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Piggie to be PTS tomorrow - worried about sister left behind

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sport_billy

sport_billy

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Unfortunately tomorrow morning I've got to take our beautiful pig 'Pitch' to the vets to be PTS. She has been battling dental problems for the past 3 months.
Luckily 2 weeks ago we found an amazing caring experienced GP vet who has done everything she can for her over the past 2 weeks. She has had conscious dentals, antibiotics to no avail and an x-ray wednesday has revealed that the roots of her teeth are all intertwined in her jaws, this seems to be causing her immense discomfort.

She no longer eats veg or hay and has been Syringe fed by us for the past month. She is on Metacam and Vetergesic but can no longer eat even a leaf of parsley without it falling out. Her weight has steadily declined to 720g

I have seen her in her food bowl today but she is struggling so much, the majority of the time she is sitting fluffed up looking depressed. We are absolutely heartbroken, I don't think either of us have stopped crying all day. It's been the most agonisng decision we've ever had to make and we were ready to get it done today, but wanted to see if the Metacam and taking her off Septrim would make a difference, but I feel like I'm only keeping her alive because I don't want to lose her.

She leaves behind a sister whom she lives with. I txt Laura for some advice yesterday on if I should show Putt her sisters body and it seems that is the best course of action to help Putt realise Pitch won't be coming back.
Is there anything else I should do over the next few days? Should we spend more time with Putt or will she need time to grieve on her own. I am so worried about how she'll cope, they are so close. I'm distraught that I've got to take Pitch away from her.

Thanks
 
awww so sorry about Pitch, will be hard for you, but no more pain, be thinking of you, hope you sort Putt out.

So sad, be strong x
 
Thanks Bailey, Doglovin, Emj - they are both asleep next to each other at moment. I've set a bed up in the front room to spend tonight with them. But I think it's time, I can't let her suffer anymore, she is so far removed from the pig she used to be. But just when I pluck the courage up to be sure i'm making the right decison she'll give a little chunter or fluff her beautiful hair up and it cuts so deep inside.

You only get one life and we've gotta make the choice to end hers 8...
 
I'm really sorry to hear of your piggys ill health and now her lack of future its never nice, but its probably for the best ' be cruel to be kind'.

In regards to your other piggy some extra attention over the next few days wouldn't go a miss but it may be worth considering a new play mate for her in the not to disant future. Some pigs have been known to die of loneliness and heart break.:(:(:(
 
sport_billy said:
Thanks Bailey, Doglovin, Emj - they are both asleep next to each other at moment. I've set a bed up in the front room to spend tonight with them. But I think it's time, I can't let her suffer anymore, she is so far removed from the pig she used to be. But just when I pluck the courage up to be sure i'm making the right decison she'll give a little chunter or fluff her beautiful hair up and it cuts so deep inside.

You only get one life and we've gotta make the choice to end hers 8...
Click to expand...

I know exactly how you feel love, my first piggy Sid i lost to teeth probs, he just went after his second lot of ga because he had lost so much weight and he was dribbling all the time, he was so interested in his food, but struggled to eat it...like you say...a shadow of their former selves.

My heart goes out to you x>>
 
((HUGS))- I'm so sorry. My piggie Frenzy passed away last summer after similar dental issues... she had a dental abscess that got down into the jawbone and caused osteomyelitis... we were syringe feeding her and giving her pain meds and antibiotics but the bacteria got into her bloodstream and she died of septicemia. It was a terrible thing to see her go through and it just broke my heart when she died, so I really feel for you and your pig.

When Frenzy passed, it was overnight in her cage with her 'sister' Linney. Linney did have some kind of understanding of what had happened, I think. They always slept in the pigloo together, but Linney had dragged the pigloo further over, leaving Frenzy's body outside. When we had been taking Frenzy to repeated vet appts (some of which were surgical where she would be gone most of the day) Linney would always be agitated and run around and look for her... after she died, Linney did not look for her anymore. We did notice that she was more subdued after Frenzy died... she kept eating and drinking but was not very active or playful- with no one to play with she tended to just sit. We did give her lots of attention because I think she was lonely. We knew that we would get her another companion, so we loved her up a lot during the quarantine period before introducing a new friend... when she first caught sight of the new piggie, she actually popcorned out of excitement so she had obviously been lonely without a cagemate.

