Please Help!! Baby Died

[blessedmommy24]

I GOT A NEW GUINEA PIG ON SATURDAY NIGHT (BABY 9 WEEKS) AND SHE SEEMED FINE ON ON SUNDAY. MONDAY SHE SEEMED TO SIT STILL ALOT AND THEM AT 7PM WE TOOK HER OUT SHE DID NOT MOVE, HER BODY WAS COLD. WE LAID HER IN HER HAMMOCK AND SHE LAID THERE, DROOL COMING FROM HER MOUTH, RETRACTIVE BREATHING. I CALLED THE EMERGENCY VET AND THEY TOLD ME TO GIVE HER MAPLE SYRUP, THAT PERHAPS HER BLOOD SUGAR HAD DROPPED, I TRIED THAT BUT IN 15 MINS TIME SHE PASSED IN MY ARMS. I GOT HER FROM A LOCAL PETSTORE AND THEY SAY THEY HAVE NO GUARENTEE ON THEIR SMALL ANIMALS, NOW FISH HAVE A TWO DAY GUARENTEE BUT NOT GUINEA PIGS!!!!! THE OWNER SAID TO ME (TELL ME IF THIS IS TRUE, BECAUSE I CANNOT FIND THIS INFO ANYWHERE) THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE CHANGED HER FOOD, ONLY WHAT THEY GAVE HER, THAT SHE WAS TOO YOUNG TO HAVE SPINACH, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN BACTERIA ON THE SPINACH, THAT SHE SHOULD HAVE ONLY HAD PELLETS. ALSO, I HAD HER WITH ANOTHER BABY AND THAT COULD HAVE BEEN TOO STRESSFULL. THERE COULD HAVE BEEN BACTERIA IN MY CAGE!! I AM SOOOOO ANGRY! PLEASE GIVE ME ANY INFO YOU HAVE.
THANKS, BAMBI

 

[*Piglets-Angel*]

Petstores sell sick animals, you should of adopted.

 

[blessedmommy24]

HOW DO I GO ABOUT DOING THAT?

BAMBI

Petstores sell sick animals, you should of adopted.

 

[*Piglets-Angel*]

What exactly is your question here??? I am soo sorry for your loss ;( I too had experienced a baby piggie die it was very sad and hard ;(

 

[mncavylover]

I'm so sorry for your loss! Look at (broken link removed), www.petfinder.com, at a shelter near you, on google, etc. The vet sounds like they don't know what they are talking about, the first thing you should do is find another one. After that, research on www.cavyspirit.com, www.guinealynx.com, and on this site. Feel free to ask any questions you may have as well.

 

[guineagurl]

I guess if you want people to tell you that your cage and food is ok, you will need to show us in a photo.
It sounds like the petshop is pulling your leg, surely spinach wasn't the reason
and I'm sure your cage was clean wasn't it?
Don't buy live animals from petshops, they don't care.

 

[Ly&Pigs]

Please do not post in all capital letters. That indicates yelling.

If you washed the spinach before giving it to her, then there should be no reason it would have made her sick. All veggies need to be washed before being fed. See www.guinealynx.info/nutrition.html for good guidelines on feeding piggies. Too much spinach can cause problems later on down the road.

The pig you "bought" probably was "sick" when you bought it with an Upper Respiratory infection. Most Pet stores don't care whether they sell sick animals or not as they are only in it for the money. I would have your remaining pig checked out by a cavy savvy vet to make sure she is well. If the pet shop told you to feed the pigs a pellet food that is a mix with seeds and nuts and other junk in it, well they are idiots because pigs need a good quality plain pellet only.

I am sorry for your loss. Please find a pig to adopt to be a cage mate for your other pig. Also read www.cavyspirit.com/sociallife.htm for more information on quarantining and introductions.

Also I am moving this from GC to cavy chat.

 

[critterlover]

Sounds like your pig was already sick when you got her. However, it is true that a drastic change in food can cause problems with pigs. I know someone who changed pellets one day and had dead pigs the next day. Its always best to make dietary changes gradually.

 

[mom to cujo]

I had the same thing happen to me a while back and insisted on not only a refund but reimbursement from the petstore for the vet bill to try to save my piggie. He was a baby as well and wound up in intensive care with the vet within 2 days of my purchasing him. He had a URI and died within hours of arriving at the vet.

