(no subject)

[mumsisdaughter]

Well I'm feeling miserable and forlorn today. Angel, the last of our guinea pigs, died in my arms this morning. She was a grand old lady of six, which in guinea pig terms is over a century. She went off her food on Sunday, sure sign of illness in these little creatures. Bank holiday on Monday of course so I took her to the vet on Tuesday. The vet prescribed an oral antibiotic to be administered by open syringe but warned us that she might not recover. We've kept lots of these adorable animals and have seen this before. When feeling unwell, they stop eating but then it's a decreasing spiral because they become too lethargic to eat or drink. I gave her water and liquefied veg via open syringe but she went into decline. That is her body became lethargic but her head remained perky and retained her personality. We'd decided to take her to the vet this morning to have her put to sleep but when I saw her this morning I knew the end wasn't too far away so I held her and stroked her and talked to her until she died. Why do we get so attached to animals? Are we hard-wired to develop attachments, to feel 'love', in order that we do not feel alone? What do our pets get out of this, apart from a cushy life? Can they feel love for us or is it just that a human equals someone who can open tins of food?

When I studied animal psychology at university, I read that animals in their natural habitats do not have personalities and what we perceive in our pets is merely what we want to see. We want them to be equal and to understand every word we say so we misinterpret their behaviours as responses that demonstrate a communion ie we give them souls. Others suggested that the reason wild animals do not develop personalities is that they spend every moment looking for food and avoiding danger, in other words a personality is a luxury that they do not have the time for. 

Whatever the truth, if there be a heaven, I want it to have animals.

Comments

[versailles-rose.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry for the loss of your piggie.
(((hugs)))

[hystree.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry to hear this terrible news, sweetie :( *big BIG hugs*. I know how you're feeling as one of my doggies passed away recently too, I just haven't had the heart to talk about it yet.... it's the hardest thing in the world. Let me just say, in my opinion animals differ from humans in only superficial ways. They are not the same as people, of course, so their ways may seem a little alien..even inexplicable to us, but they're here in all the ways that count most, so it's alright to love and mourn when your friend passes on. If there is a heaven for humans and it doesn't accept animals I will be taking my business elsewhere.

It's good that you were able to hold her and comfort her in her hour and she didn't need to go to a strange place, that's the best thing you can offer them.

*more hugs*

[gairid.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry :(

Nothing can convince me that animals don't feel love and devotion, not after witnessing (and being the recipient of) hundreds of examples of all kinds of emotions from them over the course of many years and many pets. I dare anyone to look into the eyes of a well cared for and loved pet and not see a soul in there.

(((hugs)))

[i-sanguinity.livejournal.com]

{{{hugs}}} I'm so sorry that she's gone, but it sounds like she and you both had several long and happy years with one another, and that's a beautiful thing.

People who say that animals have no emotions are blindered and egotistical idiots, plain and simple. It is, and has always been, abundantly clear to me that they feel loyalty, devotion, affection, jealousy, love, guilt, joy, and more -- both when interacting with one another and when interacting with us. Do we read a bit too far between the lines sometimes? Sure we do; I don't think we can help it, being the overthinking and rather emotionally needy beings that we are. But there's no doubt whatsoever that there's more to a companion animal's relationship with us than our ability to feed them.

[secret-savior.livejournal.com]

Aww =( I'm so sorry! *hugs* It's hard not to get attached to animals. And really, no matter what science says, until someone can get inside the head of an animal, wild, domesticated, or otherwise, and actually -know- if they have personalities...it's just a bunch of "educated" guesses.