Am I being crazy? 😞

[Neesy95]

So as some of you may know from my other threads, I have lost 2 guinea pigs in the space of 3 weeks.

This has broken me and scared me and I'm just going crazy.

Every little thing with my remaining piggies now, I'm really paranoid. I'm convinced they are really sick and going to die too. Even though I know that this sounds mental.

I have 3 remaining guinea pigs from my original 5. Nine and Zorro and their 3 babies, Lancelot, William and pixie.
Sadly Nine and Pixie are the two that have passed away.

So we have Zorro, Lancelot and William left.

Zorro has got a minor bloat problem, it's easily fixed with a massage and a little bit of pain relief and belly rubs. So we are in the process of seeing which vegetable is causing this, we have removed broccoli, and kale. And now spinach. As I'm know sure what is causing it, we are removing all cruciferous types of vegetables.

William seems fine, he's always a grumpy little man, but he's fine and acting the same.

Lancelot, has always been a little bit of a chubby boy, but otherwise healthy. Today I picked him up to treat him with some ivermectin (have given everyone a dose as we have now gotten 2 new babies who have fleas, got them to raise the morale of the remaining piggies as I know 2 deaths can be hard for them). Lancelot is eating very well and hasn't gone off of food and is still happy in himself. And usually I would think there was nothing wrong.

But now that I'm all paranoid and terrified of losing another one, I picked him up and I'm like maybe it's not his usual chub, maybe he's bloated? I can still sort of squish his belly but he doesn't seem to enjoy being squished (I guess no one would) , I do not think he feels any different to when I picked him up every other time, but now that we have had the deaths I'm just thinking, am I being neglectful? Is he bloated? Am I a crap owner?

He's eating well, hasn't gone off of food, certainly hasn't lost any weight and feels as chubby as he always has, and is going to the loo too. He's currently eating hay as we speak. Should I be worried? Like I said, I can squish his tummy and its fine but then I cant squish it all the way, but I guess I'm not supposed to be able to?

I'm just so stressed and scared right now. His tummy made some very loud gurgling noises when I had hold of him, but when I put his belly to my ear, I couldn't hear much, the moment he wasn't near my ear and back on my lap, I heard his belly do all sorts of noises.

Am I being crazy?

 

[Wiebke]

So as some of you may know from my other threads, I have lost 2 guinea pigs in the space of 3 weeks.

This has broken me and scared me and I'm just going crazy.

Every little thing with my remaining piggies now, I'm really paranoid. I'm convinced they are really sick and going to die too. Even though I know that this sounds mental.

I have 3 remaining guinea pigs from my original 5. Nine and Zorro and their 3 babies, Lancelot, William and pixie.
Sadly Nine and Pixie are the two that have passed away.

So we have Zorro, Lancelot and William left.

Zorro has got a minor bloat problem, it's easily fixed with a massage and a little bit of pain relief and belly rubs. So we are in the process of seeing which vegetable is causing this, we have removed broccoli, and kale. And now spinach. As I'm know sure what is causing it, we are removing all cruciferous types of vegetables.

William seems fine, he's always a grumpy little man, but he's fine and acting the same.

Lancelot, has always been a little bit of a chubby boy, but otherwise healthy. Today I picked him up to treat him with some ivermectin (have given everyone a dose as we have now gotten 2 new babies who have fleas, got them to raise the morale of the remaining piggies as I know 2 deaths can be hard for them). Lancelot is eating very well and hasn't gone off of food and is still happy in himself. And usually I would think there was nothing wrong.

But now that I'm all paranoid and terrified of losing another one, I picked him up and I'm like maybe it's not his usual chub, maybe he's bloated? I can still sort of squish his belly but he doesn't seem to enjoy being squished (I guess no one would) , I do not think he feels any different to when I picked him up every other time, but now that we have had the deaths I'm just thinking, am I being neglectful? Is he bloated? Am I a crap owner?

