Sick My guinea pig died a disturbing death - is that typical?

[Artec]

Hello!

My first guinea pig has died yesterday, she was 5 years old and I'm really glad she lived so long as she was really sick when she was just 1, we've been through a lot to save her.
I've read they hide their illnesses and it's been a long time that she was skinnier, ate slightly less, looked... older. But she was still running around, playing, and was happy to receive food.

I'm not so much bothered that she died as I am about how it happened, I'd like to know if those are usual symptoms of some disorder, or? Warning, graphic description!

She was happily going around her business when she made two painful sounds (usually she didn't make any as she's recently lost her voice).
I've picked her up and she seemed upset, then twitched once, then started twitching more and more.
I've put her down in the cage and she immediately fell to her side. Got up and started running without any balance only to fall again. She stopped for a second with her eyes wide
open as if she was a pain. She really wanted to go to the corner of her house (which was her safe place) so she managed to storm in there, fall down just as she would when she was health,
and after some more twitching she died.

I feel terrible seeing that and my mind keeps finding new ways of how I did something wrong and/or could have prevented it and live to see her die more "peacefully".

 

[CavyMama]

Yes, although it's difficult to watch, that is a typical scenario of a pig who is dying. As their organs shut down, they struggle. So they will convulse and seize. At a point, the light goes out in their eyes and although their heart may still beat and their lungs may still work, the pig you know and love, isn't there anymore.

I've had to go through that before and it's so difficult because there is nothing you can do except hold them and try to make them comfortable as they pass. Sometimes, it comes on without warning. I had one pig who was completely fine at dinner time but the next morning when I went down to feed them, he was on his side, still alive but definitely not right. He was listing to one side, couldn't support his weight, couldn't stand and was having seizures. I suspected that he may have had a mini stroke during the night. The vet confirmed that this was probably the cause. His quality of life had diminished so much that I made the decision to help him along the rainbow bridge and end his suffering.

 

[pigger123]

I'm so sorry for your loss. There was nothing more you could have done, but I'm sure your piggie had a fantastic life with you.

 

[Rywen]

I'm very sorry for your loss, it sounds like she had a stroke. RIP little piggie.

 

[Artista]

Oh I'm so sorry for your loss. I can't imagine watching this. I just hear about people finding the pig lifeless., which is bad enough. May she RIP now.

 

[daisy1cow]

Im so sorry you had to go through that, but at least you were there for her.
I had the same experience with my little Peanut Butter. I was holding her throughout it all, she was trying to move, but would fall over. Finally she just laid kind of on her side, looking at me so sweetly. I was crying telling her I loved her and it was time to go and play over the rainbow bridge and popcorn.
I rescued her from a fish tank in the back room of Petco. They thought URI but after 30 days of meds and no one else getting sick, an xray showed her heart on one side of her chest smashing her good lung. The lung on the other side was collapsed. She lived 3 months with me and a gage mate named Jelly Bean. She was happy, spoiled and knew it. Those are the thoughts you need to keep. You gave her an awesome life she wouldn't have had anyway and Im sure all the guinea pigs have welcomed her over the Rainbow Bridge and she is happy!!

 

[Bodhi]

Sounds like a tough time. If you were around much of the time, you might be there, and that was nice to hold your piggie. More commonly, I think they are found lifeless in the morning.

 

[LilliAndFelix]

Oh... I'm so sorry, thats terrible.. once, my piggie felix got too excited and jumped out of my arms and sprained his paw, he sqealed so much and wouldn't let me touch him.. it was horrible to watch and see that happening to my baby, i cried so hard and i thought he was badly injured, but the vet said it was just a sprain and to lay off that paw, so it was really ok,but i watched my friends piggie die, the cat got him and snapped his neck before we could do anything..so sad..

so we understand your pain, and you aren't alone..(que you are not alone, by michel jackson)ha ha.. oh.. that didn't cheer me up.. so sorry for your loss..

 

[foggycreekcavy]

I'm sorry for your loss.

