What to do for Patrick

weepweeps

weepweeps

Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Nov 22, 2020
Messages
21,348
Reaction score
38,928
Points
2,465
Location
Wiltshire
Patrick is now a single boy after Pebble went over the rainbow bridge on Monday.

I know he needs a friend but half of me wants to get him a friend and the other half wants to stop the piggy cycle. The reason I want to stop the cycle is that vet fees are getting so high now.

I do have an appointment to meet a baby boy on Sunday. But like I say I’m in two minds about it.

Is it ok to get another piggy if I know I won’t be able to afford big operations if they get ill? Obviously I will get pain meds, antibiotics, eye creams for hay poke if needed. It’s big costly operations I won’t be able to go for.

I’d love to keep Patrick on his own but I know that’s not an option.

IMG_4768.webp
 
Tough choice.
Vet bills are crippling now and many of us have to think twice about how much treatment we can afford.

Is fostering a piggy an option?
One the rescue will take back when Patrick is no longer with you ?
The only rescue I know near you is at Burford though.

Your vet may know someone who needs to rehome a piggy

Why not see how the meeting with the baby boy goes and then go with your heart .

Hugs 🤗
 
It's really a tough decision.
Getting Patrick a new friend would be the best option for him.

Would you be able to put a small amount aside each month so that you could have money available if it has to be?
Or could a pet insurance be an option? (Don't know if you have something like this in the UK and for guinea pigs.)
 
I think there are a lot of piggies out there that would love a home with an owner who will do their bidding and maybe cuddle them and plump up their hay pillows ❤️ The operations are a major gamble anyway. Quite often they only buy a few weeks or months unless the piggy is quite young, and then they don't usually need big procedures at a young age. But I can understand being hesitant to give your heart to a piggy when health issues might ruin everything. It is a very difficult decision ❤️🙏 You could maybe take on a piggy who is older and in rescue, give him or her a happy home and a good life for the remainder of their time.
 
Any piggy would be lucky to have a home with you and Patrick. I don't think not being able to afford the big operations should deter you from keeping Patrick and finding him a new friend. I don't know what the percentage of guinea pigs is that need a major operation but I don't think it's that high. I'm sure many of us have decided a limit on how far we are prepared to go with vet bills. My own thoughts after having 3 piggies have quite major surgery is just because we can doesn't mean we should and I don't think I will be doing it again.
Good luck on Sunday. Patrick and your heart will tell you if baby is the way to go.
 
Viennese Furbabies said:
It's really a tough decision.
Getting Patrick a new friend would be the best option for him.

Would you be able to put a small amount aside each month so that you could have money available if it has to be?
Or could a pet insurance be an option? (Don't know if you have something like this in the UK and for guinea pigs.)
Click to expand...
Yes I do have some money aside. But Pebble’s dental in January was £400. Then more for syringe feed and meds. £250 for consultations as it was an exotics. It just goes so quickly 😢 @anyar.dris do you have insurance? Would you recommend?
 
Truffolo said:
I think there are a lot of piggies out there that would love a home with an owner who will do their bidding and maybe cuddle them and plump up their hay pillows ❤️ The operations are a major gamble anyway. Quite often they only buy a few weeks or months unless the piggy is quite young, and then they don't usually need big procedures at a young age. But I can understand being hesitant to give your heart to a piggy when health issues might ruin everything. It is a very difficult decision ❤️🙏 You could maybe take on a piggy who is older and in rescue, give him or her a happy home and a good life for the remainder of their time.
Click to expand...
Thank you.

I did think about that. It could be an option.
 
I'm always grateful that I live in Austria when I read about vet costs in the UK. The prices have gone up here as well (probably doubled in the last years), but they are still not as high as in the UK.
(In other aspects, I would love to be in the UK though. When it comes to boarding for example.)

i think it's terrible when someone takes on a guinea pig and then just gived it away or refuses any kind of treatment because they realize that guinea pigs can become ill and can cost more money than they originally payed for it.
But you're a very dedicated owner and I agree that the fact that you can't afford a major operation shouldn't keep you from getting another piggy.

I'm lucky enough to be able to afford treatment for my piggies (a dog would be a different thing all together because you might have to give an arm or a leg for an operation of a dog, especially a larger one, in Austria).
But that doesn't mean that I go along with every treatment suggestion the vets come up with. I have refused operations because I thought the risk would be too high or too much stress altogether. I've refused further diagnostics because a piggy would have been too stressed by it (like @Roselina 's Freddy).
And I don't have the time to keep a piggy going with round the clock syringe feeding for more than a day or two because I have to work long hours.

