Run Of Illness Getting Me Down

[Cuddles With Cavies]

Last year I had a healthy group of four. Now I only have two sisters left.

In December 9th 2016 I had to have my Bonnie pig put down due to a ovarian tumour.

On 11th April 2017 I lost Pebble due to a dental abscess identified during a routine dental.

And now, less than a week after losing Pebble, my girl Rosie is showing strong signs of a UTI.

I just feeling like such a failure because I'm obviously doing something wrong for three of my four guinea pigs to get ill within a matter of 5months of each other.

 

[Wiebke]

Last year I had a healthy group of four. Now I only have two sisters left.

In December 9th 2016 I had to have my Bonnie pig put down due to a ovarian tumour.

On 11th April 2017 I lost Pebble due to a dental abscess identified during a routine dental.

And now, less than a week after losing Pebble, my girl Rosie is showing strong signs of a UTI.

I just feeling like such a failure because I'm obviously doing something wrong for three of my four guinea pigs to get ill within a matter of 5months of each other.

BIG HUGS!

As soon as you have several piggies, you get unfortunately clusters of deaths; they don't happen evenly. That can be hard to take! We all struggle with that as we deeply care for our piggies.

But as long as the deaths are not connected and your piggies have each time received medical vet and home care to your best ability, you do not have to feel like you are a failure - however, while your head can accept that, it usually takes longer for your heart. Your feelings are very typical for the grieving process when you have to cope with several deaths/illnesses in close succession. Only time can heal that.

If it is a consolation for you, I am currently grappling with those feelings, too. While I was blessed not to lose any of mine during the year my husband has been so ill, my piggies are currently making up for it. I have lost 6 since last August, 4 of them since the beginning of the year. Maelog and Papi had do be rushed to the vets for pts within 3 days of each other and my Angharad, which I only lost last weekend, was the first younger one at only 2 years that I have lost since 2011... I still miss her very much and am still very upset about it. It's all happened before I had time to get over the previous deaths, so my soul still feels rather overstuffed at the moment and reacts with a kind of emotional indigestion.

Please try to concentrate on what you can do for your remaining piggies. You can never control what your beloved ones (human or animal) die from and how long they live. What you can do is, is making them happy and care well for them while they are with you. That is what counts!

We are currently in UTI season after a spell of warm spring weather when many piggies have gone on the lawn for the first time and stayed to long a on ground that was still a bit too cold and damp or have been moved outside before conditions are quite right yet. The loss of a companion will not help as it lowers the immune system somewhat, so the bereaved piggies are often more susceptible to underlying issues becoming visible or to opportunistic problems like URI, UTI, fungal, mites etc.

 

[Lady Kelly]

I do feel for you. At Christmas I had 4 pigs and by mid Feb it was 1. Two were through old age though Pete had been ill on and off for a year and then Isobel who had pneumonia, an abscess, overgrown teeth and a jaw deformity. It's so hard. Right now i'm back up to 3 but daisy (who was on her own for a month or so before finding new friends) currently has diarrhoea. I would just like some time without vets visits and medication

 

[Elwickcavies]

I have had a similar run of piggies dying, some naturally and some with help. It is heartbreaking and we all go through that self-doubt, wondering what we are doing wrong. The real answer is that we're probably not doing anything wrong at all. We care about our pets and try to do the very best for them, which is why we get so upset when they leave for whatever reason. Wiebke is absolutely right...it isn't even and more often than not, when you have a few, they tend to go in clusters. Sending hugs. Try not to blame yourself - you're doing a great job. x

 

[Cuddles With Cavies]

BIG HUGS!

As soon as you have several piggies, you get unfortunately clusters of deaths; they don't happen evenly. That can be hard to take! We all struggle with that.

But as long as the deaths are not connected and your piggies have each time received medical vet care to your best ability you do not have to feel like you are a failure - however, while your head can accept that, it usually takes longer for your heart. Your feelings are very typical for the grieving process when you have to cope with several deaths/illnesses in close succession.

If it is a consolation for you, I am currently grappling with those feelings, too. While I was blessed not to lose any of mine during the year my husband has been so ill, my piggies are currently making up for it. I have lost 6 since last August, 4 of them since the beginning of the year. Maelog and Papi had do be rushed to the vets for pts within 3 days of each other and my Angharad, which I only lost last weekend, was the first young I have lost since 2011... I still miss her very much and am still very upset about it. It's all happened before I had time to digest the previous deaths.

Please try to concentrate on what you can do for your remaining piggies. You can never control what your beloved ones (human or animal) die from and how long they live. What you can do is, is making them happy and care well for them while they are with you. That is what counts!

We are currently in UTI season after a spell of warm spring weather when many piggies have gone on the lawn for the first time and stayed to long a on ground that was still a bit too cold and damp or have been moved outside before conditions are quite right yet. The loss of a companion will not help as it lowers the immune system somewhat, so the bereaved piggies are often more susceptible to underlying issues becoming visible or to opportunistic problems like URI, UTI, fungal, mites etc.

Thank you much and I'm so sorry to heard about your husband and piggies. It's so difficult to deal with everything at once. But the huge ammount of support of this forum is amazing and definitely helps. Thank you