Caring for Older Piggies and Facing the End - A practical and supportive information collection

[Wiebke]

1 Caring for Older and Frailer Piggies
- Overview of old age and its particular challenges (Guinea Pig Magazine article)
- In-depth care information
- The importance of regular health/weight monitoring and saving up for euthanasia/vet access
- Signs of illness/pain, emergency and hot weather care
- Common old age issues and practical care advice
2 Facing the End and Dealing with Dying and Loss
- Overview of the challenges and practical approaches when facing the end of life (GPM article)
- Detailed practical and sensitive information
- Practical end of life care advice (terminal illness, dying, pts/euthanasia)
- Support and further resources in the wake of a loss (human grieving and bereaved companions)


Looking after older guinea pigs and dealing with the fear, the practicalities of dying and the pain of loss can be rather challenging.

Below you can find a collection of guide links that contain helpful information and plenty of practical tips when caring for the elderlies at home to make life more comfortable for them in part 1.

The second part of the links are meant as a very practical and moral support for you to help you cope as well as possible when the end draws inevitably nearer and always happens too soon. It also contains links to where to look for and find help, including how you can support your children.


1 Caring for Older and Frailer Guinea Pigs

Overview of old age and its particular challenges (Guinea Pig Magazine article)
Journey through a Life Time, Chapter 6: Old Age deals with some general aspects when looking after and caring for older piggies as well as some common health issues. It makes a good overview of what to be aware of and how you may want to adapt a cage and your care.

Thread 'Journey through a Lifetime: The Ages of Guinea Pigs'

May 5, 2021

1 First Hours (Birth and newly born)
2 Baby Days (Nursing and weaning)
3 School Weeks (The overlooked formative learning period)
4 Teenage Months (Those pesky hormones...)
5 Adult Years (Looking at some frequent challenges)
6 Old Age (Caring for the elderlies)
7 Facing the End (How to make the most of any precious time left)


This article series has been written for Guinea Pig Magazine and has been published in issues #54-60 (Jan. 2020 - Jan. 2021) under the title 'Days of their Lives'. The article series is property of Guinea...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 6
• Forum: Species Understanding

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Practical care advice and information
Very helpful health monitoring information
We strongly recommend to please save up for any necessary vet care or euthanasia in order to minimise any unnecessary suffering.
Having your guinea pigs over 4-5 years old vet checked once or twice in a year can also help to catch any underlying health issues and prolong life or ease any developing discomfort or pain.

Please be aware that when the ageing immune system is losing its strength and flexibility, illness or opportunistic problems like parasites, fungal or bacterial infections etc. can strike with devastating speed and severity. The body can also suddenly start closing down if one of the major organs suddenly give way. Passing away peacefully while asleep - our socially accepted sanitised idea of the process - is unfortunately very much the exception and not the rule.

Please make sure that you can race your piggy to the nearest vet for euthanasia at any time to minimise their suffering when a recovery is no longer possible and death is not coming gently, if at all possible.
Hot weather and heat spikes can add extra stress to an already frail health and can tip a fragile balance. Please be extra careful about keeping your oldies in the most stable conditions as possible.


Helpful guides for general health monitoring and emergencies
Weight Monitoring and Management
Weight Loss Explained: BMI, Weighing, Poos and Feeding Support

Guinea pig body quirks - What is normal and what not?
Early Signs Of Illness
Signs of Pain in Guinea Pigs
How Soon Should My Guinea Pig See A Vet? - A Quick Guide

Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
Hot Weather Management, Heat Strokes and Fly Strike

More in-depth information on common old age health issues and their care/treatment
Looking after guinea pigs with limited or no mobility
Digestive Disorders: Diarrhea - Bloat - GI Stasis (No Gut Movement) And Not Eating
Fly Strike

Impaction - How To Help Your Guinea Pig.
Boar Problems 'Down Below' (Penis, Impaction, Testicles & Neutering, Mammary Tumours & Grease Gland)
Sow Problems 'Down Below' (Ovarian Cysts, Super-seasons, Womb Infection, Pregnancy & Mammary Tumours)

Guinea Lynx :: Lumps
Guinea Lynx :: Eyes
Guinea Lynx :: Heart
Guinea Lynx :: Pododermatitis

 

[Wiebke]

2 Facing the End and Dealing with Dying and Loss

The following sensitive guides are here to help you with your fears of impending loss; talk you in practical detail through caring for terminally ill guinea pigs, dying at home and euthanasia/putting to sleep (pts) at the vets, as well as providing sensitive and practical information and further support links in the wake of a loss.

What most people are not aware of is that our grieving process doesn't start after a loss; it starts the moment we realise that we have only very limited time left. Making the most of that remaining time and living it consciously can help you immensely with your grieving; it is much, much harder and more devastating for you when you let your fears take over and get stuck in denial.

There is not much detailed supportive information around but I have tried my best to write sensitive guides that talk you step-by-step through all the little and large practical aspects you may be facing at any stage of the process and hopefully allow you to have a easier ride through an experience that every pet owner will have to go through - although none of us ever wants to!

Overview of the challenges and possible approaches to end of life care and loss
Chapter 7: Facing the End of the article series link below gives you a good idea and an overview of some of the common challenges and how you can approach them to make the most of the time you have left for both your piggy and yourself.
Journey through a Life Time: The Ages of Guinea Pigs

Practical advice and information for End-of-life Care and Loss
Detailed practical help for crisis and end-of-life care
- Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
- First Aid: Immediate Care Measures and Non-medication Products

- A Practical and Sensitive Guide to Dying, Terminal Illness and Euthanasia in Guinea Pigs


Support and further resources in the wake of a loss
- Human Bereavement: Grieving, Coping and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children

- Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig
- First Aid: Immediate Care Measures and Non-medication Products


I sincerely hope that the information in this guide collection is helping you navigate a difficult time and getting the best out of it, both for your piggies and yourself.
It is never only just doom and gloom, but it is up to you how sweet or bitter this special time is going to be and how many precious memories and moments you will take from it. Love transcends time, and never more so when you know that time is limited.