Jakeb1515
New Born Pup
I wanted to come on here and post our experience with regards to the loss of our little boy, Rodney.
Our hearts ache today having woken up yesterday morning to our beloved pig, who crossed the rainbow bridge on Saturday morning.
This all started on Friday morning when we noticed that Rodney had slightly laboured breathing, with some exaggerated movement in the abdomen. He was still tucking into his hay, hay cookies, feed and drinking well. Being vigilant and concerned custodians to him, believing this was a sign of something underlying, such as bloat or pericardial effusion, we took him to a local vet, one which has been recommended by other members of this page previously.
After a quote for £400, the vet gave him a single x-ray, diagnosed gas bloat and prescribed carbodote (0.5ml every 30 mins) and gave him an injection for buprenorphine (opioid) and metaclopramide (antiemetic).
When the vet mentioned the use of a pain relief I asked if we could have the oral suspension of metacam, however he insisted to give an injection of the opioid, buprenorphine. When questioned if this would impact his eating (something which was currently still very healthy) he stated, it would make him "eat more" and that he would feel "like he's had a really strong joint".
Needless to say, Rodney became a shell of himself immediately following the visit to the vet, refusing to eat and drink, becoming extremely vacant and with no real recovery from this drug for over 45 hours, when he passed away having struggled for nearly two days.
The struggle which we are currently dealing with is that we asked how the drug would impact his eating and were ill-advised that it would actually improve his eating. Having further researched this drug, the number one side effect is "anorexia", which seems extremely contradicted in this case of gas bloat, in which keeping the system moving is key in the treatment. Furthermore, the use of carbodote also raises eyebrows, to consider that the work and struggle of syrgine feeding Rodney critical care for the last two days was wasted, given the fact that carbodote creates a barrier on the intestinal wall, preventing the uptake of poisons (but also, theoretically, nutrients and water).
We are now living with the guilt that comes with the greif of losing a loved and precious pet, regarding our trip to the vets which may have hasten his death and impacted his quality of life for the final days we had with our little boy.
I ask everyone on the forum who experience a similar condition in their beloved guinea pig, pause and consider the treatment plan being offered, because ultimately, as custodians to these animals, we are the ones who feel the burden of regret and guilt once our beloved ones cross the rainbow bridge.
Our hearts ache today having woken up yesterday morning to our beloved pig, who crossed the rainbow bridge on Saturday morning.
This all started on Friday morning when we noticed that Rodney had slightly laboured breathing, with some exaggerated movement in the abdomen. He was still tucking into his hay, hay cookies, feed and drinking well. Being vigilant and concerned custodians to him, believing this was a sign of something underlying, such as bloat or pericardial effusion, we took him to a local vet, one which has been recommended by other members of this page previously.
After a quote for £400, the vet gave him a single x-ray, diagnosed gas bloat and prescribed carbodote (0.5ml every 30 mins) and gave him an injection for buprenorphine (opioid) and metaclopramide (antiemetic).
When the vet mentioned the use of a pain relief I asked if we could have the oral suspension of metacam, however he insisted to give an injection of the opioid, buprenorphine. When questioned if this would impact his eating (something which was currently still very healthy) he stated, it would make him "eat more" and that he would feel "like he's had a really strong joint".
Needless to say, Rodney became a shell of himself immediately following the visit to the vet, refusing to eat and drink, becoming extremely vacant and with no real recovery from this drug for over 45 hours, when he passed away having struggled for nearly two days.
The struggle which we are currently dealing with is that we asked how the drug would impact his eating and were ill-advised that it would actually improve his eating. Having further researched this drug, the number one side effect is "anorexia", which seems extremely contradicted in this case of gas bloat, in which keeping the system moving is key in the treatment. Furthermore, the use of carbodote also raises eyebrows, to consider that the work and struggle of syrgine feeding Rodney critical care for the last two days was wasted, given the fact that carbodote creates a barrier on the intestinal wall, preventing the uptake of poisons (but also, theoretically, nutrients and water).
We are now living with the guilt that comes with the greif of losing a loved and precious pet, regarding our trip to the vets which may have hasten his death and impacted his quality of life for the final days we had with our little boy.
I ask everyone on the forum who experience a similar condition in their beloved guinea pig, pause and consider the treatment plan being offered, because ultimately, as custodians to these animals, we are the ones who feel the burden of regret and guilt once our beloved ones cross the rainbow bridge.
(((hugs)))