My Baby died :'O(

[shortlilcutie]

It took me a long time to post this because I've been so upset. On saturday I prepared my boys for a 3 hour road trip. This isn't unusal because I'm in college and I drive home every so often to see my family. My one boy, Bardo, was 5 years old. I've had him since he was 8 weeks old, so he is very used to being in the car because he used to go everywhere with me. He was very friendly and quite frankly, the sweetest pig I've ever met. He was my baby. I have a travel cage for them with hay, water, food, and places to hide...so they were very comfortable. About 10 minutes into the ride I thought I heard something that sounded like a cry of pain. I looked back to check on the boys but everything seemed fine. About an hour into driving I looked back and noticed that Bardo was shakeing and had a weird look on his face. I got worried and decided to pull over and check on him. I got out at a gas station and went to the back of the car.

I went to lift the top off the cage and he didn't even move. I reached in to pick him up and he was totally limp. I freaked out. I checked his mouth to see if maybe he was choking on something. I cleaned out his mouth and pulled his tounge gentlly to make sure he wasn't choking on it. That wasn't the problem. He was breathing but it was evident he was having a hard time doing it. I tried giving him cpr and gentely pushing on his chest and stomach to see if anything would happen. He started making horrible sounds and jurking. But he was still limp and pretty much unresponsive. I broke down. I was histerical. This was my baby, we had been through everything together. For about 30 minutes I sat there trying to do anything I could. I called a friend and she tried finding a vet in the area.

But by the time she did, he was gone. After alot of suffering and pain cries from him he finally gave up. My baby was gone. I sat there for a long time with him on my lap. I guess I was just hopeing for some kind of miracle. Thinking maybe he would just come back. Finally I put his dead body in the cage and took my other guy out. I sat Bailey in the front so I could keep an eye on him, worried it was maybe the bedding in cage.

I don't understand. Was he just old? Was it his time? Did he have a heart attack, or was it something else? Someone please give me some closure. I feel so guilty, like it was my fault. Like if I would have just done something when I heard the first cry maybe I could have saved him. I don't know. As I write this now I can't stop crying. I love him so much and I can't believe he is gone.

The night before we left I had them in a floor time setup. Being the boy he was he escaped from the floor time area. I was sitting at my computer, on the other side of the bed from where the floor time was. I had them out because I was cleaning their cage. I was picking some music on my computer and I looked down. There he was just staring up at me. He had his front paws on bricks that were stacked up next to my computer waiting to be cleaned. He was just looking up at me like to say "Look mama, I escaped, pick me up!" SO I picked him up and sat him on my lap. I randomly played a song by sublime called "carress me down". It's a kind of dirty song but it's really funny and has some major bass. Evidently Bardo loved the bass and couldn't stop purring. He was so happy.

I miss him so much and I'll never get over this. He was my prince. I'm sorry for such a long post guys but I was finally able to sit down and get this out. Someone please help me figure out what happened to him. :""""""""(

 

[TurboPiggy]

I'm so very sorry. I've only had my boys a little over 2 months, so I'm no expert, but I don't think you did ANYTHING wrong. He was 5 years old, it was probably just coincidental that you were in the car when his time came. He sure was a handsome little guy. ((((hugs))))

 

[KatieJean]

5 years old is getting old for a guinea pig.. it sounds like it might have been old age..

but you didn't do anything wrong. you gave him a great life, and you were there for him to comfort him in the end. it was just his time

 

[Teria]

I'm terribly sorry to hear this. It must be a nightmare for you. Maybe you can take him to a vet to find out what it was? Because if he actually was in pain, maybe it was not old age but something he had eaten.

 

[Slap Maxwell]

I am very sorry for your loss. If you still have the body, you can get a necropsy done to find out how he died, that may produce some closure for you.

 

[A4PigHome]

Oh, that is just so sad! I am so sorry for you. I can understand why you haven't been able to talk about him passing on. It sounds like he was really loved by you though. Try to focus on the good moments, like the one you wrote about when he came to you while you were at the computer. He must have really been attached to you too for him to come to you instead of enjoying his "freedom".

 

[TurboPiggy]

I'm terribly sorry to hear this. It must be a nightmare for you. Maybe you can take him to a vet to find out what it was? Because if he actually was in pain, maybe it was not old age but something he had eaten.

I was under the impression that guinea pigs rarely "go peacefully." If this is true, then it very well could have just been his time.
Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong.

