Though it could be considered an upside. The {insert-perspective-here}side of being a vet is that one day you have to put down your own animals. My mum texted me this am saying one of the guinea-pigs (turned out to be Salt) was off his back legs. Poor chap can’t get about much, though he’s still eating etc. We’re giving him overnight with a large dose of steroids, but if he’s not any better tomorrow morning then I’m putting him to sleep – he may be ok in himself but he’ll quickly run into problems with urine scald, flystrike, etc.
Though of course I like them I’m not as attached as I am to pets that live with me, and the detachment of vetness kicks in – we either break down and become completely incompetent, emotional wrecks, or we remain pragmatic and calm – I suspect the latter in this case.
The difficult bit is what to do about Pepper. He’s never known life without his brother, I can’t have another guinea-pig, especially as my mum mostly cares for them now, and I’m not sure if I can rehome him as he’s an old uncastrated male (unsuitable for castration as too old, unable to live with females or most other males). On the other hand, putting down a otherwise healthy animal is on dodgy ethical ground, even if it is to save them from grief. I’ll probably let him be, and wait and see how bad he is.
The “upside” is that Salt won’t have to go to the vet’s seeing as he lives with one, and all he’ll know is a tiny injection with sedative and then dosing off in his own hutch with his brother next to him. And Pepper will get to see him afterwards, something that seems to help them cope a bit.
Aww poor Salt 🙁
Any chance he could come inside or you could take him and bring him to live inside with you?
Hopefully he’ll be fine, especially if he can get more human attention.
The other option, though probably no go given you said no more ;), is try a baby boar and even if Pepper won’t accept him living with him if they were in cages side by side that would probably still work. I’ve known pigs that were introduced to another and fought, but they loved being side by side and were best of friends as long as there was wire between!
I can’t believe they’re almost five already, I had to check how old they were coz I was thinking he’s young and did a double take!
He’s still here! He’s eating and getting about, though has to eat a lot of cucumber to make sure he’s getting enough water as the bottle’s a bit tricky. I may have to make him an indoor pig with Pepper, though heaven knows where I’m going to put all of these animals…