RomyAndMichelle
Junior Guinea Pig
Romy was 3.5 years old. I'd had her from the age of about 2 months - I adopted her and her sister Michelle from a family who realised they were unable to adequately care for them.
I love them dearly. They're also (at my grand old age of 38) my first ever pets, so this is my first time experiencing this type of grief. I've been crying for days and questioning everything that I did. I feel like I failed her
Romy started off with a URI a few weeks ago. We gave her the course of medication which seemed to work, but at the follow up the vet was concerned about her fast heart rate and slightly low weight (she's always been smaller than her sister despite how much she eats).
So she then had an ultrasound of her heart, which showed thickening of the heart walls. The vet believed this and the low weight was likely to be caused by a hyperactive thyroid. She didn't want to do blood tests because the anaesthetic would have bene too risky for her. So we started Romy on the thyroid medication to see if we found an improvement in heart rate and weight gain.
A couple of days on the meds she was lethargic and barely eating. I called the vet and we agreed we should stop the medication for now. Feed her up, and try the meds again later at a lower dose.
The day after stopping the meds she seemed to be improving. She was still quiet and tired but she started eating again. And a couple of more days she was eating even more and becoming more spritely, wheeking again and jumping on top of her hideys!
On Friday she seemed mostly normal, but I noticed once or twice she was just just stood staring into space. But aside from that she was still playing a little, and eating and drinking plenty.
On Saturday morning I found her passed away. I am so so sad. I keep thinking if she'd never started that medication she'd have just been fine. I should have left the poor girl alone and not forced her to take the medication.
When I found her, she was lay with her back against the cage bars with her little head slightly poking out. I am now worried about this position. Was she in so much distress that she was biting at the bars trying to get out? Was she trying to ask for help?
Attached some pics of my beautiful late Romy, and one extra pic with her sister Michelle
I love them dearly. They're also (at my grand old age of 38) my first ever pets, so this is my first time experiencing this type of grief. I've been crying for days and questioning everything that I did. I feel like I failed her
Romy started off with a URI a few weeks ago. We gave her the course of medication which seemed to work, but at the follow up the vet was concerned about her fast heart rate and slightly low weight (she's always been smaller than her sister despite how much she eats).
So she then had an ultrasound of her heart, which showed thickening of the heart walls. The vet believed this and the low weight was likely to be caused by a hyperactive thyroid. She didn't want to do blood tests because the anaesthetic would have bene too risky for her. So we started Romy on the thyroid medication to see if we found an improvement in heart rate and weight gain.
A couple of days on the meds she was lethargic and barely eating. I called the vet and we agreed we should stop the medication for now. Feed her up, and try the meds again later at a lower dose.
The day after stopping the meds she seemed to be improving. She was still quiet and tired but she started eating again. And a couple of more days she was eating even more and becoming more spritely, wheeking again and jumping on top of her hideys!
On Friday she seemed mostly normal, but I noticed once or twice she was just just stood staring into space. But aside from that she was still playing a little, and eating and drinking plenty.
On Saturday morning I found her passed away. I am so so sad. I keep thinking if she'd never started that medication she'd have just been fine. I should have left the poor girl alone and not forced her to take the medication.
When I found her, she was lay with her back against the cage bars with her little head slightly poking out. I am now worried about this position. Was she in so much distress that she was biting at the bars trying to get out? Was she trying to ask for help?
Attached some pics of my beautiful late Romy, and one extra pic with her sister Michelle
Attachments
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Screenshot_20240805_111640_com.android.gallery3d_edit_1044156606640673.webp -
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Screenshot_20240805_112305_com.android.gallery3d_edit_1044176902068795.webp -
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