[Gpdd] Bridge: Scrabble and sedation

[Algernon07 at aol.com]

Hi,

     I have been in touch with Debbie privately and as the rest of you, felt 
and feel horrible at all that transpired with Scrabble. I'm glad Stacy, that 
you told of your experiences and, Penny, the correct gas to be used if we can 
find vets willing to use it.

     I'm going to pare this down to its bare bones. You know I always want 
sedation for my piggies when we're going on to the Bridge. (Oh, such a heart 
wrenching experience presented so matter of factly here.) One vet (inexperienced 
I think, but an exotics nonetheless) gave my little Ebby what must have been 
way too much pre shot sedative too quickly. His eyes went rolling around in his 
head, he went unnaturally limp; I'll just say that it was dreadful and that 
only the "lethal injection" shot stopped that though clearly he didn't feel 
that 2nd shot for which I am so very grateful.

     I have called all my vets asking if the use a "general anesthesia" to 
euthanize pets. I finally learned that while I meant gas, they meant a shot. 
"The shot."
     
     Mr. Cooders trip was a good one, a blessing. With Chester, I told the 
vet I wanted him, too, fully sedated to the point of unconsciousness, but that I 
did not want the sedation to jolt his system. Just a general winding down. At 
least 15 minutes and it may have been 20 passed before that little guy   was 
totally off unconscious.  I thought he was unconscious a couple of times 
before but then he'd slightly raise his head as if to come out of the fog. The vet 
checked 3 or 4 times, and Chester and I weren't ready until we were ready and 
the vet accepted that. Chester wanted to hang on, I think, and I so wanted 
just to take him back home and have everything be fine. I would not, at this 
point, ever allow a piggy that I wasn't totally sure was completely unconscious be 
given that final shot prematurely. And it took Chester a while.
     Anyway, when he was finally totally unconscious, the vet gave him "the 
shot" and his heart stopped beating.
     I share this as we all share things -- in hopes of helping other piggies 
and their parents/slaves have things go right.
     If the vet had asked me to go sit in the waiting room while waiting 
(WITH Chester), I would have done that, but I would not allow that other injection 
"too soon." But we can't know these things until we've experienced them or 
have been warned.
     On an occasion some years back I had to have a dog put to sleep. With 
cats and dogs, if the right injectable is chosen things go well. They are 
generally able to access a vein with them. (Not so with little piggy veins.) For 
reasons not relevant to this post, I wanted him totally sedated first, so the vet 
gave me pills to give him at home (which was what I wanted). It must have 
taken an hour and a half for the meds to finally work -- this time I think a 
slightly stronger dosage would have been better, but it was ok. But finally the 
dog was totally sedated.
     I took the dog to the back door at the vets, and it knew nothing when it 
went from one sleep to the next. (And going through the back door has 
absolutely nothing to do with any of this.
     Stacy mentioned meds. 
     Not all vets are willing to give them. My current vet, with whom I'm 80% 
satisfied, balked at giving me -- is it Metacam?-- for Mr. Cooders and 
suggested baby aspirin instead. Half a tablet or what, I'm not sure. He was afraid 
that the Metacam/Metcam would cause gut stasis. I would have taken that chance 
knowing that so many piggies on here do well with it and that Mr. Cooders had 
real pain tho no where near as severe as Ebeneezer's who had first been to a 
vet who misdiagnosed him and who had then got progressively worse over the 
weekend.
     So we come to the questions, what kinds of meds can we give our piggies 
to help them get along, to help ready them for the Bridge, to presedate them 
if necessary before going to the vet, or what I'm not saying, how might we 
painlessly actually ourselves help them if their time is close?
     Some vets are helpful in this way -- some absolutely are not.
     I'm receptive to any private emails, but don't think it would be a 
problem to discuss how we medicate our piggies here. I didn't know imodium was ok 
for them. How much? Someone gave their piggy some valium once for something? 
What for and how much?
     No one should have to go through what Debbie and Scrabble went through, 
though I agree, focus on happy memories. But most of us have been haunted in 
some way by thoughts of what maybe we could have done to help. The answer is 
always that we did the vey best that we could.

     Another turn in the conversation if I may. I wrote to and posted on here 
an email to Penny whose open door to guinea pigs amazes and humbles me. But 
Penny is not the only one with a big and kind heart. I remember when Debbie (in 
France) rescued all those little piggies from the wretched crocodile woman 
during freezing weather.

     There are so many of you who have done so much -- who have taken on 
additional piggies because they needed a home. I have failed to list or praise you 
people but my greatest admiration is always there.

     Hoping we can help each other with meds, pain meds, pre-sedation, meds, 
sedation meds, etc....

With sadness and concern yet with joy for the little ones we love and have 
loved,

Alge -- and get this --   The Jolly Rodent Piggy Pirate Crew!! Charlie and 
Capt'n Jack were here together so there is a continuity. And thanks Penny for 
helping me with that realization.   The Jolly Rodents will go on....
     


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