My guinea pig male (Hercules) was 5 1/2 years old. he was very healthy and runs around, eats and does everything a normal pig does. He gets really excited when he sees someone and would squeak to get our attention and follow us around. He is so affectionate he will purr when we pet him. On friday july 26, 2013 9am he was perfectly fine and very active. 3 hours later around 12noon he started twitching and couldn't stand up on his own. we took him to the vet and without performing any exams at all the vet told us "theres nothing they can do and that he's going to die" within the 10 hrs he developed a mass on his rectum and one on his abdominal and white watery substance was coming out of his eyes and nose. He kept twitching uncontrollably for 10 hours until he gasped his last breath of air and passed away at 9:14pm friday night. it looks like he was in lots of pain. what could have happened with him? the 2 days prior to his death he was eating, drinking and everything was normal except he wasn't pooping as much. i took him to St marks Vet clinic in NYC and they weren't very helpful when it came to telling me whats wrong. but they were very happy to take my 98$ for the 2 minute visit and was even more delighted to offer to have him euthanized for an extra 70$. Im trying to find someone on here who has dealt with a similar situation or someone who can offer me some insight. I am very sadden by this tragedy and cannot afford an autopsy let alone a cremation. What hurts me the most is that i have no freaking idea what went to terribly wrong.