Vet bills and treatment. When is it enough?

I think my personal opinion you can only do what you can, if you dont have any more funds than I think you should do what is best for you and the piggie. It will be hard but you have done all that you can.

Amanda

First and foremost, I really would like to say that I can sympathize with your situation. You are stuck between a rock and a hard place, and it must be an agonizing decision to make.

You are a good piggy owner, who is feeding and caring for your piggies in a very appropriate manner, that I am sure of. If he is having so many problems right now, it is probably related to the 3+ years of inadequacies and poor treatment he received before coming into your care.

As for what steps you should take now, that is ultimately up to you, however I would strongly suggest bringing him to the vet, even if just to try and get a diagnosis, if it is something simple, then perhaps give it one more shot at treating it. Or, make the decision and have him euthanized. Leaving him to starve to death on his own is really not in my humble opinion, just not fair or humane.

Poor little piggy. I feel so bad for you and Toast. You need to do what is right though, for both you, and for Toast.

No, I dont want him to starve to death! I am not sure what to do at this point!

It is a very hard decision to make. I am very set in my opinions regarding this, but only because I am lucky enough to have the funds available for me to persevere with treatment. Suffice to say I am a student but my partner is VERY understanding! He loves the girly pigs to bits.

I do feel that if you have taken the pigs into your care, it is your responsibility to provide the treatment for them. Particularly when taking on an adult rescue pig, you have to know that it comes with a lot of responsibility with regards to healthcare, particularly when you are not sure of their age. They are in your care, it is your duty to look after them. If you do not have the resources to do so, then you need to try and contact someone who can - i.e. a no-kill rescue.

I have direct experience with this - I gave a home to a rescue from our local shelter, she was obviously several years old. Within a year I noticed a change in her shape, and we invested in a number of diagnoses that confirmed she had cystic ovaries. My options were to have a few months with a semi-uncomfortable quality of life, or bite the bullet and book her in for surgery. I chose the latter. The surgery itself was expensive (though the vet asked what I was willing to pay, I told her, and she made sure I wasn't charged in excess of this for the surgery), but the aftercare costs (painkillers, antibiotics etc) were also high. You need to budget for these, regardless of how healthy your piggy looks post-treatment.

When she went downhill 4 days after surgery I had the option of pursuing a line of treament that she almost definitely wouldn't survive, or euthanasia. She died peacefully half an hour after I spoke to the vet, but I would have chosen the latter. I think that euthanasia is a last resort, not a means to an end. If the vet believed (and I trust her professional judgement) that continuing treatment would have improved her quality of life, then I would have continued treatment. If she believed that she would not recover, then euthanasia was the only option.

I could not deny a pig treatment because I was running out of funds. I feel very strongly against putting an animal down just because I can't afford to deal with it any more. But that's just me, I've never been in that position. I'm sorry I can't be of more help.

I agree fully with Cavies-and-Kids...

Daftscotslass: If she can not find anyone who would take the piggie than what do you think she should do? If she does not have the funds and she has tried everything than what else is there to do?
Just asking.
Amanda

I think euthanizing an animal simply due to financial considerations is wrong. That's not to say that I don't appreciate the difficult situation you are in, but I think euthanasia is only appropriate if there is no hope of meaningful recovery for the animal.

If I were in your place, I think my first action would be to contact a local rescue or animal shelter and inform them of the situation. Perhaps they could either donate the money for treatment to you or take the animal in themselves.

If that didn't work, I would then talk to my vet and explain my limited financial resources and at least attempt to work out a payment plan. Many people think that their vets will not accomodate a payment plan, but you can't know unless you ask.

If all of those efforts failed, then I think maybe I'd try to take up a collection for treatment from some guinea pig lovers. Perhaps I'd go to a guinea pig friendly place and throw myself on the mercy of others who have faced the same dilemma and ask for donations.

And if that also failed, I'd start looking for a new home for the pig.

I think that there is a way to get the pig the treatment it needs without putting yourself into financial crisis; it might just require some creativity and work, but I think it can be done.

