Should I put my guinea pig down?

I need to decide whether to have my female guinea pig Macci put down, she has suddenly got a round lump on the side of her chest. It moves a bit and is solid, about 2 fingers wide and round like a ball. She doesn't seem to want to use her back legs and makes noises when she breathes. But other days she is fine. She's over 6 years old now, on a previous vet visit (over a year ago) the vet suspected she had something hormonal wrong because she lost hair on her sides of her stomach, the vet thought it wasn't ovarian cysts. The vet said she had a long large lump in/on her bladder which was either a tumour or bladder stones. She had (and still does have) blood in her urine which the vet says is there every time she wees even though it can't be seen. Back then I decided against surgery for multiple reasons, it would have cost £300+ when the likelihood is that if it is a tumour there is nothing that can be done and she also might not survive the operation.
Now that she seems worse I don't know what to do. She gets scared/worried whenever we go to the vets, I want her to be happy but at the same time I love her and don't want to lose her.

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6 replies since 16th February 2012 • Last reply 16th February 2012

Reply #1:

Dragoness,

It is so sad to put any animal down and my grandma did that thing with her dog and he died Happy. I think you should give her like the best days of her life, but if it gets worse put her down, it will be better so she will not suffer any more. So sorry and i hope she gets well soon.

Peeps

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Reply #2:

She had cancer, I had her put down today Happy it was in her lungs and abdomen at least. I could either take her home or have her put down. If I took her home she would deteriorate quickly.
I'm going to miss her loads Happy

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Reply #3:

Dragoness, I'm so sorry for your loss. I know what it's lie to lose a pet, but it kept her from suffering any longer.

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Reply #4:

I'm so sorry, I know it's really hard to get over the loss of a pet. We lost our kitty, Esau, a few years ago, and I still miss him sometimes.
Just remember your guinea pig is in a better place, and he doesn't have to hurt anymore.

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Reply #5:

It is probably better than making it suffer. So sorry though Happy

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Reply #6:

I use to have a pet rat that got a tumor on her bladder. Her name was Susie Q. I didn't know what to do either and I didn't want her to pass. She suffered so much, the poor thing. I just let her live with that thing inside of her because I didn't want to lose her. It was the cruelest thing I had ever done. Now I wish I had just put her down to make her pain stop. It's hard to let go, but sometimes its better than keeping them alive and in pain. I'm sorry that you're going through this, I know it's hard. Poor Macci.

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