[Gpdd] Misc: condolences for Tigger

Maren Fouts magbfouts at gmail.com
Mon Jan 12 10:15:02 EST 2009


 Stacy,

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss of Tigger.  At the very beginning of your
post it sounded exactly like a hyperthyroid condition as my Rosie had that
about a year and a half ago.  My vet said there is no real "normal" level
for guinea pigs as there hasn't been enough information but I know her
levels were high as her highest was reading off their scale.

Medication never worked for her as she had a tumor (albeit benign) that was
causing the trouble.  We had no choice but surgery and she died 14 hours
later.  It was tough to watch her little body go through so much.  She would
run and run and run until she just crashed and slept so deeply I thought she
was dead more than once.  I would give her fruits and veggies 9 times a day,
set the alarm to wake her in the middle of the night to make her eat, my
husband would go to work late and I would come home early to have her alone
only about 5 hours a day, I added flax seed oil and oats to her food and
gave her a constant source of Critical Care and she still lost weight.  I
even stopped putting her on floor time (which broke my heart as she loved
floor time) to limit her exercise.  She was around 800 grams when she died
(down from around 1050-she was always small).  She only lasted this ordeal
for about 6 weeks.  She started hating the vet and would bite and pull on
the arm of his coat when he would carry her to the back.

I'm glad you had 2 more months with Tigger.  It's always hard to lose a
piggy, especially when you spend weeks worrying about them and caring extra
for them.  You certainly did the right thing for Tigger.  I would prefer to
pass away in my own bed rather than in the hospital too with all the poking
and prodding.

Piggy kisses and healing wheeks to you and the Squee Squad,
Maren, Charlie, and Kaylee


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