But yes, that means that sometimes you have to live with the guilt and the heartache that comes with loosing a piggy when you feel that you couldn't do everything that might have been possible to buy another few weeks or months.
But I have had 34 plus my current 3 so far (I'm nearly 35 years of keeping piggies) and only 3 or 4 of them could have had ongoing treatment that I didn't go along with. The much higher number of heartbraking losses where with piggies the vets just couldn't help.
 
Viennese Furbabies said:
I'm always grateful that I live in Austria when I read about vet costs in the UK. The prices have gone up here as well (probably doubled in the last years), but they are still not as high as in the UK.
(In other aspects, I would love to be in the UK though. When it comes to boarding for example.)

i think it's terrible when someone takes on a guinea pig and then just gived it away or refuses any kind of treatment because they realize that guinea pigs can become ill and can cost more money than they originally payed for it.
But you're a very dedicated owner and I agree that the fact that you can't afford a major operation shouldn't keep you from getting another piggy.

I'm lucky enough to be able to afford treatment for my piggies (a dog would be a different thing all together because you might have to give an arm or a leg for an operation of a dog, especially a larger one, in Austria).
But that doesn't mean that I go along with every treatment suggestion the vets come up with. I have refused operations because I thought the risk would be too high or too much stress altogether. I've refused further diagnostics because a piggy would have been too stressed by it (like @Roselina 's Freddy).
And I don't have the time to keep a piggy going with round the clock syringe feeding for more than a day or two because I have to work long hours.

But yes, that means that sometimes you have to live with the guilt and the heartache that comes with loosing a piggy when you feel that you couldn't do everything that might have been possible to buy another few weeks or months.
But I have had 34 plus my current 3 so far (I'm nearly 35 years of keeping piggies) and only 3 or 4 of them could have had ongoing treatment that I didn't go along with. The much higher number of heartbraking losses where with piggies the vets just couldn't help.
Click to expand...


That’s really interesting to read @VienneseFurbabies
It’s also very comforting to read your words.
I really appreciate what you have said 🥰 and I’m sure @weepweeps will do too
 
Morning just reading this it is such a shame that increasing vet bills impact negatively on wonderful people like you who could give a guinea a loving home 💙
I don't think insurance is cost effective here when I looked into it therefore I started putting some into The Guinea Fund each week as well as the good old penny pot for random change and I've been lucky that the fund has done well before needing to be used but I realise it's not an option for everyone.
The older boy idea I think is great if a rescue would have you as a foster carer then the boys get your love and the rescue takes on the cost if they start to need expensive medications
Have you called the RSPCA? I'm not sure what rescues are near you or if you can travel 🤔
Is Patrick doing ok at the moment if so I guess you don't have to make a decision immediately.
Sending you both a big hug, Pebble and Pepper will guide you 🌈
 
The insurers ask for the piggy's age and cover ends when they are five. They renew the contract each year and exclude existing conditions. They exclude dental work in rodents completely in practice. You have to pay upfront and then claim after the excess. It's not a user friendly contract unless you are used to dealing with complex contracts (aka a lawyer type person) I was put off by what seemed to me to be rather one sided conditions, but I am sure there have been owners who have benefitted from cover. It seems like a big gamble to me. Also I am not sure of my piggies' ages. They could be over the limit anyway. What if I have an MRI scan for Polo and find out, for instance, although I don't think it is the case, that he has a tooth abscess along with a URI and ear infection? Would the ins. co pay for the MRI if it is connected to work on his teeth? 🙁
 
Truffolo said:
The insurers ask for the piggy's age and cover ends when they are five. They renew the contract each year and exclude existing conditions. They exclude dental work in rodents completely in practice. You have to pay upfront and then claim after the excess. It's not a user friendly contract unless you are used to dealing with complex contracts (aka a lawyer type person) I was put off by what seemed to me to be rather one sided conditions, but I am sure there have been owners who have benefitted from cover. It seems like a big gamble to me. Also I am not sure of my piggies' ages. They could be over the limit anyway. What if I have an MRI scan for Polo and find out, for instance, although I don't think it is the case, that he has a tooth abscess along with a URI and ear infection? Would the ins. co pay for the MRI if it is connected to work on his teeth? 🙁
Click to expand...
You only find out once you put in the claim. Saving for vet bills and being realistic about my expectations I find more workable than paying quite substantial amounts to the insurance company 🤨
 
Viennese Furbabies said:
I'm always grateful that I live in Austria when I read about vet costs in the UK. The prices have gone up here as well (probably doubled in the last years), but they are still not as high as in the UK.
(In other aspects, I would love to be in the UK though. When it comes to boarding for example.)

i think it's terrible when someone takes on a guinea pig and then just gived it away or refuses any kind of treatment because they realize that guinea pigs can become ill and can cost more money than they originally payed for it.
But you're a very dedicated owner and I agree that the fact that you can't afford a major operation shouldn't keep you from getting another piggy.

