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Need some emotional support and advice!

B

Bob's mom

New Born Pup
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Hi all,

I'm so nervous right now but trying really hard to maintain positive energy. My guinea pig (just turned 6 🎂) Bob has lost a lot of weight this past few weeks, but his weight finally started to stabilized. I took him to 2 different vets within these past weeks and the first one couldn't find anything wrong, the second one couldn't find anything wrong as well, but recommended I make an appointment so she can sedate him for xrays, fully check inside his mouth and do blood work. Of course I agreed because we need to find out what is going on with him, well I took him in this morning and I just got a call from the vet saying blood work looks good, mouth looks good, but she saw a formation of stuff in his bladder (she said not quit a bladder stone, but the edges look uneven, sorry I'm not able to explain it well). She said she was going to try flushing it out to prevent surgery. Well unfortunately, she wasn't able to flush it out and he just went into surgery. I kind of suspected it was that because last night he peed out blood. I just don't get it as I am super careful with his diet. I only give him 1 tablespoon of the Oxbow adult essential pellet and 1 leaf of green lettuce and a slice of pepper (sometimes a couple pieces of cilantro or endive), 1 ml of Childlife vitamin C and of course plenty of hay/fresh water per day. I only give him a very small piece (pinky nail size) of banana or apple once a week. I thought I gave him a pretty well rounded diet.

I am hoping he will recover just fine and be back to normal. I guess I'm just worried the stone/sludge will develop again, is this pretty common? What can I do to prevent it from happening again? What did I do wrong? This is the first time he's been ill and he's been with me since 3 months old. He used to weight 1100 and was big and fluffy, but he is down to 975 as of yesterday, although he is still energetic and feisty.

Scared,
Jessica
 
You have done an amazing job making sure your boy got the care he needed.
His diet sounds great and sometimes no matter what we do these things happen.
Does he have filtered water?

Aside form that I don't know what else to suggest, but take heart.
Our Ruby had bladder sludge a few years ago and the vet warned us it might be an ongoing issue. Touch wood with careful dietary management it has never happened again, so hopefully it will be the same for your boy too.

Sending both of you hugs tonight (or today depending on where you are!). :hug:
 
THANK THE HEAVEN! His surgery is done! They are monitoring him now to make sure he recovers well and will have him stay overnight for 2 nights. I guess my concern is that they are not a 24 hour clinic which means there won't be anyone to monitor him overnight, but the vet said usually if he doesn't recover within a few hours after surgery, he probably won't make it through the night. As if the past 5 hours wait wasn't bad enough, now I have to wait until tomorrow morning to really know he's okay. BUT I know my boy, he is a strong one and he is just fine!

Thanks for the hugs and reply! I'm glad little Ruby recovered well and never had issue again. What is her diet like? Could you please share so I can do the same? Also, I use Brita water filter, I know it doesn't filter out calcium, what do you suggest would be best?
 
Thanks so much! I think I'll finally be able to breath again once I hear he's okay tomorrow morning.......long night ahead!
 
Good luck Bob! 6 is a great age don't be harsh on yourself the fact you have managed to get this far with very few health issues is testament to the great care you've given.
 
Thank you! I'll keep you all posted tomorrow! Please pray for us!🙏
 
I am so glad the surgery is done - Bob sounds like one tough little piggy.
Come on Bob.

He has come so far, so I am sure he will make it through the night now.

But what i would say is unless he is being fed around the clock (every 3 - 4 hours at the very least) I would insist on bringing him home asap.
He will be fine (and probably out of it) for the next few hours anyway, but after that the real work starts.
I know every piggy is different, but the challenge now is to keep his gut active and working, even if he doesn't feel up to eating a lot.
With Ruby the treatment took it's toll and I had to syringe feed her for what felt like forever (it wasn't of course).
Get you boy home and get set up with gut stimulants, pain killers, syringes and recovery food.
Weigh him daily at the same time and be prepared to be super pushy with getting enough food into him to keep his guts going until he feels motivated to start eating on his own fully again.
Hopefully that will be fairly quickly - some piggies bounce back - but some take it hard and it takes a while.
 
My little boy didn't make it last night. The vet took him home with her because he wasn't as comfortable as she liked him to be and she would like to give him fluid etc during the night. I wish I would had insisted on taking him home myself, I wasn't there when he passed, he must of been so scared and wondering why I left him to die basically. I can't stop crying and thinking about him. I love him so much, he is like my son, i know it's silly I say that because he is not a human, but I really did treat him like one. I'm going to be seeing him one last time in 2 hours. I wish he made it and I can bring him home and pamper him, but it's just a wish and wishes never come true, so.....
 
I'm so sorry for your loss. He was an old boy when it comes down to it, and it sounds like you have given him a great life... he reached a good age with no problems. After a point the body doesn't work so well and these things just start to happen - the same as with people - and we can only do our best for our aging friends. We understand how you feel about him. If you had brought him home and he'd passed there you might have been wondering whether he'd have lived if he was with the vet, or whether he had as much pain relief as he needed etc. It's natural to go over and over things but be kind to yourself. He lived a full life thanks to you and he is now at peace. You will never forget him 💕 If he has left a friend behind try to spend time with them so they don't feel lonely - it will help you too x

As an aside I believe Brita does filter out calcium. Some of my pigs have done calcium pees but with no sign of stones, some of the stone pigs seemed to come out of the blue. It's something that we can try to guard against but there are no guarantees or there would never be a stone removal operation needed for another piggy.
 
Be kind to yourself sadly the secret to eternal life hasn't been found yet and 6 is not young by any means. Sadly these things are often unavoidable. Feel free to write about him in the rainbow bridge section with some pictures from happier times. Focus on the good not the bad, the beginning not the end, how he lived not how he died. Whys and what ifs will not bring him back but cherishing the memories he gave you could make him feel a little closer.
 
I am so sorry to hear this news.
Be kind to yourself - they might be small but that take a huge piece of our hearts the they leave :hug:
 
Thank you all for the kind words and encouragement. I'm just happy he is no longer in pain and he is with his brother, Jake now, hope they are having fun playing in heaven and behaving themselves. Jake and Bubbi, mommy will always love you boys.
 
I’m so sorry to read your sad news that Bob did not recovered from his op, sending you big hugs x
Sleep tight little man 🌈 go and meet your little brother Jake
 
@Bob's mom
Really sorry your little guy didnt make it. . .
Feeling bad leaving him is hard and many of us on this forum have had similar situations. But time will make you realise that it was you trying to fix him and make him comfortable. . . . .
Bob with Jake now . .
He had a great life and it comes across how much you love the little guy. . . I send you all the best . . No one wants there loved piggie to suffer.
Take care. . Have you any piggies left. :hmm:
 
Thank you all. We will have a private cremation on Thursday, I think once that's done and he can come home, i will start to feel better.

No more babies left, empty nester now. Maybe I can start fostering and give other piggies a home until they get adopted.
 
Have just seen your post and wanted to say how sorry I am that your little boy didn’t make it. I’ve lost a dearly loved piggy recently too so I know how heartbreaking it is. Take care of yourself ❤️
 
Sorry to hear about your loss too, still miss him so much, but I know he's being well taken care of by his brother over the rainbow bridge. You take care of yourself too.
 
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