Tico has lymphoma

Dwarfpotato

Dwarfpotato

Junior Guinea Pig
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I've posted about this from a few other angles before but I just feel like I need a little vent...

My little gorgeous girl Tico has lymphoma. She was diagnosed in November last year with two little tiny lumps in her chin. They've now grown a lot and she has them behind her knees too.

Just recently I feel we've made the transition from "it's definitely not time yet" to "it won't be long now". She's doing a lot of sleeping and needs regular bum baths. Her pain meds have been increased, first adding gabapentin (a low dose still) but now upping her metacam too.

Simon at c&r advised me to keep an eye on her weight. Losing too much and she's obviously in pain, but if she suddenly starts gaining then that can be fluid retention as the lymph nodes fail. Just the last day or two she's suddenly started gaining.

Tico is one of my first pair of pigs. The other died very suddenly several years ago. Thus, Tico is my first "terminal" pig and I'm just feeling so unsure.

Everyone says I know my pig best, but I wish I could ask how she feels. She's still excited about food and very opinionated when things don't go her way, but she's just so tired all the time.

I know I gave her the best life anyone could have. She's never been a healthy pig and she's always looked to me to make it better. And it hurts so much knowing that I can't fix this.
 
Hey, I am so sorry. We lost one of our girls to this also.
You will know when it is time, you have one of the best vets in the country also looking after her.
You are doing all you can to keep her happy and pain free. I do hope you have a little time let further.
Check in with Simon on the weight gain just for a little guidance.
Huge hugs
 
Thanks for your message.

We have an appointment on Thursday anyway so hopefully it's ok to wait until then. After that I'm popping to my parents for the weekend so she can spend time in their garden. One last round of being a Real, Wild pig. She likes to sit outside and listen and sniff it seems, so I'm giving her that opportunity.

Right now she's sat on my lap post bum bath. She is slowly but methodically destroying every single vegetable in front of her. For once her careful and considered eating doesn't mean her share gets stolen!
 
I know you are treasuring every moment with her, she is lucky to have you. Just keep an eye on things and I hope time is kind for her and gives you a little more together. You have done her so proud
 
I'm so sorry. You're giving her every lovely, positive moment you can, and sometimes that's the only thing you can do for them. I always try to remind myself that they don't understand mortality, they are just living in the present moment, and our job is to make the present moment happy and comfortable for them. That's exactly what you're doing. ((HUGS)) to you. I've had to make this decision in the past for pets with cancer and it's SO hard because we want them to have all their happy days and none of the uncomfortable days and it's a lot of pressure on us to try to judge that for them.
 
TW: death
Just an update: I had Tico put to sleep last night.

Yesterday morning she came straight to the bars to see me and ate loads of grass on my lap, but didn't want her emeraid and was careful with pea flakes. She didn't move from her hammock all day and in the evening she wouldn't even eat pea flakes.
The local vet squeezed us in so she didn't have to suffer any more. The vet said her abdomen was full of little lumps, and we could feel she was all bone. The timing was just right.

She sat on my lap and gently munched some lettuce while we waited for the sedative. As she fell asleep on my lap she did the BIGGEST wee, and she took ages for her heart to finally stop. The vet spotted something in her mouth during her last few breaths - she had taken a final bite of lettuce to pay the ferrypig. She died as she lived: as awkwardly as possible, and hoarding food in her cheeks.
 
Dwarfpotato said:
I've posted about this from a few other angles before but I just feel like I need a little vent...

My little gorgeous girl Tico has lymphoma. She was diagnosed in November last year with two little tiny lumps in her chin. They've now grown a lot and she has them behind her knees too.

Just recently I feel we've made the transition from "it's definitely not time yet" to "it won't be long now". She's doing a lot of sleeping and needs regular bum baths. Her pain meds have been increased, first adding gabapentin (a low dose still) but now upping her metacam too.

Simon at c&r advised me to keep an eye on her weight. Losing too much and she's obviously in pain, but if she suddenly starts gaining then that can be fluid retention as the lymph nodes fail. Just the last day or two she's suddenly started gaining.

Tico is one of my first pair of pigs. The other died very suddenly several years ago. Thus, Tico is my first "terminal" pig and I'm just feeling so unsure.

Everyone says I know my pig best, but I wish I could ask how she feels. She's still excited about food and very opinionated when things don't go her way, but she's just so tired all the time.

I know I gave her the best life anyone could have. She's never been a healthy pig and she's always looked to me to make it better. And it hurts so much knowing that I can't fix this.
Click to expand...

Hi

BIG HUGS

Firstly, I would recommend that you check with Simon re. the weight gain. It is obviously only the start of it. Simon may decide to prescribe a diuretic (fluid draining med) to slow down the process and he may also provide stronger pain medication for Tico.

But it always comes as such a shock when you realise that your piggy is now definitely on the ticker. In fact, it is the second worst moment apart from the death itself when looking after a terminally ill piggy, so please do not feel bad about your feeling overwhelmed right now; that is totally normal. The shock is the same as you will experience with a sudden death, only that it is time-wise separated when dealing with a terminal illness.

Please give yourself time to not be OK right now while you digest it all. There is a huge difference between knowing that somebody has a terminal illness and coming up face to face with the fact that that somebody is now actually in the last stages and death is a reality looming large ahead . It is always a total punch in the gut.

We all want to get it right for our terminally ill piggies. The most tricky stage is when you are coming up to the time but you are not quite there yet. Your piggy will usually tell you when the time has come and they have lost their zest for life; it's generally hard to miss but the getting there is paved with lots of doubts, self-questioning and little ups and downs which don't make it any easier for you. We are here for you with moral and practical support all the way if you wish.

For this reason, I am moving this thread to our new End of Life and Bereavement Support Corner for you, so it can run for as long as needed for all the little and large questions and our moral community support for you, too.
I would kindly ask you to please bookmark the thread so you can pick it up easily whenever needed. It is much easier for both sides if the information is kept together and it also helps people searching the forum for their own piggies in the future if they have a full case to follow instead of just snippets.

This guide here doesn't make for easy reading but you may find the chapter about terminal illness care very helpful in managing the remaining time with Tico as best as possible for both you; including avoiding the more common traps you can fall into.
End of Life and Bereavement Support Corner

Here is our pain guide, which you may also find helpful in spotting significant signs:
Wiebke

Thread 'Signs of Pain in Guinea Pigs'

1 Symptoms of pain
- Loss of appetite and slow or reduced eating
- Eyes
- Ears
- Teeth clicking and grinding
- Skin biting, self-barbering and hair loss
- Fur standing up/puffed up coat
- Hunching
- Bunching up and stopping to sleep on the side
- Grunting
- Twisting/Fitting
- Squeaking when peeing/pooing; arching and straining
- Limping, hopping, swelling of foot or leg
- Partial or full back leg paralysis
- Screaming and whimpering
2 Life-saving practical how-to care and information...
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My thoughts are with Tico and you.
 
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