Source
r/guineapigs•
SlanskyRex

I feel so lost and could use some support.

Hi fellow pig fans. Please remove if this is not allowed. I'm really sorry to be a downer--if you can't bear a long sad story please don't read! I just need to get this out to someone who will understand.

A few weeks ago I posted my pig Lemmy for FOF (here). He was completely healthy and acting normal. He passed away suddenly on 2/10--we came home from brunch and just found him in the cage. Gone.

I don't know what caused it, but he has always had some issues with impaction so we figured it was just one of those things. Stasis, maybe. Our other pig, Pig, went to the hospital for stasis in December out of nowhere. It was a total fluke that we caught it in time, so I guess this time we just didn't. Lemmy had just turned 4.

But at least we have Pig, who was our first pig--we got Lemmy so he could have a friend, because he is such a friendly and social pig (although, Lemmy would tell you, a little too hump-happy). Pig is our angel and our first love. He's about 2 and a half and we got him when he was a baby. Well, yesterday Pig was diagnosed with kidney and bladder stones. He has a ton of them, and they appeared very suddenly (his December X-ray from the hospital stay was clean, so they popped up over 2 months). The vet confirmed we've had him on a perfectly healthy diet, we've been supplementing with vitamin C, we've done everything right. It's just genetics.

So, we have the option to take him in for surgery to remove the bladder stones, but they can't surgically remove the kidney stones. It's also very likely the stones will recur. Googling around, I am finding the same stories over and over--a pig had 1 or 2 stones, had surgery, and had a new stone within weeks or months. Pig has so many. He must have been in so much pain for a while and hiding it well (he's now on pain meds and antibiotics).

It's sinking in that there's really no hope for him. We'll just have to make him comfortable and, once his quality of life gets to a certain level, put him down.

My heart is already broken from losing Lemmy. He was the loud one, and would scream at us when we came home from work, when we cooked anything (he loved the smell of chicken or fries), or when we opened the fridge. Lemmy helped Pig find his voice, though, and Pig slowly learned to wheek at us more. The house feels so quiet without Lemmy, although it's been nice to be able to hear Pig's softer, sweeter voice without Lemmy droning over him. We were just starting to talk about when and how we should get Pig a new friend, but now that seems impossible. (We are considering fostering a pig for our local rescue as one option for a short-term friend...)

Anyway. Thank you to anyone who made it this far. I'm just a wreck and I feel so guilty even though the vet says there's nothing we could have done differently. If anyone has advice for dealing with bladder/kidney stones, please share. Or if you want to share similar stories. Here is a picture of my two loves: https://imgur.com/kRUHQIo

UPDATE 2/26: Today was Pig's last day. He was clearly declining, not moving much, not interested in treats, etc. Especially at night. So this morning, we took him to the park so he could feel (and eat) the grass. We had never been able to do that before out of fear of him eating some pesticides or dog poop. He loved it and he was so happy. Then we took him to the vet and he went peacefully. Thank you to those of you who offered support ❤

Posted Feb 23, 2019, 10:46 PM UTC · edited

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i_am_ms_greenjeansDirector of Ye Royal Pigsty•

I'm so sorry. From what I've read about guinea pigs and bladder stones is that even after surgery, they still come back and you're going to find yourself back where you started. Unfortunately, you're going to have to decide how you want to handle this. If you want Pig to be as comfortable as you can make him or if you want to try for the surgery. I wish I could help or at least give you a hug.

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SlanskyRexOP•

Thank you. I just love him so much and feel so powerless with this. It helps to talk about it. Thanks for reading.

3
boyandpiggymom•

I'm so sorry for your situation. I'm sorry for your loss of Lemmy. I wish I could give you an answer. I feel like this is one of the difficult decisions because every option ls has maybe attached to it. I thought about this as if it was me. I'd want my pigs to be comfortable without having to go through a surgery that is not easy on them and is very probable that they will be struck with the same ailment soon after. It's obviously something that you have to decide for yourself. Whatever you decide will be supported by your friends here. Best wishes to you and your family and piggie! 😊 ❤️🙏🏻

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SlanskyRexOP•

Thank you so much ❤ I am going to call the vet tomorrow to ask about getting stronger pain meds and how we can maximize his comfort for as long as possible... but also ask what we should look for as indicators that it's his time. We are giving him lots of treats and cuddles but I can tell he's not fully himself. Most of all I want to make sure he doesn't have to feel any more pain. My poor Pig. I just wish I could have done more for him and given him a longer life...

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boyandpiggymom•

I don't know much but I do know you did and are doing your best. We all know that they can get sick. They have illnesses that they hide and we don't catch them in time. It just comes with the territory. You are doing very well by your pig now. Hang in there. Stay strong. ❤️

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fatalcharm98•

Stasis doesn’t just happen..it’s if they stop eating and there nothing in there belly for hours..that’s why you syringe feed and get them to the vet ASAP...impaction normally doesn’t happen either unless it’s a older pig or there’s not enough fiber or liquid in them. I’m sorry for your loss I’ve recently had to put my pig down and last year my first boy passed...it’s a definite heartache

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