Funnygpigs, I think that you should try every avenue and obviously everyone is giving you good advice, I dont think euthanizing the poor guy is a great idea but what are you suppose to do right? Susan 9608 had a good idea about talking to your vet maybe he will be able to help you. I wish you the best of luck and think whatever decision you make will be what is in the best intrest for you and your piggie, good luck.
In my thoughts,
Amanda

The only time you should euthenize is when the animal is in extreme pain or when there is no chance of any quality of life left. Even if no vet will look at the pig for free it sounds like there is still a good chance he could pull through so I would stick with it, doing everything you can like hand-feeding, staying close and conforting him, letting him know he has a reason to live and praying for him. You do everything that is humanly possible, that is the best I can recommend. If he makes it, great, if he does not, at least you know inside that you did your best, and made the last days of his life a little less miserable than they would have been.

Funnypigs,
First of all, I believe you should be proud of yourself, you rescued, fed, sheltered, cared and loved an unwanted piggy. I would like to share my experience with my Meimei (the poodle) with you.
And I apologize for the length...

Meimei came from a breeder, she was deemed as an "unfit" dog because she had an overbite and a congential heart disease, so she would be disqualified to enter into any shows by her breed. The breeder happened to be Ben's supervisor's wife, so as soon we heard about her
As you might imagine with teeth problems, she couldn't eat probably, and often her heart made her slow. After the deductions through her doggie insurance, we've spent close to $3000 in 2 years, over 2 major surgeries. At the eve of the third surgery to repair the valve, Meimei was extremely calm, and I suddenly questioned when is enough?
Recovery was extrmely long and painful for her after each surgery, and since she was underdeveloped due to her overbite, the risks ran higher with her. The third surgery actually went well, they've further made progress on the shunt. However, she would have seizures after the surgery, to the point that for the next week, she does not even recognize me. She was breathing on her own, she was awake, but she does not recognize me. When she's awake, her eyes are blank. She did not resemble that hyper little poodle of mine. By the tenth day, I finally came to my sense, I was selfish, she was trying to tell me, its ok, let her go.

I'm sure there are huge yards and couches for her to run and lie on over the rainbow bridge. Sometimes, we just to admit we are only humans, and there's only so much we can do.

When I look back on it now, I am glad I was given the chance to be with her. I promised not to give up on her, she was very special to me, you see, we both had the same congenital heart disease, a disfunctional valve shunt.

Cut my long story short, this is what I believe. The animal will let you know that it is time. In the mean time, let your heart decide what's your limit. Everyone (humans and nonhumans) has differnt threshold. If you had reached your limit, and deployed all resources available to you, you can truly touch your heart and say I have given all that I am and all that I have, maybe, it is time.

In my case, Meimei had reached her limit before I reached mine, she told me, and I finally came to accept it.

This was Meimei, the week before Christmas 2002, the week before her third scheduled procedure.

In reading your post you just recently adopted these 2 piggies, one was healthy and the other sick. Why would you adopt a sick piggy? By adopting a sick piggy you had to have known that vet bills were down the road.

One of my girls has been sick for a few months. Pneumonia, then fine for 2 weeks, back and forth, back and forth. I also asked myself when is enough enough. I kept telling myself this is the last vet visit. Well 3 months later and approx. $700.00 spent and still on antibiotics, I guess you know my answer. But I have had her for one year now. She is doing very well now and will stay on antibiotics, the 4th one now for 30 days and hopefully she will stay well.

I couldn't imagine just letting her die. As long as she fights I will fight with her.

Can I assume you just recently adopted these piggies. If so why did you adopt a sick pig?

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That is just plain mean.

She did not go looking for a sick pig to adopt. She was just doing what everyone on this board says to do. Adopt a pig in need.

Geez. Give her a break. I could just imagine the heat that she would have taken if she posted a while back

"I went and saw a couple pigs today, they where in a really bad situation and looked to be in rough shape. So I thought maybe I don't have enough $$ to cover all the medical bills, I will just wait for some cute healthy babies to come up at my local rescue and take those, because if I adopt babies, I should get a couple years at least without medical bills".

Yup, that would have gone over real well.

FunnyPigs, you did a wonderful thing in taking those pigs in. If you honestly cannot find the resources to treat the pigs, and you cannot get a vet to work out a payment plan with you, and a rescue is not available to take him in. Don't beat yourself up. You need to make the right decision for the pig, but also for you.

