I am 22 years old and I never expected something like a guinea pig to make such a large impact on me. I have tons of fish, 2 very large dogs, but Butterscotch was my spoiled baby. The first to greet me when I walk in the door with a squeaky chirp loud as a police siren standing on two feet just waiting to be picked up. I don?t understand how or why she passed away. Aprox 11pm tonight my wife woke me up to tell me that something was wrong & butterscotch was laying down spread out, leaning towards her side (she never stops running or standing.). She wasn?t able to move much below her neck, although it appeared she would have spasms of some kind because her paws would curl and her arms would stretch. With my finger tip I could feel her heartbeat was quicker then it normally is, but not racing fast. She also felt really cold and light which I thought was strange. I held her wrapped lightly in a soft blanket for almost the entire night and rubbing behind her ears and talking to her hoping that would help even just a little, even though I could just see her facial expressions show how much pain she was in. Watching her eyes water up before the final time they closed was almost to much for me to bear. She passed away around 4am. I still can?t believe it. How could something with no symptoms just happen overnight and so quick? I know she was no older than 2 years old and we had bought her at Petsmart 5-6 months ago. She has never shown any symptoms of illness. Could it possibly of been heart failure or something? I just can?t comprehend the fact she is just gone like that. I regret the past two days that I did not get her out for playtime. Life is a fragile force not to be taken for granted. The worst life lesson learned.