Syringe feeding advice please!

[MildredMaudeandEnid]

Update on Enid: I've weighed her this morning and she's 597g so it's gone up a bit from yesterday. She's eating and pooping more or less normally and she's really tucking into her Critical Care.

I sat down in the playpen this morning and she climbed onto my knee and ate 11.5ml! I'm sure she thinks she's a puppy. Whenever I sit on the floor with her she sits on my knee and if she's roaming about she follows me around. She's such a funny thing!

 

[MildredMaudeandEnid]

@Wiebke Enid seems to have gone downhill in the last couple of days. Her weight has dropped back down to 580g and she is refusing her support feed. She's barely moved in the last 24 hours and this morning she passed some poops that look like this:


I just feel like she's given up and I don't know if it's fair to keep pushing with meds and feeds when she's never going to recover from her underlying condition. I think her cagemate knows what's happening. She's starting to bully and rumble at her pretty constantly. I don't know what to do. Is it time to make the call?

 

[Wiebke]

@Wiebke Enid seems to have gone downhill in the last couple of days. Her weight has dropped back down to 580g and she is refusing her support feed. She's barely moved in the last 24 hours and this morning she passed some poops that look like this:
View attachment 182932

I just feel like she's given up and I don't know if it's fair to keep pushing with meds and feeds when she's never going to recover from her underlying condition. I think her cagemate knows what's happening. She's starting to bully and rumble at her pretty constantly. I don't know what to do. Is it time to make the call?

Hi!

HUGS

The poo output reflects more what has gone on a day before; the weight and the behaviour what is going on now.

In order to help people your situation, I have written a very detailed guide that allows you to judge where you stand and that talks you through all the different aspects in play to help you make any necessary decisions with a clearer mind and heart. It is very difficult when you come into the area where you are not sure whether your piggy is coming close to dying or may already be dying and there is no clear-cut situation that takes the decision out of your hands.
Here is the link: A Practical and Sensitive Guide to Dying, Terminal Illness and Euthanasia in Guinea Pigs

Please accept that I cannot make any assessments or decisions for you sight unseen that only you as the owner can make for both ethical and legal reasons. I don't have access to your piggy nor am I a vet, who can only recommend but not order, either. I would however strongly recommend to speak to a vet, who will be able to assess Enid and will be usually willing to give you their honest opinion if you politely ask them for it.

My thoughts are with you.

 

[MildredMaudeandEnid]

Hi!

HUGS

The poo output reflects more what has gone on a day before; the weight and the behaviour what is going on now.

In order to help people your situation, I have written a very detailed guide that allows you to judge where you stand and that talks you through all the different aspects in play to help you make any necessary decisions with a clearer mind and heart. It is very difficult when you come into the area where you are not sure whether your piggy is coming close to dying or may already be dying and there is no clear-cut situation that takes the decision out of your hands.
Here is the link: A Practical and Sensitive Guide to Dying, Terminal Illness and Euthanasia in Guinea Pigs

Please accept that I cannot make any assessments or decisions for you sight unseen that only you as the owner can make for both ethical and legal reasons. I don't have access to your piggy nor am I a vet, who can only recommend but not order, either. I would however strongly recommend to speak to a vet, who will be able to assess Enid and will be usually willing to give you their honest opinion if you politely ask them for it.

My thoughts are with you.

I'm taking her to the vet this afternoon and have taken the rest of the week off work. I've only seen her pass one poop today and it was tiny and sticky. She's not as lethargic as yesterday and has eaten a little bit of hay and some oats and pea flakes but won't touch the critical care. I really don't know what is best for her. She's very up and down but I can't see her making a meaningful recovery as the GI stasis is likely being driven by her progressive respiratory disease.

In hindsight, she's been slowly declining for the past six weeks which is reflected in her weight loss. I'm really struggling with my mental health over this and don't want to make any selfish decisions.

I also worry about what to do with her cagemate once she passes. I can't face taking on another guinea pig and my only other option is rehoming which makes me feel so guilty.

 

[Wiebke]

I'm taking her to the vet this afternoon and have taken the rest of the week off work. I've only seen her pass one poop today and it was tiny and sticky. She's not as lethargic as yesterday and has eaten a little bit of hay and some oats and pea flakes but won't touch the critical care. I really don't know what is best for her. She's very up and down but I can't see her making a meaningful recovery as the GI stasis is likely being driven by her progressive respiratory disease.

In hindsight, she's been slowly declining for the past six weeks which is reflected in her weight loss. I'm really struggling with my mental health over this and don't want to make any selfish decisions.

I also worry about what to do with her cagemate once she passes. I can't face taking on another guinea pig and my only other option is rehoming which makes me feel so guilty.

It is hard when you go through the ups and downs when you are coming closer to the point of no return. In many ways, this is the most difficult and emotionally taxing stage because of the constant uncertainty, questioning and soul-searching - and actually grieving.
That is why death itself can come as a relief you should never feel guilty about because it means that you have done a lot of your grieving homework. Having lost my dad after a drawn-out three years up and down battle with terminal cancer during which he was came close to dying three or four times has taught me that one.
You still have the pain of the loss, but much of the other emotional baggage that comes afterwards is what you are sorting through right now.

I hope that this will help to understand your current experiences and mental state better? Knowing that you have done the best you could for Enid and have gone through quite a lot of the emotional leave-taking beforehand will make things noticeably easier for you afterwards, apart from the actual pain of the loss itself. The grieving dynamics with a terminal illness are different but I can reassure you that do not have to the whole homework twice.

