Hello all...

I joined this last night because I am SO upset over the loss of my little guinea pig...he was the sweetest little guy. He was fine and healthy his whole life with us, but seemed lethargic on Christmas. The day after, he was so sick we rushed him to the vet. But they couldn't save him. The worst is, they don't know why he was sick, what he had. There was just nothing they could do for him.

I miss him so much. I can't stand it. All I want to do is hold my little Peach again. My boyfriend was so upset over the news he cried (very rare occurence) and I was absolutely hysterical. I'm still a little in shock...my b/f was kind enough to remove his cage from my sight and stash it in the garage, but I keep looking over at his spot next to the window and I can't stand that I can't just go over and hold my sweet guy.

We're going to bury him today, have to go pick him up from the vet. I might just ask my b/f to do it all himself, since I'm so shaken up about all this.

Thanks for listening. I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday.

Katie

Oh Katie

I'm so sorry you lost your little Peach! While no time is a good time, this time of year is so bad for losing your little guy. I'm so sorry for your loss.

We lost our Moustache kitty two months ago. For us it was also very sudden and we don't know what happened. That is so hard. The first week is the worst honey, it gets a tiny bit eaiser after that.

I'll be thinking of you and your Peach. If you have a picture I'd love to see it.

Love
Lori

Katie,
I am so sorry to read about your loss. How old was your baby? Was he around any other animals that may have been sick?
He's in a much better place now. I know you miss him and it's very painful; please let yourself grieve as long as you need to. There's no set time limit on that; some people grieve for a few weeks or months, for others it can last years. Just know we're here for you, for anything. I hope you post a picture soon!
Lisa

That's the worst -- we have no pictures of him. I hate, hate, hate that we didn't take any pics of him. We have about 16 trillion pictures of the dog, cats, even one of our rat, but none of Peach. Maybe if he'd lived longer (he was only 10 months when he died, my poor love), but I feel guilty that we have no pictures of him and now I'm really regretting it.

He was an American (short, smooth hair all over) and had tortoiseshell markings (just like a tortie cat, it was so cool)...his belly was split down the middle tan and brown, just like some tortoiseshell cats' noses. He had three dark brown feet and one tan foot (his front left one). He was beautiful. I can't believe he's gone.

Please don't do this...about the pictures. Your guilt (a natural part of the grief cycle) is beginning to pray upon your agony. You have the memories, they are the most important. You came to tha right place. Your being "hysterical" is quite normal. I was when my Chase died. We did not know why she was sick either..she did not seem to be. She just died. The spot where Chases cage was in the bedroom haunted me for weeks. You are not alone. Your story bears many striking similarities to mine. Be kind to yourself. Always watch for guilt...it is the worst monster of all in my humble opinion. It made me the sickest. Come here often. We will listen and you will find comfort & strength here. I am sorry for your loss.

Katie,

I'm so sorry about the loss of your furbaby. It must be so frustrating not to know what happened to Peach, but just remember you did the best you could for him. It doesn't matter how long we have our babies with us, it never seems long enough. Don't feel guilty about not having pictures. You will carry his picture in your heart always. God bless you!

Diane

Thanks for relieving me of my guilt over having no photos of Peach. I guess I'd just like to look at one right now. I think the most bizarre part about his death is that...he was just here. How can it be that I was holding him yesterday? It's almost as if it could never have happened.

Such a sudden loss is incomprehensible. It doesn't make any sense, and it's thrown me out of balance. I find myself trying desperately to recall every image of memory i have of him, trying to picture each detail of his looks and his personality. Maybe that's part of the reason I want pictures; to make sure I never forget anything about him.

But at the same time, looking at pictures might just play into my grief and keep me in a dark place. I feel like I can't even think about him right now, because the fact that something can go so fast is disturbing, and unsettling.

I just wish I could have known that the moment I handed him over to the vet was our last, and that I could have said goodbye.

I'm so sorry for the loss of your sweet peach.Please don't beat yourself up about not having any pictures of him, it doesn't help! You will remember him in your mind,your thoughts,your dreams, that's where it counts the most anyway.Poor thing had such a short life but you made it a good one and he knew that you loved him and you gave him a good home.That is what is important! Your grief is completely normal and so is the way you are feeling right now.Take some time for yourself and reflect on the love you shared with him and all the good times too.They will keep you going.The pain will ease somewhat with time but it will never really go away you'll just learn how to live with it.My baby boy Sox died on Oct. 13th and I still think about him every day and miss him but it is getting easier to deal with his passing.I just think about all the happy times and try not to dwell on the day of his passing.My heart goes out to you and I will put you in my prayers tonight.Sincerely,Renee (Sox's mom)

Dear Katie,

I felt and feel like you do............My sweetheart, best friend, and love, Oreo.....also a piggie......went to heaven on Oct. 13.................I am so sorry about your piggie, Peach..............piggies are the SWEETEST and most LOVABLE, aren't they??? :'(......

