Help me.. please...

[Stryde]

Nimbus is sick... my darling little Nimbus... I can't afford to take him to the vet. His eyes are crusted, and he's almost skin and bones... I'm so scared I'm going to lose him. I want to do something like give him to a shelter and ask them to heal him and find a better home where he's not in the basement, but I don't know where to go, who to go to... I like in Eastern MA. The Lowell Humane Society near me is only open Wednesdays and Thursdays, and I fear I'll loose him by then... I don't know if Nashua will take him.

I'm so scared... help me. I think it's Scurvy...

[sus4rabbitsnpigs]

It sounds like he has a bad URI then developed into pneumonia. The shelter will just euthanize him most likely. They do not have the funding to pay for vet care and guinea pigs are not as worthwhile to them as dogs or cats sad to say.

Can you find a vet that will work you on payments? Or borrow the money? It is vital to consider medical care when you take in a pet. You really need to get him to a vet and get treatment soon.

Or at least have him humanely euthanized than letting him suffer and starve to death.

Are you at least keeping him warm and handfeeding? If he has lost weight then he has probably been sick awhile. It's vital you feed him as his system is already shutting down. If it were just scurvy you could supplement with vit c but it sounds like he is past that point.

[Foggycreek]

If he's almost skin and bones, it sounds like he should have been taken to the vet long ago, and you should have asked for help before now.

You might try and see if you can surrender him to a vet. They will either try to find someone to take him and give him medical care, or decide to euthanize him.

[Stryde]

I was actually very surprised to find him skin and bones. He'd lost a bit of weight earlier in the week, but he was still eating and drinking normally, so I decided to watch him. The rest of this week I was away (hospital for severe anemia), and no one called me or came in to tell me anything was wrong with him, so I figured things were fine, came home in the middle of the night last night and went to bed. I got up, and he was in poor shape... Anyways. There are no vets around here that will work in payments, and so far, none that will take surrenders. I'm going to try a few places north of me, and I'm waiting to hear back from the humane society when worst comes to worst.

When taking in Nimbus 2 years ago (he's 2 and 4 months now, I adopted him fairly young) I was able to afford him - recently we came into some serious financial struggles.. that's why I'm also considering taking his cagemate in for adoption, so that he can be properly treated by someone with the finances to do so. A hard choice, but I can't be greedy at this point.

[sus4rabbitsnpigs]

They go downhill fast. He may have been eating somewhat but slowly and not enough to maintain weight.

[Bennalaya]

It's always difficult to surrender a beloved pet. I know that in an ideal situation the funds are always there to provide them with the vet care they need, but people do fall on hard times. My best advice would be don't take him to the pound. They would probably euthanize him fairly quickly. I second Foggy's advice on seeing if a veterinarian would take him in and treat him and then re-home him for you. Without vet care he will probably die. At least in the care of a vet that specializes in small animal/exotics he stands a chance of being rehabilitated.

I know it's hard, but if provisions cannot be made for care it's probably best to surrender them. I'm sorry you're going through a difficult time right now and then you have this burden on top of all of it. Maybe knowing that in the care of a vet or cavy rescue your babies will stand a chance of surviving can bring you some peace of mind. Because if it's a URI his cage mate will most likely catch it as well.

Please let us know what happens.

[Stryde]

I just got a hold of literally the only vet that would co-operate with me. I gave a long synopsis of his symptoms and problems... and the only thing they can do is put him to sleep - they'l do it free of charge. Nowhere else will take him, rehome him, nothing... so I fear this is my only choice.

His survivor I'm going to rehome with a friend that I know will take proper care of him and has the finances to do so...

I'm keeping Nimbus as comfortable as I can until then... my poor, poor little friend... I've never had a guinea pig quite like him, so active and talkative and... climby. He climbs things.. or did...

....

[AmysAnimals]

Im not sure if this place is anywhere near you or not but there is a Guinea Pig rescue in Mass. If you contact them and explain your situation, they can probably help you and may even be willing to come to you in order to pick the piggy up. Im not exactly sure if they are close to you or not but Ill astleast give you the information just incase. I really hope this will help you some way, some how!

Cavy Rescue of New England
P.O.Box 405
Minoit MA
The number is 781-925-9276

And heres the site with all the information--http://www.animalshelter.org/shelters/Cavy_Rescue_New_England_rId2216_rS_pC.html

Also, here are some rescues on the eastern side of MA near Boston.

The Animal Rescue League of Boston-- Located in Durham, MA
The MSPCA Boston Animal Care and Adoption Center--Located in Boston, MA
MSPCA Metro South Animal Care and Adoption Center--Located in Brockton, MA
The Lowell Humane Society--
951 Broadway
Lowell, MA 01854
Phone: 978 452-7781


Hopefully one of these places will help you out. Best of luck!!

[sus4rabbitsnpigs]

This pig really needs to go to a vet directly NOW.

[guineapiggoddess]

Nice to see you Stryde. Sorry to hear of the bad news though! Is there anyway you can get him any help?