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Sad for little Elsie

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Gianetta

Gianetta

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I think my six and a half year old may be coming to the end of her journey. I took her to the vets yesterday because she has been losing weight and now has diarrhoea. He said she has a large mass in her abdomen which he can't do anything about. He gave her an antibiotic injection and a steroid injection, but she doesn't seem any better today. She isn't eating much -refusing her favourite treats even - though she has nibbled a tiny bit of hay and carrot today. She still has diarrhoea and when I pick her up I can feel she is terribly thin.

I don't want her to suffer, but how can you tell when a piggy is in pain - small animals tend to disguise the fact that they're in pain, don't they?:0
 
I am so sorry that you think Elsie is coming to the end of her journey :( She will let you know if she is in pain so don't worry about that. If I were you, I would just keep her warm and comfortable x
 
I'm sorry things aren't looking good for Elsie. A piggie in pain will usually lose their appetite and will often raise their hair to give them a fluffed up appearance. These symptoms are common among other illnesses, not always ones involving pain, but they do also specifically occur in relation to pain. I believe diarrhoea can also be painful.

Keep offering her various foods, especially her favourites, and plenty of cuddles too. If you think she is in pain, 0.2ml children's Nurofen/Calpol can be given to ease the discomfort.
 
I am sorry about Elsie - give her lots of cuddles!
 
So sorry to hear about Elsie. She is in our thoughts and we are praying for good news for you. x x
 
So sorry to hear Elsie is unwell, but I'm sure she has many happy memories with you and 6 and a half is an excellent age, just think about all the good times and keep her nice and warm. x x x
 
She seems to be fading away.
A pig that is not eating is NOT necessarily in either discomfort or pain.
Her loss of appetite is almost certain to be age related.
 
Not good today. She has stopped eating altogether and her eyes are nearly closed all the time. I put her and her friend in their playpen on the spare room floor this afternoon so that I can clean out the indoor cage and she hardly seemed to have even enough energy to get a drink. She is sitting in the wooden hut on vet bed with Tessa (who seems to be looking after her) at the moment.

I have made another appointment with the vet for 6.10 but I think the only thing she'll be able to do is help her on her way. Elsie has always had a good life and I don't want her to end it by suffering more than necessary.
 
I am sorry - I had to pts more than one piggy, and I know how hardbreaking and gutting it is!

BIG HUG
 
I took Elsie back to vet today and we agreed that the kindest thing was to put her to sleep. I trust my vet absolutely and I'm sure we did the right thing. Both me and my OH (who is about as soft as I am when it comes to our pets) were in tears, but Elsie had a good life and now I can remember her running around the run on the grass in summer or up at the bars of her indoor cage looking for treats in winter.

We've just had Tessa out for a cuddle which she seemed to enjoy. I have put her back in the cage now and she seemed to be looking for Elsie - going in and out of the bedroom as if she was wondering where she was. Hope she will be OK - if she seems to sad I will have to think about getting her another companion.

This is the down side to pet ownership, but I still think it's worth it.

RIP Elsie
 
You must feel very down. Have you left Elsie at the vets? Otherwise it will help Tessa if she can say good bye to Elsie.

It would be good if you would consider letting Tessa choose another friend by herself, either a sow or a neutered male, if you have a rescue near you that you are allowed to take Tessa.

It's worked for me brilliantly twice with three year old sows. Once, I ended up with another sow and once with a neutered boy. Age is not important, liking is!

http://www.guineapigrehome.org.uk/gp/centres.asp
http://www.sokelguineapigrescue.com/
http://www.popcornparadiseanimalrescue.co.uk/
 
so sorry for your lose 8... run free at the bridge Elsie

the hardest thing is saying goodbye to a baby 8...
 
Thank you all for your good wishes.

I know it's probably not what anyone would advise, but I have been down to my local P @ H and acquired a 2 year old sow from the adoption centre. I took her straight to my vets and had her checked out - seems fine, just extra toes on back feet, then went home with her. Apparently she has been in the store since last October, came in with 5 others, both male and female, so she has been in the back to make sure she wasn't pregnant (some of them were). I felt sorry for her, sitting there by herself, so I thought it was worth the risk. I put the playpen out in the spare room and divided it down the middle so they could sniff noses, but Tessa went mad biting the bars as if she wanted to go and see the new piggy, so I tried them in together and Tessa just went and jumped into the basket of hay with the newcomer and they sat there eating hay together like old friends! It seems to be so far so good. The newby is called Giselle. She's a big girl, white and tan, sort of dutch-marked, smooth haired but with a rosette in the middle of her forehead and a ridge of hair down half her back - bit of a mixture, as is Tessa.

I'm going to miss Elsie, but I'm glad Tessa seems to have found a friend - I didn't like the idea of her being on her own.
 
Giselle - what a wonderful name! Everyone is different, and if you've got a lone piggy needing a friend then it sounds like a great solution, as Giselle needed a home.

Hope you are ok, and hope they continue to bond well

Sophie
x
 
I am so sorry that Elsie has passed but you have done the right thing. Sleep peacefully Elsie x

Tessa will never forget Elsie but hopefully her pain will be easier now she has Giselle. Good luck to you all x
 
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