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Thinking of adopting an already ill piggy

amber89

amber89

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi all,

Firstly, if this is in the wrong place, please move it where it belongs.

My husband and I were thinking of adopting a 4th piggy for our heard.
The local shelter has 2 young healthy ladies (around 1 year old) and one already ill lady (around 4 years old).
I was thinking of taking the ill one, and to offer her a nice home at the end of her life. but first i would need some advice on the matter.

As said, the piggy is 4 years old, and was found abandoned by her previous owners. At the health check there were some lumps discovered, about which the shelter is saying that are most likely mammary tumors. In addition, she might be also suffering from hormonal imbalances. The shelter is saying that due to her already advanced age and operation is too risky and out of question.

There are now a few questions that are bugging me and i would like to have them sorted out before i decide.
  • Any idea about the life expectancy; the shelter is reluctant to give a time span.
  • Is there any treatment that we would need to give her? I am imagining that we will need to do some palliative care...
  • Any idea if my other piggies will bully her or treat her badly just because she is ill? Does anyone know how a heard would react if an already ill member is introduced? I am having a 2-3 years old castrated boar and 2 females (one is 1 year old, the other one is 6 months). I am not meaning if they will like her on not or predictions if the bonding will succeed or not. I believe i am more projecting human non-acceptance and discrimination of ill members onto a piggy heard.
  • Any other things that i should consider before adopting her? Any advice?
From a financial point of view, since she is already ill, we could have a special contract that would allow us to use the shelter's vet free of charge. I don't know though, if this also includes the treatments or how it is if we want to use a different vet. This will need to be clarified.

Thank you all!
 
Wow!
You are wonderful to think of giving a sick piggy loving home.

I can't answer the questions but my Jemimah was nearly 4 when she was spayed because of ovarian cysts and came through the op fine.
She was in good health though, apart from the cysts.
 
How lovely that you are thinking of taking on a poorly piggy.

Four isn’t really that old to have an operation. I’ve known people to have much older piggies operated on. Also, registering the lumps, you really can’t guess what they are. You could have a fine needle biopsy taken of the lumps which is a none invasive and quick procedure to see what they are. There’s every chance they could be fatty lumps or cysts although obviously they could be something more sinister but on a vet can diagnose.

I’m afraid I can’t answer the rest of your questions
 
Hey!
After adopting two healthy piggies from a shelter to add to my herd a few months before, I headed back to the shelter to adopt their sibling, who was ill and expected to be in the last year of her life. After the mandatory humping and a little chasing when she was introduced, the herd treated her well - she even became besties with one of the members! However, I’m not sure if the reason she was accepted into the group was because she was siblings with two of my other piggies.
Either way, it was truly wonderful looking after Bee, my little ill piggy, for the last 7 months of her life.
I’d totally recommend adopting the sickly guinea pig, even if they’ll only be in your life for a short time.
 
I just adopted a 5 year old piggy that has been at the rescue for 6 months. Nobody wanted her because of her age. She is the sweetest. We will spoil her and give her the life she deserves. Best of luck. You are very sweet.
 
How lovely you are thinking of adopting her. I’m sure whatever happens that she will have a better life in your care and will be happy amongst your other piggies x
 
My fondest well wishers and admire you for even thinking about taking on another piggie even one that as you expect to be poorly.
Takin any piggie is open to what happens this time you have a start on nature.
Best of luck x
 
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