Going to have to take my gorgeous GP to the vets

[noyouhavehadawee]

I posted about Lola last week she had developed a saggy neck and has been quite lethargic at times, put it down to old age and the heat (she is 6). We were giving her a love in tonight and noticed under her neck that she now has bald patches. It almost feels leathery but not like a lump - I have googled and thought perhaps its just where her new double chin scuffs the floor but now am wondering if she has an absess. I am going to book her in the vets tomorrow though she doesn't seem in pain I am worried the stress or if they drain her might finish her off . Please send happy vibes for Lola

[Wheresmycaffeinedrip]

Your guinea pig sounds like she has a really happy spoilt life :)

Squish squish :o

[fortifiedwithtea]

Surely peeing for England is positive. It shows her kidneys are working well.

[FernieB]

Sorry to hear about your pig. She sounds as though she is still enjoying life - hope she continues to do so for a while.

[noyouhavehadawee]

the vet has rang back today she is so lovely and said her research has concluded there is nothing they can offer and the end is near and her levels will become critical. she reiterated to bring her in as soon as she worsens and asked if i could ring her early next week to let her know how we are getting on. Dh who is cynical thinks she just wants to make money out of her putting her to sleep but i think she just likes her fluffy patients. she has been sat on me for about an hour now and really is quite noticeably puffy but has also been close to sleep a few times bless her . i wish i knew how close it was because i might spend the next six months with Lola attached to me - not that i mind, we do go on holiday in August and i would hate to leave it to my neighbour

[KRITIQ]

The situation doesn't sound terribly good, particularly if you notice her getting puffy around the lips and nose area. If the vet really wanted to make money off you, she'd continue to order expensive treatment that ultimately would make little difference to the outcome.

The issue has to be quality of life. If she's not in distress or pain, it's okay to just see how things go. With one of my piggies, it became too much of a struggle to syringe feed and water him when his lips started swelling. He was clearly in distress and I hated having to force the syringe in. Without it of course, he wouldn't have lived. It was that that made me realise the best course of action was pts, and my absolutely wonderful vet agreed.

Thinking about you . . .

[noyouhavehadawee]

your totally right, dh likes to pretend he isn't interested in the pigs but i just caught him bringing in a bag of spinach . i do feel a bit on death watch

[fortifiedwithtea]

The thing to look out for is Lola sitting hunched up, fur fluffed up. This is how Old Boy was and in his last couple of days he stayed mostly in his hutch facing the back wall. That is the time to help Lola to the Rainbow Bridge.

I really hope for you the weather is warm for the next couple of weeks so Lola can make the best of her remaining time.

[noyouhavehadawee]

thanks fortified - she has been sitting like that a lot lately in a really sunny spot peaceful then she starts nibbling again. she used to run away if we tried to pick her up and- now she almost moves towards us.

[noyouhavehadawee]

she hasn't confined herself to the Hutch she is still interested when not resting

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

- with the oedema (swelling caused by fluid retention) you need to need to monitor her breathing and her ability to breathe properly if her nose and mouth has swelling. Any swelling there can compromise her airways.

When guineas get to 'the end' they can go lethargic, floppy, starey coated (difficult to explain but when you see a starey coat you'll know), dull, sunken eyes.
They just look miserable with the World at large . Mine used to get little lumps about the size of a split pea, on the bald bit behind their ears.
They used to have floppy spines , they couldn't support their heads, if I held one one my shoulder they would fall backward if they weren't supported. And usually they couldn't poo, not having the energy to push.
It all sounds horrific, but it was in the last 12-24 hours so I knew it wouldn't last long.
Time to cuddle or cosset in a box depending on what they wanted.

Hopefully she's have a bit of summertime lazing about though.
But you'll know when it's time and if you need to, you'll make the choice. Hopefully she'll go uneventfully

[noyouhavehadawee]

just a tiny update - she is currently donning a rather wide backside and waddle to go with it. swelling definitely increasing. she appears to still be happy and eating everything in site.