From my experience I do think it helped that the death took place in the cage... I have heard that showing the body can help them to stop looking for the other pig, but since I haven't experienced the loss where the sick one leaves and just doesn't come back I'm not sure if it makes a huge difference. I would give Putt lots of love, and if you're considering getting another companion I would do it sooner rather than later... I know when I lost Frenzy my kids wanted to get another pig within a few days... I didn't feel 'ready' emotionally but did it anyhow because I wanted Linney to get new company as soon as possible. I had a hard time bonding with the new pig, Sundae, for the first little while, but it did help the kids a lot, I think it was best for Linney, and in the end I did end up bonding with Sundae just as much as I had with Linney and Frenzy.

((HUGS))- hope this helps a bit and thinking of you at a hard time.
 
I'm so sorry to hear about Pitch x I don't have any advice for Putt, just thinking of you during this difficult and sad time x
 
Thanks Freela, that has realy helped. I don't think I can get another Piggie for some time, we are not emotionally ready and Putt has some health problems also that are unfortuantley going to need addressing over the next few months (which makes it worse as Pitch won't be around for her).

Putt has looked for Pitch when she's been at the vets also, so when I put her little body in tomorrow I expect Putt to go and have her usual nuzzle of Pitch, I hope she understands...

Thank you all for been so kind and all your advice, I'm going to sign off now and get her some Critical Care syringe fed.

Lee + Rach x
 
So sorry, I had a similar scenario with one of my pigs, I syringe fed him for 2 months, in the end I realised I was keeping him alive for me, not because it was good for him. It was the hardest decision I have ever made, but I realised I should have made it sooner. You just keep hoping that they turn a corner and start getting better dont you?
I am thinking of you, and yes, get a pal for sister pig soon. xx
 
So sorry about your difficult decision. Today is going to be tough, thinking of you and Putt x
 
I don't know what you are going through right now but I understand and send massive hugs. I had my dear sweet piggy Prince Harry put to sleep in December and it was one of the one the hardest things I have ever gone through but I knew it was the kindest thing I could do for him as he was suffering terribly and there was nothing else that could be done for him. Sometimes, sadly caring for a pet means having to make the decision to let them go because you want what's best for them and the kindest thing is to end their suffering.

I'll never forget my nana's words when I rang her to tell her that Prince Harry had gone, her reply was "he'll be sitting up there saying, thank you mummy for doing the kindest thing for me and ending my pain and suffering and thank you for a fabulous life"

sending hugs
 
Thinking of you during this very sad time. I am in tears as I write this, both of my old girls have had to be pts, Sherbet had bladder cancer she had numerous treatments and an op I would of tried anything to have kept her but the night I came back from the vets and saw that she was still in pain I knew I had to be strong and do the right thing for her. She went to sleep in my arms that night, it broke my heart. Lily just succumbed to old age but I also made the descision that was right for her and not me but because we care we do whats best for them no matter how much it hurts us. Love and piggy kisses to you all. x
 
It's so sad, I really feel for you. It's hard to loose a piggy at any time but when you have to make the decision I would imagine it's even harder.
When I lost Stripes the last thing I wanted to do was get another pig straight away but Spike looked so sad on his own I found it a comfort for him and me knowing that Stripes leaving us was an opportunity to give another rescue pig a loving home. It doesn't stop you grieving but helps you find something positive in a very sad situation.
Sending you a big hug x
 
I am so sorry! PTS is a hard decision indeed, but it is one we can thankfully take when one of our piggies is in major discomfort without any betterment in sight. You have done everything possible to help Pitch!

Let Putt say good bye to Pitch; usually, that won't take long. You will notice when Putt moves away to the other side of the cage and ignores her dead sister.

Let Putt grieve for a few days, but she will be ready for life and a new mate within a week or so. Piggies do not grieve less than we do (or indeed forget their friends, which they don't) but they have to get on with surviving.

