Forever Evan
Junior Guinea Pig
Here I am again, mourning the sudden death of a beloved piggie. Butterscotch, who we rescued along with Caramel in July of 2015 (after Evan passed away) went to popcorn in piggie heaven with his brothers yesterday, Christmas Eve. He stopped eating on Thursday-went to vets Friday-diagnosed with GI Stasis-put on Critical care, probiotic, vitamin C and metacam-went back to vet Saturday morning because he was just getting worse-vet prescribed an additional antibiotic-administered antibiotic at 2:45-returned from Christmas program at 6 and he was gone by 7.
Here is a picture of Butters from Tuesday...
Here's what I find "off". He was eating a bit with the Critical Care, and was drinking and eating vegs a bit. Definitely not his normal self, but was trying. His breathing seemed labored, which is why I took him back to the vet on Saturday. Anyways, when we returned home after the program, he had lost the use of his back legs and was in great pain. He was moaning. It was absolutely horrific.
I picked him up to put him in his carrier to have him PTS but he passed on the way, about 3 minutes after I left home with him.
I know I will never really know what ultimately took him, but can antibiotics cause this kind of rapid decline? He wasn't in pain prior to the antibiotic, but I know that he had lots of gas build up in his belly that showed clearly on his x-rays. Could this be due to a twisted stomach?
We are absolutely devastated - we've lost three beloved piggies within a short time frame, and Butters was only about 2 years old. I know they are fragile. I know they hide their symptoms and then go down quickly. I'm just wondering about the antibiotics for future reference.
His brother, Caramel, misses him dearly. We hope to find him a new brother soon from Piggie Poo rescue in Phoenix, which is where we got Butters and Carmy.
Anyways, I'm rambling. The vet I took him to was referred by the rescue, so I am confident she is cavvy savvy, but something in my gut tells me it was the meds that sped up his death. I feel he was going to die regardless, but the sudden and horrific end that ultimately happened will haunt me for a long time, and I don't want to put any other future guineas we have suffer the same fate.
If any of you know anything about this, please let me know.
Thanks,
Heather, now guinea mom to only Carmy (Caramel)
Missing Evan, Rolo and Butters (Butterscotch) horribly on this Christmas day...
Here is a picture of Butters from Tuesday...
Here's what I find "off". He was eating a bit with the Critical Care, and was drinking and eating vegs a bit. Definitely not his normal self, but was trying. His breathing seemed labored, which is why I took him back to the vet on Saturday. Anyways, when we returned home after the program, he had lost the use of his back legs and was in great pain. He was moaning. It was absolutely horrific.
I picked him up to put him in his carrier to have him PTS but he passed on the way, about 3 minutes after I left home with him.
I know I will never really know what ultimately took him, but can antibiotics cause this kind of rapid decline? He wasn't in pain prior to the antibiotic, but I know that he had lots of gas build up in his belly that showed clearly on his x-rays. Could this be due to a twisted stomach?
We are absolutely devastated - we've lost three beloved piggies within a short time frame, and Butters was only about 2 years old. I know they are fragile. I know they hide their symptoms and then go down quickly. I'm just wondering about the antibiotics for future reference.
His brother, Caramel, misses him dearly. We hope to find him a new brother soon from Piggie Poo rescue in Phoenix, which is where we got Butters and Carmy.
Anyways, I'm rambling. The vet I took him to was referred by the rescue, so I am confident she is cavvy savvy, but something in my gut tells me it was the meds that sped up his death. I feel he was going to die regardless, but the sudden and horrific end that ultimately happened will haunt me for a long time, and I don't want to put any other future guineas we have suffer the same fate.
If any of you know anything about this, please let me know.
Thanks,
Heather, now guinea mom to only Carmy (Caramel)
Missing Evan, Rolo and Butters (Butterscotch) horribly on this Christmas day...
