W]

I’m so sorry for your loss Please don’t blame yourself. You had her seen by a vet as soon as you knew she was poorly, sadly you could do know more and the outcome would have been the same if you’d had her seen sooner or found her sooner.

Keep an eye on her sister. Some pigs grieve badly but some act as though nothing had happened, hopefully that will be the case for your little one.

It’s going to be hard for you but the best thing you can do for your remaining piggy is to get her a friend preferably from a rescue so she can choose her own friend but there’s no rush

You may find the following threads helpful Death, Dying, Terminal Illness; Human Grieving and Bereaved Companions: Information and Support for Owners and Their Children

I am thinking of you both at this sad time x

 

[Tiamolly123]

i’m so sorry it must have been quite a shock for you. A lot of the time it’s the anaesthetic that is bad for them.
Your piggy will be fine for a while, but it would be good to go to a rescue & see if they have a piggy for your one. It sounds so callous as if your trying to replace her. Because of how close, the two were she will miss her friend terribly. Hope you get on OK. Lots of kisses & cuddles for the remaining one

Whoops I have just read my post. I don’t think you are callous at all. I just didn’t want you to feel callous because you were looking for another guinea so quickly after you lost the other. OMG that didn’t sound much better. I need a hole to crawl in.

 

[munchmonster]

My heart goes out to you right now. Sometimes, with grief, we try to reason why, then end up blaming ourselves for maybe overlooking something or not getting them help sooner. What you are going through is natural but give yourself time to grieve in whatever way is right for you. Keep the happy memories in your heart and she will never be far away. Run free over the rainbow bridge little piggy xx

 

[Wiebke]

hi friends. this is my first post because i guess i never felt the need to until now, but now that one of my piggies has passed unexpectedly, i feel so alone. for some context, i have had my two pigs for about five years now, and they were a year or two old when i adopted them from a classmate. last night i came home to find one with what i now know to be a uterine prolapse. i'll spare people the details, but it looked bad. after calling around and trying to find an emergency vet for hours, my mother took her to a vet quite far from our house. she went into surgery late last night and it was looking good, but i just got the message that she didn't wake up. i really don't know what to do with myself. all i can think about is how i never got to kiss her forehead goodbye, how she saved my life so many times, and i couldn't save hers. she and her sister would popcorn around, run up the ramp with so much energy, and i just can't bear thinking that that's all over. i wish i had gone with her or found her a little earlier or something, but i didn't and i don't know how i can forgive myself for not being with her at the end. i don't think her sister has realized yet, but i've read that they can even die from grief, and i can't bear to lose her too. i apologize for the disjointed nature of this post, but i have no idea how i am supposed to do this.

BIG HUGS

I am ever so sorry. That is not a nice thing to happen to any piggy; it can very occasionally happen to an older sow but is sadly in most cases fatal for them and always a rather traumatising experience for any loving owner.

Please do not feel guilty or get hung up in the what ifs - you have done all the right things and everything you could do very much against the odds right from the start. Even had you been there and been able to have her seen immediately, she may not have necessary recovered or the prolapse stayed tucked in, as we have seen from other previous cases. All you can do in these situations is your best. Your girl was in good hands when she passed.

While you could not be with her in the end, she would have still been aware of your love on some deep level.
Guinea pigs measure their lives in happy days and not in a set life span. You have very much given her those joyful days that she wanted and have not failed her in any way.

Please be aware that your guilt, soul-searching the devastation from the shock of your sudden loss are very normal for the onset of the grieving process for any caring person after an unexpected loss. If you feel overwhelmed, please seek help. Talking is the best thing you can do for yourself right now. We have to grieve as much as we love; they are the two sides of the same coin.
Please be kind with yourself and give yourself the time to grieve but not be too embarrassed to seek support if you feel like drowning and not getting a foot back on land. Our society has sadly blended out loss very much out of our regular experience but that means that we have also lost the societal and communal support structures and formal rituals that would have been there in previous times when death was a much more common experience.

Please take the time ro read these very practical links here which tell you what your can do for the remaining sister right now and in the coming days and weeks and what you can do for yourself to make sense of what you are experiencing now and in the coming days and weeks as well as where to find help; especially if you have never encountered loss before:
Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig
Human Bereavement: Grieving, Coping and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children

 

[rhymer]

So sorry for your loss.
Your little piggy will know how much you loved her.
Please be kind to yourself as you grieve.
If you decide to get your other pig a friend, dating at a rescue is good idea.
I always try to think of a new piggy not as a replacement but as an extension of the love you have to give.
Sending hugs.
Sleep tight little one.xx

 

[Wiebke]

hi friends. this is my first post because i guess i never felt the need to until now, but now that one of my piggies has passed unexpectedly, i feel so alone. for some context, i have had my two pigs for about five years now, and they were a year or two old when i adopted them from a classmate. last night i came home to find one with what i now know to be a uterine prolapse. i'll spare people the details, but it looked bad. after calling around and trying to find an emergency vet for hours, my mother took her to a vet quite far from our house. she went into surgery late last night and it was looking good, but i just got the message that she didn't wake up. i really don't know what to do with myself. all i can think about is how i never got to kiss her forehead goodbye, how she saved my life so many times, and i couldn't save hers. she and her sister would popcorn around, run up the ramp with so much energy, and i just can't bear thinking that that's all over. i wish i had gone with her or found her a little earlier or something, but i didn't and i don't know how i can forgive myself for not being with her at the end. i don't think her sister has realized yet, but i've read that they can even die from grief, and i can't bear to lose her too. i apologize for the disjointed nature of this post, but i have no idea how i am supposed to do this.

PS: Acute Pining in bereaved guinea pigs is thankfully very rare. As long as your sister is eating and drinking, she will keep. Often a little syringe feed will kickstart the appetite again.
You can find more practical information in our Bereaved Companions guide which I have linked into my first post, including how soon to look for a companion (which is NOT rushing out and getting another piggy right now as your own piggy will need some days to grieve as well) and an in-depth discussion of the of the emotional 'replacement' tangle that a loss often poses for loving owners; it is generally more of a problem of unnecessary expectations you are putting on yourself and can be worked around.
Here is the link again: Looking After A Bereaved Guinea Pig

 

[Flutterby]

I'm so sorry for your loss xx