I have to agree with solebomber and cavy&kids.
Like I said, each one of us have a different threshold for our limits and resources, and it is not for us to judge someone elses' limit against ours, rather, it is to judge that he/she has fufilled his/her limits to the max.
Funnypigs, I am sure it took you quite a while to gather the courage and strength to post this here in the first place, we are in no place to judge you, but only trying to tell/show/share our experiences and views on this!

I am sure everyone has a different definition on the quality of life. I have to admit I was very selfish, to put her thourgh the third even though the 2 vets expressed great concerns for her quality-of-life afterwards.
In the mean time, try CL, papers and funddrives.
If you don;t mind me asking, where in Washington are you at?
Momo

Ok, I saw you edited your message Pennick, so I tried to edit mine, but I got caught in that 10 minute thing.

I don't think that she knew the pig was sick, or just how sick when she adopted the pigs. And if she did, would it have been better to walk away? Would it have been better to let the pig meet its end in those conditions as opposed to bringing it under her care, spending some real money at the vet, and feeding it a good diet, giving it lots of love?

If she can't find a vet to work out a payment plan, and can't find a rescue group to take it in, and can't find a sympathetic group to give her $$ to help, and does not have access to the funds dispite begging borrowing or stealing, I don't see what other options she really has. Leaving the pig in pain not eating is obviously not an answer.

To those who think she can find a group that will be sympathetic to the vet bills she is incuring, I challenge you to give her a couple of dollars, afterall, what group is more sympathetic or passionate about these sorts of issues then us? You talk to most people about spending hundreds of dollars to treat a guinea pig, and they will be rude enough to laugh at the idea. I personally can give $5.00 to the treatment your pig requires if you can accept Paypal. PM me your email addy.

I second that, I've already sent you a PM about the fund options.

Cavies-and-Kids said:

That is just plain mean.

She did not go looking for a sick pig to adopt. She was just doing what everyone on this board says to do. Adopt a pig in need.

Geez. Give her a break.

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What are you getting so worked up about. I asked a question.

I have to disagree with your saying "she was just doing what everyone on this board says to do". I don't think too many people will knowingly adopt a sick piggy.

I don't know many people who go to an animal shelter walking out with a sick pet. First of all a sick pet is not allowed to be adopted. So why wasn't the shelter held responsible for this piggy.

If you read her post. She states she adopted a healthy pig and a sick pig.

Why is my question mean. I never once said anything mean.

Ok, so I now this person (not going to mention how), anyway, they had these two guinea pigs that they have had for about 1 year, and one for 2 months. They are both boars, and sweet as can be. They were living in a very neglected home. The boys have a 1/4 inch of calcified urine on the bottom of their cage. They have overgrown nails, impaction, and overgrown teeth (toast). He can barely eat. His teeth klick together when he chews. Well, I have been working on getting the person to let me take them. She finally called me tonight and said to come get them. I drove over and got them right away. Their cage (18x26)was soaked with urine, old very wilted lettuce was in there. Their food dish had a lump of soggy crusty food in the middle :yuck:, and no hay. Well, I have them now, and they are in a make shift cage on the floor for tonight. I put down fleece and towles and used a combination of grids and shelving. Not ideal, but will work for now. I am bringing toast to the vet in the morning for his teeth. Well, here is a pic of them. Sorry the pics are fuzzy, my camera is giving me trouble!

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https://guineapigcages.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10487

This was her original post about the pigs. You can look into the history if you click on a users name, and search for posts started by the user.

She did not adopt a pig from a shelter, she got it off a person who was abusing it. She took full responsibility for the medical conditions that Toast had at the time, and has taken responsibility for the later problems that cropped up too. I think it helps to that these pigs where adopted on the 12th of this month. This is just 19 days, and the 4th? vet visit she is going to have to make. I think she makes a good point in asking is she doing the right thing in depleting her resources anymore and is that fair to the other pigs. What happens if one of the other pigs in the next few months needs to go to a vet? She is in over her head. She in my opinion, did not get there irresponsibly.

Poor Toast.
Poor Funny Pigs.

Read the first post, pennick. She rescued two pigs. You know, from an abusive home?

Help me out here. The first post is today at 2:00. If there was an earlier post how am I suppose to know that. Shouldn't the person continue with the same post if it about the same thing?

Now that I know the whole story I understand her problem better.