He's eating well, hasn't gone off of food, certainly hasn't lost any weight and feels as chubby as he always has, and is going to the loo too. He's currently eating hay as we speak. Should I be worried? Like I said, I can squish his tummy and its fine but then I cant squish it all the way, but I guess I'm not supposed to be able to?

I'm just so stressed and scared right now. His tummy made some very loud gurgling noises when I had hold of him, but when I put his belly to my ear, I couldn't hear much, the moment he wasn't near my ear and back on my lap, I heard his belly do all sorts of noises.

Am I being crazy?

Hi

HUGS

It is normal to be somewhat jittery and questioning yourself in the wake of a sudden loss; especially a multiple one or one that has happened under traumatic circumstances. However, if you are veering into obsessive health monitoring and being sure that you are going to lose your remaining piggies as well, then it is time to seek help. The last two years have been extremely stressful for all of us, which does contribute to a stronger reaction/higher anxiety levels/more mental health problems.

Please contact one of the (free) Blue Cross platforms for pet bereavement issues which are staffed by specially trained volunteers; they offer a range of services on different platforms. Pet bereavement is a recognised mental health problem (parallel to human bereavement) that can happen to anybody but if you are already having some other mental health issues, like anxiety, it makes you more likely to experience it.

Here is the link to the Blue Cross pet bereavement page: Pet bereavement and pet loss

I have written an article for Guinea Pig Magazine last year about owner anxiety spilling over into their pet care with lots of practical advice, which you will also find helpful. Some things will sound familiar to you: Human Pet Anxiety - Practical Tips For Sufferers and For Supporters

Don't feel ashamed; it can happen to anybody. Fifteen years ago I was frozen in my grief about my still most special piggy Minx for 18 months - sadly that was before there was any help or even much understanding/sympathy for owners of small animals out there. I so wish there had been someone to talk to, and I could have got out of it much sooner and easier!

You will do much better and get through it much more easily if you have some trained support. It is not something you have brought onto yourself and it is definitely not a reflection of you being a bad owner. It is just that you are currently not in a good place and could do with getting out of there with a little help. We all end up face down in one of life's puddles sooner or later and often repeatedly; that is part of life. Don't be too proud in making use of services on there that will help your bruised soul to get up and going again. Talking is the best thing you can do for yourself.

Life is not about what puddles you fall into but about getting and up and going again - making use of a hand stretched out to pull you up is no shame. Sitting in the puddle and suffering in silence is ultimately much more harmful. Thankfully, there is a lot more general understanding, tolerance and support out there these days.

Just go and look after yourself so you can enjoy piggies and life again in due time!

 

[Merab]

Holding you in my heart

 

[Neesy95]

Thank you so much @Wiebke for your advice. I have actually contacted the blue cross bereavement service and have found that it has helped a little bit.

I do suffer from depression and anxiety already, so the death of 2 of my beautiful piggies just made the situation worse for me.

I'm definitely not okay at this time, but I guess that's okay too.

Lancelot seemed to sense my stress yesterday and after I posted my original post I went to the bedroom (also where our piggies are based) and he popcorned for me to sort of show me "look mummy I'm fine!"

I have definitely been double guessing all the usual piggy behaviours and doubting myself as a good owner.

My piggies know they are loved unconditionally and they love giving me cuddles and kisses to reflect their love back too, and I just need to focus on making their lives happy.

My two new baby piggies have settled in nicely, we got them on Tuesday and they were wary at first but by Thursday they were wheeking and telling us off about the amount of carrot I gave. I am trying to wean them off of their love of carrots but it seems that is mainly what they ate before they came home with us. I rescued them from some dire conditions local to me, (also reported them to the council after I got the babies out of there!). It seems they were only fed cheap nugget muesli type food and carrots, I'm trying to introduce them to new things (slowly) but still got told off when I only gave them 6 small pieces of baby carrots with the rest of their dinner. I caved and gave one extra piece to each of them, I'm glad they are already comfortable enough to tell us off!

