Actually, they were put to sleep. Polly's tumour was affecting her movement, making it difficult to climb and get out of the cage, and Peanut had got another tumour (grand total:4), and spent all of her time eating but getting thinner, and grooming Polly and bringing her food.
The vet reassured me that it was absolutely the right thing to do, but I still feel overwhelmingly guilty, like I could have done more for them earlier, despite deciding weeks ago that I wasn't going operate, they'd both been through too many procedures already and were too old to really make it worth putting them through the stress again.
He wouldn't let me stay with them when it happened (apparently the gas is more dangerous to me, as a member of the public, than to him, as a vet!
), but he says they went to sleep together, curled up their little straw house. I stayed with them for a bit afterwards, and they just looked all dopey and relaxed. They're going to the crematorium today, and I can pick them up next week.
I can't stop crying. I cleaned the cage out last night but now it's sitting there all empty and bare. I keep expecting to see them running around hiding food and jumping up into bed with me. I feel like a part of me has been physically removed and I don't know how to function without it.
Polly:September 2004 - November 2006
Peanut: January 2005 - November 2006
The vet reassured me that it was absolutely the right thing to do, but I still feel overwhelmingly guilty, like I could have done more for them earlier, despite deciding weeks ago that I wasn't going operate, they'd both been through too many procedures already and were too old to really make it worth putting them through the stress again.
He wouldn't let me stay with them when it happened (apparently the gas is more dangerous to me, as a member of the public, than to him, as a vet!

I can't stop crying. I cleaned the cage out last night but now it's sitting there all empty and bare. I keep expecting to see them running around hiding food and jumping up into bed with me. I feel like a part of me has been physically removed and I don't know how to function without it.
Polly:September 2004 - November 2006
Peanut: January 2005 - November 2006