There aren't words for what I feel right now.

[Colorado Cavies]

Devastated is an understatement. This evening right after I got back from work, around 7 pm, my boyfriend came out and told me that big mama, our pregnant rescue texel, wasn't moving. He thought she was dead. I went in and I thought she had passed as well but when I picked her up she moved a bit. Normally she is terrified but she didn't even fight me. When I put her on the ground she was too weak to even try to hide. She tried but she could barely drag herself the half of a food to rest her nose on the side of her cage. She didn't even have the energy to get her back legs under her again. We rushed to the closest emergency vet. They took a look at her but really didn't know what they were doing. So we took her some where else. They checked and said two of her three babies were already dead inside of her and that there was a good chance they were killing her. He told us we needed to take her to a vet an hour away to see about emergency surgery. So we did. They took a look and her and called their surgon but she was so sick that he wouldn't put her under, he said he doubted she would live the night. She was in so much pain, she was so tired. I couldn't let her suffer anymore. We had to put her to sleep. She died in my arms at 12:30. We got home half an hour ago but I can't close my eyes without seeing her. I feel terrible. We did everything we could. She was never loved a day in her life before she came here. She lived in a place where they bred pigs until they died and even though she was with us they still killed her in the end.

Good bye Big Mama. You were my baby. After you had your babies I was going to keep you here with me forever. I miss you so much and I am so sorry. I can't wait to see you again. RIP angel.

 

[HarleypigsMummy]

My heart is breaking for you.. What a terrible thing to happen... I'm sending you all of my love. xx

 

[RodentCuddles]

I am so so sorry for what happened, at least Big Mama got to feel loved by you even if it wasn't for the longest amount of time.
I'm sure she is very grateful for everything you did for her.

 

[suzilovespiggie]

I am so sorry. My heart hurts over this. Thank you for loving her and giving her the very best.

 

[Nix16]

Poor big mama. That story brought years to my eyes, you fought so hard for her.

 

[deardulcie]

OH, Colorado, I'm so sorry. She knows what you did for her, and loves you for it.

 

[bpatters]

@Colorado Cavies, I'm so sorry you lost her. Thanks for taking her in and giving her such good care. I'm sorry you didn't have many good years together.

 

[Colorado Cavies]

Thanks guys. I was finally able to get a few hours sleep, I feel better this morning. I know that if we hadn't taken her she would have died alone with out ever being loved. She was starting to get so much better. She was actually letting me pet her most of the time. She rarely ran away from me anymore. Even a day before she died she was coming right to the bars of her cage and standing right up there and sticking her nose out at me for treats. She came to the bars anytime I clicked my tongue. She was my baby.

We are having privet cremation done. The place in fort collins where we had to put her down was a teaching clinic at a university. They also do paw prints. They put her paw print onto a little clay circle and bake it. They also add her name to it. So we will have her back with us soon.

We decided to "donate her body" They used another term but I don't remember it. They will be using her body to help the students understand more about guinea pigs. They will study why she died and things like that. My hope is that this will help guinea pig owners in the future. So little is understood by these animals by most vets.

I seriously think I was in shock last night. I was shaking from about 8 all the way until we sat down in the car at 1 am. I'm hear broken but I am more determined then ever that guinea pig rescue is what I want to do with my life. Mama is officially our mascot. Pigs like her are the reason I do this.

 

[foggycreekcavy]

I am so sorry.

 

[2cutepiggies]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

 

[lissie]

I am truly sorry for your loss. I have tears in my eyes reading this.

 

[Xeygwyn]

So sorry for your loss Colorado.

 

[Rhinos_mom]

I also had tears in my eyes reading this. my heart is breaking for you, @Colorado Cavies . Big Mama was lucky someone like you found her. You loved her and cared for her more than anyone ever did, and that's so very important and no doubt it was important to her. I send you all of my love.

It is very strong and in my opinion noble that you are helping the veterinary science out with learning about guinea pigs by doing that. You're very strong.

We're all here for you.

