Pepino's Medical Thread, Starting with Mites
Thank you both.
The vet called with Pepino’s necropsy results the day (or the day after) I dropped him off but this has been very painful to post about. Surprisingly it apparently wasn’t the cancer that killed him—it had spread very little if at all since the surgery. The vet said she found blood in his chest so it was probably a heart attack or a stroke that killed him—whatever it was it was probably sudden although I knew about 12 hours before he died he probably didn’t have much time.
Surprisingly his liver and kidneys were fine although he had been on various medications for almost eleven months—my own liver and kidneys took a beating from just a few weeks of OTC medications. At any rate she says he probably didn’t suffer much (he seemed pretty good about 25 to 36 hours before) and even if I had got him to an emergency vet it wouldn’t have helped. And he got to die at home.
I am tearing up just writing this and still feeling blue, even though the vet says Pellegrino is fine and we are going with all the happy things that come with adopting a new baby.
The vet called with Pepino’s necropsy results the day (or the day after) I dropped him off but this has been very painful to post about. Surprisingly it apparently wasn’t the cancer that killed him—it had spread very little if at all since the surgery. The vet said she found blood in his chest so it was probably a heart attack or a stroke that killed him—whatever it was it was probably sudden although I knew about 12 hours before he died he probably didn’t have much time.
Surprisingly his liver and kidneys were fine although he had been on various medications for almost eleven months—my own liver and kidneys took a beating from just a few weeks of OTC medications. At any rate she says he probably didn’t suffer much (he seemed pretty good about 25 to 36 hours before) and even if I had got him to an emergency vet it wouldn’t have helped. And he got to die at home.
I am tearing up just writing this and still feeling blue, even though the vet says Pellegrino is fine and we are going with all the happy things that come with adopting a new baby.
Thank you, Sef, the sad feelings come and go. I am happy about getting a new baby and that Pellegrino seems well but still sad thinking about Pepino. And for all the beautiful piggies who need homes whom I can’t adopt. But once things are official with the new baby my mission will be to find homes for these other guys. And girls.
- Lynx
- Celebrate!!!
Although I only had one necropsy done (on Kitten, the guinea pig), it was very helpful to have the results and glad I had it done. Sometimes we don't get a definitive answer but at least enough information to have an idea of what likely happened. I see so many guinea pig owners blame themselves for a death when they had actually done all they could.
I am sorry about Pepino.
I am sorry about Pepino.
Thanks, ItsaZoo.
My mom wanted to know why I wanted to have a necropsy done and I told her what the woman at the Alexandria shelter (where I got Pippin and Pandora) told me. One reason scientists experiment on pigs and bunnies is that they are so sensitive--industry figures if a product doesn't hurt them it won't hurt anyone. My pigs have been to some of the best vets in the region--I figure eventually we are all contributing to the greater good.
My mom wanted to know why I wanted to have a necropsy done and I told her what the woman at the Alexandria shelter (where I got Pippin and Pandora) told me. One reason scientists experiment on pigs and bunnies is that they are so sensitive--industry figures if a product doesn't hurt them it won't hurt anyone. My pigs have been to some of the best vets in the region--I figure eventually we are all contributing to the greater good.