I too became "hysterical"......in fact, for about a month, I could barely eat, bathe myself (my mom helped me), or sleep.......I lost 15 lbs. in like 2 weeks......I felt shock, numbness, psychological trauma, anger, panic attacks/anxiety, despair, disturbing thoughts (thoughts that I knew were not really mine), sleeplessness, sobbing/crying, physical pain/stomach pains/migraines, trouble breathing, thoughts of suicide (only thoughts), confusion, frustration, the feeling 'everything was unreal', denial......among other things.........

I honestly still feel alot of those ways alot of the time, but God has shown me ways to "somewhat" "control" or "deal with" or "dim down" the feelings/thoughts.......and they do help.......sometimes...............I even have SOME times when I can smile/laugh when I think of wonderful memories/times with my baby, and rare times I can FEEL comforted by her/closer to her/like her presence is with me........but these times are always, of course, accompanied by the intense pain and longing of missing her........sometimes crying/having breakdowns too................but I am still grateful for those times................

Here is a *hug*.........I would give anything to be able to hold, cuddle, kiss, look in Oreo's eyes and tell her how much I love her again too (I also miss her smell soooooooooooooooooooo much!!!!!!!!!!)

Something that helps me is knowing that my precious baby is in heaven with God now...........gloriously alive, blissfully happy, and absolutely healthy..........just as your baby is!! I wonder if my Oreo and your Peach have met yet??? being "piggie related", you know?.........................................*little smile*

Private Message me if you'd ever like to talk..........


"Piggie licks" and love,
OreosMama
~Laura

Thank you all so much. Laura, I can't tell you how good it is to hear from a fellow piggie enthusiast.

I have opted not to talk to a lot of my friends/family about how bad I feel...a lot of the response I'm getting is impatience; I didn't have Peach for long (I adopted him at 6 months, so I only had 4 months with my guy), and he was "just a guinea pig"; so I'm not getting a lot of support from the outside (save my b/f, who understands well and is a has been wonderful).

I miss him so much. Most of the time, when a pet dies, I have no desire to get another one. But in this case, I'm thinking of going out and adopting a piggie (or 2) from the shelter. I'm going to check a couple out today. But I don't know.

I miss my Peach! I just want to hold him and pat his little head again. My sweet guy. Yesterday, when I got home, my boyfriend had made him a little grave with flowers and a white plastic fence all around it. It was just what I needed to honor my little guy, and I see it every time I walk out the front door. It brings me to tears now, but it makes me smile at the same time. I feel good that it's there.

I'll keep you all posted. Thank you so much for your support and understanding.

Katie

Your love for a pet is no less at 4 months than at 14, which is how old my sweet love was. (He just passed away yesterday morning.)

I loved my four legged son from the first second I laid eyes on him. It was instantaneous.

I had a rat named Chablis, she lived to be 5, which is pretty long. Many kept telling me,"it's just a rat". Nope, Chablis was awesome, she was more dog than rat, she came when I called her, liked to go for walkies, and even begged sitting up for treats. She was so special to me, in fact, I still tear up and she died 13 years ago.

How lucky your little piggy was to have so much love in such a short time. How blessed, and that she went so quicky in itself may be shocking, but she likely suffered very little, which is how all of us, our pets included, must like the end to come when it does.

What's left of my brain, which is right now functioning very poorly, will take a moment and send good wishes your way.

Thank you all so much.

In Peach's memory, I have rescued the two brothers you see in the photo...just picked them up from the shelter today. Don't know what I'll name them; still have Peach stuck in my head.

But there'll never be another Peach.

Bunni:
I know exactly how you feel. Losing a pet is just as hard as losing a human. Especially at this time of year. My poor little Miss Ellie died only four days ago and I miss her desperately. John is right about the guilt, it will eat at you. I never went through denial just headed striaght for the guilt. Thanks to John I was able to see what I was doing to myself.

You little guy was loved and in the end isn't that what it's all about. Staying by them until the end, loving them until the end, and loving them after the end. Our hearts will go on...and on....

Bunni:

You said


I feel this is a normal reaction to a sudden loss. My husband was killed in a car accident on his way to work, this sudden loss is hard. Your life feels ripped apart, your daily living becomes a challenge because you can't concentrate. YOu burn toast, wash colored clothes in hot water, etc.

With Miss Ellie the vet told me in March she might only last three weeks, three months he didn't know. HE only knew someday the medicine wouldn't work and she would die.

So I have lost both ways suddenly and slowly (I lack a better word). Each type of loss appears to bring forth specific feelings of grief. Suddenly I found I suffered more denial, shock and disbelief. A death from a chronic disease, I find I am suffering more guilt, what could I have done different to have made my sweet miss ellie last just one more day.

We have no choice but to grieve and go on. However we can keep our loved ones alive in our hearts and in our memories.