Its hard not to harbour guilt because the 2 I have lost were so young, but they also knew all the way to the end they were loves and cherished and I need to focus on that. I have found it really therapeutic to paint some stones for their graves, and I take so much comfort that they are buried with my many other pets and also that they have each other too.

I really want to say I really appreciate your advice and really am grateful to all the help/support I have received from yourself and all the other members. I'm a pretty new member and it's warmed me to see how welcoming everyone is already.

Thank you for telling me what I needed to hear in regards to me feeling like I have lost the plot.

Here are some pictures of me and Lancelot getting cuddles this morning and some of the stones I painted for their graves (haven't treated them to make weatherproof yet so they aren't on the graves yet). And a couple of pictures of the new babies! They are not named yet, we are trying to get to know their individual personalities before we name them!

Again thank you so much!

 

[weepweeps]

Those stones are wonderful. So pretty. Such a lovely idea. Take care.

 

[Merab]

Thank you so much @Wiebke for your advice. I have actually contacted the blue cross bereavement service and have found that it has helped a little bit.

I do suffer from depression and anxiety already, so the death of 2 of my beautiful piggies just made the situation worse for me.

I'm definitely not okay at this time, but I guess that's okay too.

Lancelot seemed to sense my stress yesterday and after I posted my original post I went to the bedroom (also where our piggies are based) and he popcorned for me to sort of show me "look mummy I'm fine!"

I have definitely been double guessing all the usual piggy behaviours and doubting myself as a good owner.

My piggies know they are loved unconditionally and they love giving me cuddles and kisses to reflect their love back too, and I just need to focus on making their lives happy.

My two new baby piggies have settled in nicely, we got them on Tuesday and they were wary at first but by Thursday they were wheeking and telling us off about the amount of carrot I gave. I am trying to wean them off of their love of carrots but it seems that is mainly what they ate before they came home with us. I rescued them from some dire conditions local to me, (also reported them to the council after I got the babies out of there!). It seems they were only fed cheap nugget muesli type food and carrots, I'm trying to introduce them to new things (slowly) but still got told off when I only gave them 6 small pieces of baby carrots with the rest of their dinner. I caved and gave one extra piece to each of them, I'm glad they are already comfortable enough to tell us off!

Its hard not to harbour guilt because the 2 I have lost were so young, but they also knew all the way to the end they were loves and cherished and I need to focus on that. I have found it really therapeutic to paint some stones for their graves, and I take so much comfort that they are buried with my many other pets and also that they have each other too.

I really want to say I really appreciate your advice and really am grateful to all the help/support I have received from yourself and all the other members. I'm a pretty new member and it's warmed me to see how welcoming everyone is already.

Thank you for telling me what I needed to hear in regards to me feeling like I have lost the plot.

Here are some pictures of me and Lancelot getting cuddles this morning and some of the stones I painted for their graves (haven't treated them to make weatherproof yet so they aren't on the graves yet). And a couple of pictures of the new babies! They are not named yet, we are trying to get to know their individual personalities before we name them!

Again thank you so much!

I love the stones.
That’s such a lovely idea.
Hugs

 

[Poppy + Dandelion]

Hi

I'm so sorry you're feeling like this, I know how hard it can be. Last year I lost my sweet Dandelion and it was completely unexpected, and since then I've been much more anxious about Poppy. Seeing a little change in her behaviour can lead me to thinking the worst and constantly checking on her.
I don't know if this will be helpful to you but I'd thought I'd share a few of the things that have helped me

- writing everything down, just getting all my thoughts down on paper really helps, or if you've got someone to talk to
- Looking at it from a logical point of view. For example, yes I'm worried about Poppy, but why? Because of... yes but remember...
- Enjoying each day as it comes, (easier said than done) but living in the moment and enjoying all the time you have with your piggies

I hope this helped

Sending big hugs and I love the stones!