PS: More rescues are now willing to adopt out a companion that reverts to them upon the death of your own piggy. This means new companionship but an end of the see-saw.
From my own experiences, giving up a beloved piggy of yours means that you have to go through a grieving process tinted with a lot of guilt, even when you know that you have made your decision for the best interests of your piggy. That is an aspect most people are not aware of, and it can catch them out badly.

 

[MildredMaudeandEnid]

It is hard when you go through the ups and downs when you are coming closer to the point of no return. In many ways, this is the most difficult and emotionally taxing stage because of the constant uncertainty, questioning and soul-searching - and actually grieving.
That is why death itself can come as a relief you should never feel guilty about because it means that you have done a lot of your grieving homework. Having lost my dad after a drawn-out three years up and down battle with terminal cancer during which he was came close to dying three or four times has taught me that one.
You still have the pain of the loss, but much of the other emotional baggage that comes afterwards is what you are sorting through right now.

I hope that this will help to understand your current experiences and mental state better? Knowing that you have done the best you could for Enid and have gone through quite a lot of the emotional leave-taking beforehand will make things noticeably easier for you afterwards, apart from the actual pain of the loss itself. The grieving dynamics with a terminal illness are different but I can reassure you that do not have to the whole homework twice.

PS: More rescues are now willing to adopt out a companion that reverts to them upon the death of your own piggy. This means new companionship but an end of the see-saw.
From my own experiences, giving up a beloved piggy of yours means that you have to go through a grieving process tinted with a lot of guilt, even when you know that you have made your decision for the best interests of your piggy. That is an aspect most people are not aware of, and it can catch them out badly.

Thanks for all your help and support. I made the extremely difficult decision to let Enid go this afternoon. There wasn't any more options and she wasn't going to get better again. I miss her already.

 

[Piggies&buns]

I am so sorry for your loss, it’s a final act of love to let them go.
Sleep tight Enid

 

[MildredMaudeandEnid]

I am so sorry for your loss, it’s a final act of love to let them go.
Sleep tight Enid

It's just devastating. I only had her for 5 months. It's just wasn't enough time.

 

[weepweeps]

I’m so sorry for your loss. Such a hard decision. But made with her interests at the heart of it. She had 5 months in your amazing care. Popcorn free Enid. Take care

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks for all your help and support. I made the extremely difficult decision to let Enid go this afternoon. There wasn't any more options and she wasn't going to get better again. I miss her already.

BIG HUGS

You have made the decision I would have made in your place, too.

Please feel sad (since each bond is unique, so is each loss) but do take comfort in that you have put Enid's quality of life of before your own wishes and needs, and that you haven't failed her in any way in thos respect.

Be kind to yourself in the coming days and don't hesitate to access trained help if you struggle with the grieving process. The Blue Cross have extended their free pet bereavement support to a wider access over several media. Pet bereavement and pet loss

Here are our practical forum support guides for yourself and for Enid's companion:
Human Bereavement: Grieving, Coping and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children
Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig

 

[MildredMaudeandEnid]

BIG HUGS

You have made the decision I would have made in your place, too.

Please feel sad (since each bond is unique, so is each loss) but do take comfort in that you have put Enid's quality of life of before your own wishes and needs, and that you haven't failed her in any way in thos respect.

Be kind to yourself in the coming days and don't hesitate to access trained help if you struggle with the grieving process. The Blue Cross have extended their free pet bereavement support to a wider access over several media. Pet bereavement and pet loss

Here are our practical forum support guides for yourself and for Enid's companion:
Human Bereavement: Grieving, Coping and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children
Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig

I think she's been hiding how sick she really was and I've been in denial about things for a few weeks. I adopted my piggies in March after losing my dog to an unknown illness in February and never expected to go through this again so soon.

I'm glad I got to know her. She was such a friendly, funny character. She was my best friend from the second I brought her home. In recent weeks she would wait for me at the front of her cage when she was due her meds and climb up my arms to be picked up. I think she actually enjoyed our interactions during her treatments and she never seemed stressed by them.

I don't have the same kind of bond with my other girls. Enid was very much a people piggy rather than a pig's pig. I miss her already.

 

[Free Ranger]

I'm so sorry to hear this sad news. It's the hardest decision to make but a kindness in so many ways. She knew she was loved and was right to trust you

 

[Wiebke]

I think she's been hiding how sick she really was and I've been in denial about things for a few weeks. I adopted my piggies in March after losing my dog to an unknown illness in February and never expected to go through this again so soon.

I'm glad I got to know her. She was such a friendly, funny character. She was my best friend from the second I brought her home. In recent weeks she would wait for me at the front of her cage when she was due her meds and climb up my arms to be picked up. I think she actually enjoyed our interactions during her treatments and she never seemed stressed by them.

I don't have the same kind of bond with my other girls. Enid was very much a people piggy rather than a pig's pig. I miss her already.

View attachment 183030

Any piggy we have a special bond with like you have with Enid makes a loss harder. It is not about the length of time but the quality of the bond. Enid was blessed to have met you and to have found that unconditional love from a human that she was craving again with you. Unfortunately, we can never choose when and how one of our pets dies; we can only cherish every day we have with them.

You never stop missing those that you have loved but you also never lose them completely because they will always be in your heart and remain an integral part of your life and of the person you are.

Look after yourself and get help if necessary - talking is the best thing you can do for yourself.

HUGS