The best thing for Putt is if you took her to a rescue that allowed piggy dating, so Putt could choose her own friend herself. I have done that twice very successfully before I started the Tribe. You yourself may not be ready, but you have to think about Putt's needs. Keep an open mind as to the gender. My 3 year old lady Dizzy fell hard for 12 months old Llewelyn's charms and they had a very loving "marriage" for as long as she lived. Dizzy had adopted herself to my bereft Minx (who was exactly the same age) on a previous occasion. You will be amazed how quickly your bereaved piggy will spring to life and have a shiny coat again and take pleasure from the fact that at least you have been able to make one piggy's life worthwhile again!

The RSPCA Walsall has several boys in who are currently being neutered (however, they don't do dating, as far as I know) or you could try and contact Donna (petcrazy) in the Telford area. Kidsgroviemad (another forum member) runs a rescue in Stoke-on-Trent and there are two rescues in Coventry, RAGS and Cheylesmore. It is worth ringing around!
http://www.freewebs.com/rags-rabbits/guineapigsforrehoming.htm
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cheylesmore-Guinea-Pig-Rescue/128818547173443 or http://www.cheylesmoreguineapigrescue.co.uk/home
(Cheylesmore have currently a couple of sows and two unneutered single boars, Timmy and Peter, in. They are all listed in the rehome section; the boars can both be neutered).
 
I'm so sorry to hear this:(

I know exactly how you must be feeling, I lost my beloved patch recently, he was diagnosed by the vet as having teeth problems but on seeing a rodentologist this wasn't the case . I did the syringe feeding like you but he passed away shortly after.

If your piggie is suffering I think you are doing the best thing I know it's very hard. I worried about patch's friend being left alone but luckily I had a baby boar to pair him up with

hope the pain eases for you soonx
 
Thanks to everyone for their kind thoughts. This forum has been a constant source of strength and information for us during our time as piggle parents.

Pitch was PTS today at 12pm and passed away so peacefully, she was gassed first to make her sleep before the injection was delivered and we stroked her. She has left an irreplaceable place in our hearts. Putt seemed to take it well, she went over annd gingerly sniffed a few times. then walked away. I hope she understands....

We have just had Putt on our lap feeding her some parsley. It feels so strange not seeing Pitch in the cage and needing to syringe feed her while watching tv together. I guess we'll have to find a new kind of normal.

We will consider pairing Putt up again in the future maybe, but at the moment I want to make sure she is well as she's being having some health problems also.

Thank you again for your kind words it means so much to know people care and understand how much we love our piggles.

x x x
 
I am glad that Pitch had a peaceful passing and That Putt seems OK.

It is difficult to find a new routine as you are constantly reminded of your loss in so many little ways.
 
Wiebke, that is so true, I feel so grateful to have had her in our life. We have just put some photo's up in the rainbow bridge section. I didn't know about 'the bridge' until a few months ago. It seems a perfect place... thanks again x
 
I feel for your loss. I had to make the same decision before christmas over my darcy but it was the right thing to do. My friends izzy passed away last week and dougal her mate was devoted to her. I run the potteries guinea pig rescue and paired him up the same day with dot and they are great together. Hope you can sort something soon x x helen
 
I'm so sorry to hear about Pitch, and what a horrible decision to have had to make.....but it's always better to make that decision a day too early than a day too late.....and it sounds like you've made the right choice for little Pitch. Big <<<hugs>>> to you, Pitch, and little Putt. Tracey x
 
((HUGS))- I'm glad it was peaceful, and that Putt got the chance to say goodbye. We were regularly syringe feeding our piggie Frenzy before she passed away and I remember the constant feeling of 'gotta go and feed the pig' for the first few days after she passed. Sending lots of good wishes your way.
 
I am sorry to hear about Pitch how awful for you all and poor Putt losing a sister. I feel for your loss, i lost a piggie not so long ago its heartbreaking sending hugs your way.
 
So sad - I am so sorry to hear about your lovely piggy.......
 
I'm so sorry to hear about Pitch but atleast she is no longer in any pain and you will always have good happy memories of her forever xx
 
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