Five years old isn't really that old. In the future, if your pig starts looking skinnier and losing weight, take it to a veterinarian.

 

[Tiny pets]

So sorry to hear of your loss. It's so sad to watch that happen.

TP

 

[C. Cole-Chakotay]

I'm so sorry to hear about your pig.

 

[animalmadlover]

I only just had to watch my beautiful six year old guinea pig Molly-Ann go through the same thing as yours did. Its horrible and I am really sorry to hear about your loss. They leave such a big hole in our hearts when they leave us

 

[Artec]

Thank you, everyone!


And for your stories, I'm sorry for your losses as well.
I find comfort in knowing that many animals will find owners who will love them and take care of them as you do.


I admire those of you who had the strength to hold your dying piggies.
She wanted to be in her little house, and I didn't want to take her just so I could feel better :\


I'm from a small country and it seems whatever veterinarian I've visited in the past had less experience with
rodents and less common pets. When she was really sick aged 1, and looked as if she was going to die,
what saved her was valuable information from the Internet and the incredible effort we've put in.


Conversing with other pet lovers and being a member of local forums I've found many guinea pigs just die
at age 4, maybe they inbreed them here or maybe peruvians live a tiny bit shorter - or both! My Wendy
did seem fragile, even at her fattest she was still smaller than any other grown up female guinea pig I've seen.


I didn't mean to say she was losing weight fast, that would ring all sorts of alarm clocks in my mind.
She just looked a little 'older' every year, in a somewhat linear progression. But even on the last day
she had been running around the house, following me, demanding food and purring upon receiving it


Do guinea pigs ever really look old like, e.g. dogs? Really old, walking with difficulty, etc? Because if they
don't, if they stay "young at heart", that might be why it's so difficult to say goodbye to one.

 

[LilliAndFelix]

aaw.. thank you!!!

 

[Artec]

I've read about guinea pigs a lot before, but not about death in particular. The sources often seem to disagree,
but given your experience and what I've read it does indeed seem she has died of old age (/related issue).
Some of them grow old sooner and she had all the symptoms of old age and no symptoms of
illness/discontent. She was probably as happy as a grandma can be, as I was to share time with her!

Thank you, and take care of your little ones

 

[TariJ]

I'm very sorry for your loss. I also lost one of my guinea pigs. Two night ago my husband and I took our three guinea pigs outside for a little romp in the grass. When we brought them in we decided to trim our oldest one's nails. After the trim, Pudge went kind of limp and didn't want to move. His little heart was racing. I held him for about an hour before putting him back in his cage. My husband said that he heard clicking noises coming from him. He was worried that he held him to tight during his nail trim and that he hurt him. He ate a bit of food and a little piece of apple. He seemed to be doing better. Yesterday I morning I did my morning routine of filling their water bottles and checking on their food bowls. Later in the day I went in and checked on Pudge and found that he had passed away. I don't know if it was the trauma of having his nails trimmed, something my husband unintentionally did, or if he just slipped away for another reason. We are just heart sick, especially my husband because he thinks it is his fault.

 

[Artec]

I'm sorry to hear that

Have in mind that after a sudden loss everyone tends to feel it's their fault, even though it usually isn't.
I also feel that way, even though I know it's just my mind playing tricks on me.

Your husband certainly sounds like he cares enough not to hurt the poor fella, he'd probably know right
away if he did. They might be good at hiding illnesses, but they can't stay silent during physical pain.

The problem seems to be that you need to see some kind of pattern of behavior to see if something's
wrong and with guinea pigs you often only see a difference on their last day (if at all).

You seem very caring, I'm sure Pudge had a great life with you!

 

[prettynyguen]

i'm so sorry. this was much the same as how all my elderly guinea pigs died. i'm glad she had someone as caring as you to love her. sending hugs.

 

[Agrimony]

I'm very sorry for your loss, it is hard to see but you were there with her. My pig Fergus died similarly, struggling and trying to run like that, on the way to the vet's office. He was also 5 years old.

 

[Artec]

I'm sorry you had to see that. But we did all we could for them, and that's what's important.