Again, I am very sorry for your loss shortlilcutie.

 

[cutemomome]

shortlilcutie, I am so sorry to hear about your Bardo, I went looking in your gallery, and Bardo is indeed a VERY cute piggie. He must have felt so at ease and secure with you that he comes lookimg for you declaring his successful "playtime break" and to be able to nap after he ate to his piggie heart content on the outdoor lawn.
It must be very difficult for you now to look at your boys and see that missing Bardo void. Do spend extra time with your boys to let them feel extra loved, and to make you feel loved too!
Momo

 

[pennick]

I feel very bad for you. Just remember, he had 5 wonderful years which couldnt have been without your great care and love. To live 5 years is great especially from reading alot of posts on how many die young. It sounds coincidental that it happened at that time. It was his time to go. At least you were with him in his final moments.

 

[Ly&Pigs]

I don't think you did anything that caused his death nor do I think you could have done much to have prevented his death. He was called home to piggie heaven over the Rainbow Bridge. 5 is getting into old age for a piggie. Maybe he had been sick and you didn't know it because they are so great at hiding illnesses until it's too late or maybe he was just fine and healthy and it was just his time to go. The only true way to know what happened would be have taken him in for a necropsy. You can't blame yourself for his death. It's not your fault. My sympathy and sorrow are with you as I just lost a 7 1/2 day old baby to unknown causes.

 

[shortlilcutie]

Thank you so much to everyone for all your warm replies. Ly&Pigs I'm so sorry about your 7 1/2 old baby. It's always a heart break when anyone looses a friend/pet...and I'm sure for people like us who care so deeply for their pets its even worse. I'm sure I could have gotten a necrospy done on him, but when I finally reached my parents house my dad had dug him a grave in the back yard. It was raining so it was even more depressing. I went to get him out of the back of my car and his whole body was stiff as a board. I just wanted to put him to rest. I put him in a box full of hay and a toilet paper roll (he loved to kick them around and chew on them, and fight with Bailey for them). My dad dug a deep hole and we layed him to rest. My brother said a prayer and my dad covered his grave with a large stepping stone. I'm getting a plaque made for him too.

Now I only have the one boy left. I'm moving in two months so I don't think I'm going to get him a new friend until after I move because their cage is going to be at my friends house until then. When I do get another, I think I'm going to get a girl (from pet finder of course) and have her spayed. Would Bailey need to be neutered as well?

Thanks to everyone. You really helped me feel better. I feel kind of stupid because I'm having such a hard time with this...I mean I'm 21 years old but I'm such a cry baby lol But I loved my boy....as I'm sure all of you love yours. Thank you so much.

 

[Ly&Pigs]

It would be easier to get Bailey neutered or find an already spayed sow. Spaying is much harder than neutering. Kinda like a woman having her tubes tied or a hysterectomy vs. a man having a vasectomy. Neutering is a much less invasive procedure.

I am 39 and I cried when Moppy's other pup was born dead and then I cried a lot worse when I found out Marnie had passed away. I don't think anyone is too old to cry because they lost a very beloved pet.

 

[suzilovespiggie]

I am 54. My animals are my children. When I lose one I cry big time, every time.
Each and every one is so special and each adds so much to our lives.
There has been so much loss lately. I am so sorry for each and every one.
It is a great privalidge (SP) to have so many on this forum to have such loving hearts and those who care so much for these little guys that have lived long and those who have not. All of you, keep up the good work. And love these little guys and gals to pieces!

 

[Denise]

I am heartbroken over your loss. I cannot imagine losing one of my girls.

 

[RubyPiggie2]

I'm terribly sorry for your loss. Now it really makes me worry, because Peppy just turned 5 on Feb 1st. Isn't 5-8 when they start getting older?

It's really horrible how he died because you didn't even know that the shriek could've been anything bad, but it's not your fault.

 

[Acia Yakamo]

guinea pigs usually live for 5 to 10 years i kinda know how it feels to lose a friend i'm a intense animal lover 2 years ago i lost my dog who got ran overed by a truck i watched her die in my arms and my cat dissapeared before chrismas at the same time a nasty smell appeared in the garage like something was decomposing i nearly lost it after that i dunno what i'd do if i lost any of my other pets i have a cat a hamster and in less than a hour and a half i'll have a baby guinea pig i think the reason i was able to handle things better than i expected was cause i had another friend to turn to for comfort and now i spoil that friend to make me feel like the food bills havn't changed lol