Dying Degu. Advice needed please! BexVN or similar

[Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah]

We have 3 elderly degus, and it seems that one of them is dying. Sarah is in London, and I'm not sure how to best help her (the degu)

She is lying on her side, looking very weak and fragile, breathing, but not getting up. Previously she's always been sprightly, and if you attempt to handle them they become wriggly, or run, she's doing neither.

Has anyone any words of wisdom? I've only thought to A) move her bed to away from the other 2, so they don't accidentally crush her, and B) give her a few drops of painkiller.

[Cerbhd]

Can you stay with her while you call an emergency vet?

[Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah]

I'm checking her regularly. Would there be anything they could do though? The cost doesn't matter, but I doubt she'll see the night out, so does it make sense to pay out to have her PTS?
I'm not being cold-hearted, I genuinely don't know what's best I'm hoping the pain killer may make her drousy.

[Cerbhd]

I think the vet may give you the peace of mind that you have done all you can, for what it's worth she'll be grateful that you are there in her hour of need.
I think they pick up on that
Good luck mate

[Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah]

OK. Her breathing has slowed down, yet is heavier, almost like we'd be if we'd ran and were trying to gulp down air. I'm going to see about an emergency vet, options, as I can't stand to think of her suffering.

[Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah]

She's just been PTS. Night night Jasmine

[bexVN]

Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah said:

She's just been PTS. Night night Jasmine

Aww I'm sorry to read this but it sounds like you made absolutely the right decision (so sorry I didn't see your post earlier)

[Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah]

bexVN said:

Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah said:

She's just been PTS. Night night Jasmine

Aww I'm sorry to read this but it sounds like you made absolutely the right decision (so sorry I didn't see your post earlier)

Bex, no apologies needed darling. You're just the only VN I'm aware of on here, so the title was intended to 'jump out' at you if you happened to be online.
The (very sweet) vet said that she was essentially dying, and struggling to breath, but as she was asleep she wouldn't have been in distress. I still couldn't allow risk that she may suffer, so wanted to end her ordeal for her.

Man, I hate seeing any animal die, it's so st !

[bexVN]

Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah said:

bexVN said:

Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah said:

She's just been PTS. Night night Jasmine

Aww I'm sorry to read this but it sounds like you made absolutely the right decision (so sorry I didn't see your post earlier)

Bex, no apologies needed darling. You're just the only VN I'm aware of on here, so the title was intended to 'jump out' at you if you happened to be online.
The (very sweet) vet said that she was essentially dying, and struggling to breath, but as she was asleep she wouldn't have been in distress. I still couldn't allow risk that she may suffer, so wanted to end her ordeal for her.

Man, I hate seeing any animal die, it's so st !

It is I know I would have made the same decision even knowing that the vet felt she wasn't suffering.

[Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah]

bexVN said:

Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah said:

bexVN said:

Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah said:

She's just been PTS. Night night Jasmine

Aww I'm sorry to read this but it sounds like you made absolutely the right decision (so sorry I didn't see your post earlier)

Bex, no apologies needed darling. You're just the only VN I'm aware of on here, so the title was intended to 'jump out' at you if you happened to be online.
The (very sweet) vet said that she was essentially dying, and struggling to breath, but as she was asleep she wouldn't have been in distress. I still couldn't allow risk that she may suffer, so wanted to end her ordeal for her.

Man, I hate seeing any animal die, it's so st !

It is I know I would have made the same decision even knowing that the vet felt she wasn't suffering.

Good to know. I'm convinced she only had hours left, but no way of knowing if she was feeling any struggle. You have two responsibilities as a pet owner as far as I'm concerned, to give them a pleasant life, and a pleasant death.

She came back to me after (PTS) in exactly the same position she was sleeping in, hence 100% sure no 'struggle' at the last minute.

Kudos too to my neighbour for driving me there. I'd had two large glasses of wine, so I couldn't (wouldn't) get behind the wheel.

Edit, final note (to you Bex, shall mean little to most) she was over 9, which is an incredible age for a Gu, and more significantly a credit to my lovely lady for how she's cared for them. Every time we lose one (just 2 left now) I remind her that it is HER who has given them such lovely lives. Even if the little buggers used to keep me awake playing on their wheels when we were first being dirty stop outs!

Edited by Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah on Friday 24th March 22:48

[bexVN]

That really is an impressive age! And definitely a testament to the care they have/had.

I used to have hamsters in my bedroom great memories of the squeaky wheel in the early hours!!

[Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah]

bexVN said:

That really is an impressive age! And definitely a testament to the care they have/had.

I used to have hamsters in my bedroom great memories of the squeaky wheel in the early hours!!

I bet your past/present boyfriend(s) really loved you with that as a background! These have a spinning disc, imagine a wok minus its handle on an axis. Spin spin spin. Run run run. STFU please!

[bexVN]

Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah said:

bexVN said:

That really is an impressive age! And definitely a testament to the care they have/had.

I used to have hamsters in my bedroom great memories of the squeaky wheel in the early hours!!

I bet your past/present boyfriend(s) really loved you with that as a background! These have a spinning disc, imagine a wok minus its handle on an axis. Spin spin spin. Run run run. STFU please!

My hamsters had passed on before boyfriends were really on the scene. However if that had been an issue the boyfriend would have been swiftly got rid of.

My now hubby accepted without quibble that I shared my bedroom with a rescued budgie, rescued finch and two rescued cats when I met him though

[Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah]

bexVN said:

Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah said:

bexVN said:

That really is an impressive age! And definitely a testament to the care they have/had.

I used to have hamsters in my bedroom great memories of the squeaky wheel in the early hours!!

I bet your past/present boyfriend(s) really loved you with that as a background! These have a spinning disc, imagine a wok minus its handle on an axis. Spin spin spin. Run run run. STFU please!

My hamsters had passed on before boyfriends were really on the scene. However if that had been an issue the boyfriend would have been swiftly got rid of.

My now hubby accepted without quibble that I shared my bedroom with a rescued budgie, rescued finch and two rescued cats when I met him though

He must love you. We share the bedroom with Bru, a 14 yr old Staff x god knows what, and he snores louder than I do!

such standards women have, coming below a Hamster, harsh

Hubby must be well pleased, sharing the bedroom with his Mrs and a couple of other birds!

[bexVN]

That was years ago, now we have two whippets share the bedroom with us!! (and sometimes our kids!)

[Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah]

bexVN said:

That was years ago, now we have two whippets share the bedroom with us!! (and sometimes our kids!)

All this to look forward to (kids)
You must be mental, and him a saint, two whippets in the bedroom, that must be, urrr, interesting! Pictures? They are gorgeous things.

[Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah]

Anyways. It looks like I'm having another all nighter (bd insomnia!) but thank you for your kind words and reassurance Bex. It may 'just' be a 'little rodent', but Jas was my fave Gu, and I was really sad to see her pass tonight. These bloody animals have a way of getting under your skin..... as you well know, I'm sure!

Sweet dreams Jasmine.

[Cerbhd]

Sorry to hear this Fermit but you did the right thing

[garythesign]

Fermit

I had to use google last night

Eight years is a testament to the love and attention lavished on this little one

Thoughts are with you

[Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah]

garythesign said:

Fermit

I had to use google last night

Eight years is a testament to the love and attention lavished on this little one

Thoughts are with you

Thank you. A little sad, as you kind of become friends with them, but Sarah is worse (she doesn't deal well with pet loss)
She was over 9 BTW.