 

[mufasa]

That story brought tears to my eyes. The only silver lining is that Big Mama got to know some love and real caring, which most poor breeder pigs never know. Pet stores and breeders get no sympathy from me. My pet store pig died in 15 days of a URI and my pig Borat had a fatal congenital defect, no doubt due to the horrible breeding practices. It's apparent from your post how much you loved Big Mama, and I'm sure she knew that, even though it was for all too short a time.

 

[MrWhistles]

Thanks guys. I was finally able to get a few hours sleep, I feel better this morning. I know that if we hadn't taken her she would have died alone with out ever being loved. She was starting to get so much better. She was actually letting me pet her most of the time. She rarely ran away from me anymore. Even a day before she died she was coming right to the bars of her cage and standing right up there and sticking her nose out at me for treats. She came to the bars anytime I clicked my tongue. She was my baby.

We are having privet cremation done. The place in fort collins where we had to put her down was a teaching clinic at a university. They also do paw prints. They put her paw print onto a little clay circle and bake it. They also add her name to it. So we will have her back with us soon.

We decided to "donate her body" They used another term but I don't remember it. They will be using her body to help the students understand more about guinea pigs. They will study why she died and things like that. My hope is that this will help guinea pig owners in the future. So little is understood by these animals by most vets.

I seriously think I was in shock last night. I was shaking from about 8 all the way until we sat down in the car at 1 am. I'm hear broken but I am more determined then ever that guinea pig rescue is what I want to do with my life. Mama is officially our mascot. Pigs like her are the reason I do this.

I feel your pain of losing Big Mama. Thank you for saving her and giving her the love/gentle care she desperately needed. I also very much appreciate you donating Big Mama to science. Vets need to learn everything they can about guinea pigs. When Mr. Whistles passed it was so sudden and I was in a bit of denial. I wasn't ready and I didn't want him to go. But truth is, we'll never be ready for them to go. We'll never want them to go. But their souls are needed else where. Where that is, we'll never truly know.

Big Mama is glad you took her from the cruelty she was facing. She'll guide you to the other piggys who need your help.

 

[Dee_E]

I am so sorry for your loss. At least Big Mama got care and love she deserved!

 

[Kota12]

Rest in Peace Big Mama. I'm terribly sorry for your loss, right now Big Mama is stuffing her face with her babies right next to her popcorning and zooming all around. I'm truly, so sorry.

 

[Colorado Cavies]

Thank you everyone. I am still really sad, a feeling that I doubt will fade anytime soon. However I think @MrWhistles must be right because when I got home I had an email from someone who bought a young male for her boar who ended up being pregnant. I told her exactly what had happened that evening and how much it would have cost us if mama had been able to undergo surgery. We gladly would have paid it but it could have been up to 3,000. I asked her if she was really able to handle everything that could possibly happen with a 2 month old pregnant female. We talked for a long time and I am convinced that she is going to be taking good care of the female. I will be directing her to this sight and offering any support she might need down the line. The boar, chocolate, will be here in about 4 hours. We will find him a good forever home.

I'm still heartbroken but this is what I do and I can't let my grief hold me back from a chance to help someone. I know mama is at peace now, she will take care of the baby Izzie lost I'm sure. And until I can see them again I just have to do everything I can here. If I gave up and quit now I would feel like I failed her. So I just have to keep moving.

 

[asnnbrg]

I'm so terribly sorry for your loss.

 

[toylady]

so sorry for your loss! On a positive note, my momma Chloe, was a rescue who was pregnant and she had 6 babies, 2 were stillborn and 4 alive. I am glad I got her in time to feed her really well and the babies are healthy and growing like weeds. At 8 weeks they are half the size of mom! I have another female who is pregant ( was with 2 males when rescued) and is a younger female and I have my fingers crossed she will be ok. I have an exotics vet who is an emergency vet ready just in case their are issues ( ready to do a c-section if need be). We can only do what we can do- Just know she had a better place with you instead of just being thrown in the garbage. For this reason, I am very particular about adopting out any females from my rescue- has to be a particular person or I just keep the females and adopt out the males.