I knew I shouldn't have bought him because petstores are terrible, but I just couldn't resist him. It was impulsive and irresponsible of me to buy him, but that being said, I did all I could to save him. I would definitly re-contact the petstore for reimbursement. Petland reimbursed me $175 for my piggie and vet bills. Insist on talking to the person highest up and if it is a chain there are people specifically employed to deal with these kind of issues.

I am truly sorry for your loss and wish you luck.

 

[blessedmommy24]

Thanks! I have already insisted on a refund and they say they don't guarentee small animals! I am strongly considering filing a complaint with the Better Business Beauro (sp?) They give 2 days on fish for goodness sake! My questions were on the spinanch and food change. They never even told me what he was on, though I should have been smart enough to ask. My other is doing just fine. They told he she has been there for a month before I got her and she was fine as is her sister that is still there. My cage I clean each morning and lay down clean paper at night over what I had put in in the morning. What about stress?? Could the other have stressed her? The other is a baby male, smaller than she. Can you tell me about stress in them? I think the pet store is just fishing for a way out of paying me back! I just want to have my ducks in a row when I talk with them again! Thanks to all of you for your help!

 

[rabbitsncavyluv]

I'm sorry for your loss, but don't ever listen to what the pet store tells you. You just make a big stink. Smaller independent stores are harder to deal with though.

Why did you buy two guinea pigs of the opposite sex?

 

[wuany]

I feel your pain. My Beni died 4 1/2 days later with a URI. We did the same thing bought him on Sat and he was fine the next couple of days and then all of a sudden his behavior changed. It is a hard lesson to learn but a very educational one as well. I hope the next time you are ready to get another piggy that your experience will be a pleasant one.

 

[*Piglets-Angel*]

You had her with a male?? Never put a female guinea pig with a male, they will have babies!!!!!!

 

[Piglet]

Sorry for your loss! When you adopt, please adopt a male. You don't want to add to the overpopulation of pigs

 

[crittermom]

What about stress?? Could the other have stressed her? The other is a baby male, smaller than she. Can you tell me about stress in them? I think the pet store is just fishing for a way out of paying me back! I just want to have my ducks in a row when I talk with them again! Thanks to all of you for your help!

I'm so sorry for your very sad experience and loss.

Probably the entire situation was stressful, but that's normal when first coming home. The stress by itself shouldn't have caused acute illness; I'll lay odds that she was already sick in the store. Guinea pigs are well-known to hide signs of illness until it's almost too late.

Your male is already sexually mature; please don't put another female in with him.

You mention laying a sheet of paper over the cage bedding at night -- what bedding do you use?

 

[Denise]

Blessedmommy24, I am so sorry for your loss. I wish some posters, (*Piglet-Angel*) could be more sensitive and not sound so heartless.

 

[*Piglets-Angel*]

I am not being heartless, I do care and I am sorry for your loss, I guess I did sound as if im heartless but im not so if I offended you of any type I am sorry, but I dont understand why you had 2 opposite genders together.

 

[mom to cujo]

I think that at the moment all she is asking our opinion on is why her baby may have died. Now isn't the time to be so judgemental. I am sure your piggie was ill when you got her if she passed so quickly and I wouldn't hear any of their nonsense about it being the spinach or anything else you may have done.

They sold you a sick piggie - maybe they weren't aware of it - but they did and they should be held accountable.

Don't feel guilty.
It's not your fault.

 

[rabbitsncavyluv]

It was a simple question. No judgement involved.

I doubt you did anything to harm your piggie. The pet store is trying to make excuses. They sold you an already sick pig and most owners do not know the signs (which are at www.guinealynx.info).

 

[Access]

Thanks! I have already insisted on a refund and they say they don't guarentee small animals! I am strongly considering filing a complaint with the Better Business Beauro (sp?) They give 2 days on fish for goodness sake!

Ask the BBB (Better Business Bureau) about your state law. I know in California -- unless you specifically sign a contract that waives your rights at the time of purchase, you have every right to demand a refund. If they refuse, you can report them and their business license could be revoked (if the complaint can be verified). It's pretty serious, so most businesses here will not even think twice about giving a refund when it comes to things like that.

Do not accept another pig or two in lieu of a refund. Many things are contagious, so it's likely that all their pigs are sick. You don't want to even think about getting any more pigs from the petstore, ever.

Have you had the other pig checked out by the vet also? The sick pig could have passed something serious on to the other pig.