I'm lucky enough to be able to afford treatment for my piggies (a dog would be a different thing all together because you might have to give an arm or a leg for an operation of a dog, especially a larger one, in Austria).
But that doesn't mean that I go along with every treatment suggestion the vets come up with. I have refused operations because I thought the risk would be too high or too much stress altogether. I've refused further diagnostics because a piggy would have been too stressed by it (like @Roselina 's Freddy).
And I don't have the time to keep a piggy going with round the clock syringe feeding for more than a day or two because I have to work long hours.

But yes, that means that sometimes you have to live with the guilt and the heartache that comes with loosing a piggy when you feel that you couldn't do everything that might have been possible to buy another few weeks or months.
But I have had 34 plus my current 3 so far (I'm nearly 35 years of keeping piggies) and only 3 or 4 of them could have had ongoing treatment that I didn't go along with. The much higher number of heartbraking losses where with piggies the vets just couldn't help.
Click to expand...
Some people get piggies and find that they don't want them after all because the cleaning, taming housing and hay are too much for them. Some people wish they could have cats or dogs instead because they are more physically accessible than piggies. Some people love all the cleaning and are happiest deep in poop and hay mucking them out and doing their laundry, bum cleaning and patiently dangling coriander over the cage, never happier than when they look up to see their piggies snoozing comfortably or indulging in a hard won head rub ❤️. If you are set up for piggies and despite years of being exploited by them, still want more, then you shouldn't hesitate. You are a piggy person 🥰 I think the day to day struggle is more important to making a decision than the painful moment of saying goodbye 🙏❤️
 
Some very interesting points coming across.

I love the cleaning out days and the poop scooping. Washing the bedding and stroking them and the rumble strutting and wiggling their bums. They are so lovely. But then that’s why we are all on the forum because we LOVE PIGGIES. 😍

I’m feeling more happy getting another piggy now. Thank you all for your comments. ❤️
 
weepweeps said:
Yes I do have some money aside. But Pebble’s dental in January was £400. Then more for syringe feed and meds. £250 for consultations as it was an exotics. It just goes so quickly 😢 @anyar.dris do you have insurance? Would you recommend?
Click to expand...
Hi. Yes we have insurance for Bodie and Carson (and our few past piggies as well). We recovered the money that we paid when Carson had his op to remove his cyst and all the tests done and meds (around £600+). We had to pay £66 excess I think. We pay £25 monthly for 2 piggies.

I could recommend getting the piggies insured, but if the piggy has recurring issues already those issues won't be covered. But every new issues unrelated to the recurring issues can be claimed back. With dental, hubby said he thinks you can claim half of the costs back.
 
anyar.dris said:
Hi. Yes we have insurance for Bodie and Carson (and our few past piggies as well). We recovered the money that we paid when Carson had his op to remove his cyst and all the tests done and meds (around £600+). We had to pay £66 excess I think. We pay £25 monthly for 2 piggies.

I could recommend getting the piggies insured, but if the piggy has recurring issues already those issues won't be covered. But every new issues unrelated to the recurring issues can be claimed back. With dental, hubby said he thinks you can claim half of the costs back.
Click to expand...
Thank you 🤩 Who is your provider?
 
anyar.dris said:
Hi. Yes we have insurance for Bodie and Carson (and our few past piggies as well). We recovered the money that we paid when Carson had his op to remove his cyst and all the tests done and meds (around £600+). We had to pay £66 excess I think. We pay £25 monthly for 2 piggies.

I could recommend getting the piggies insured, but if the piggy has recurring issues already those issues won't be covered. But every new issues unrelated to the recurring issues can be claimed back. With dental, hubby said he thinks you can claim half of the costs back.
Click to expand...
That seems very good I'm sure when I initially looked it was around £70 a month for one of our boys and that's when I thought well I can put that away each month for them. Who is that insurance with? 🤔
 
Truffolo said:
I don't like that they stop cover at five. If your piggy lives to old age, it's partly because he has been looked after carefully. There should be a reward for that. But it does sound like there may be advantages in being insured 🙏❤️
Click to expand...
Yeah, that's the only issue. They only cover up to 5 years for guinea pigs.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top