[Gpdd] HEALTH: GP euthanasia?

[bwk]

This is not a question I want to ask. And, please forgive my
(mis)spelling of many medical terms. But I need to know.  I have a
little pig (she is older, actually), Precious. She has bladder stones,
she has had surgery to remove them previously but they have come back,
even with the correct diet (she has always had that as long as I have
owned her), and she is hurting.

We've been to the vet 3 times for these, there have been two sets of
X-rays and have had numerous phone consultations about her. They think
she can pass the two stones that are in her ureter. They tried to get
them out for her but couldn't. She has been on Metacam (meloxicam) for
more than a month and she still makes pain noises. No blood in her
urine. They have given me another med to try, since she still hurts, and
I am trying it, for two days now but she still makes pain noises. She
still eats and everything, but, she is hurting. Every day.

I do not know if I am making her suffer by keeping on with this, or if I
should just let her go and let her rest. She just made a pain noise and
she had her new medicine two hours ago (it is given once a day). The
doctors all say that if she is still eating and everything it is not too
bad, the pain. But I don't know how they know that. She has always been
a real trooper through all sorts of trials, so it is hard for me to
know. She is also my favorite girl, I've had her the longest, so this is
really hard.

And I wonder, how do they put them to sleep? A shot, or gas, or what?
Can you be with them when they do it?  Is it peaceful or painful for
them?  I hate to ask, but I need to know. I can't stand the thought of
her hurting, but can't stand the thought of letting her go, even though
if she is hurting it is selfish of me.

If this isn't right for the list, or you don't want to talk about it on
the list, you can email me at  keiper at hiwaay.net  with info.

Like I said, I hate to ask but I need to know.

Bethany
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bwk  *  http://home.hiwaay.net/~keiper  *  http://www.arkinc.org/
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