Both pigs died suddenly :(

[proudguineamomma:)]

Hi all I’m hoping to get some clarification as I’m going out of my mind trying to think what’s caused this.

So yesterday I put my three boars out in their run, they had water, pellets, an iglu dome thing and a large tunnel in there, I’ll admit, I forgot to put a cover over one side of the run for shade. The run was on the lawn so they had fresh grass. This was at 11.30am.

I came back home at 2.30pm to find two of them lying together in a corner of the run under the tunnel (this is out of the ordinary for them as they usually annoy each other). As I got closer I noticed they weren’t moving and when I touched them realised that rigamortis had set in

The other guinea pig was running around and has been acting a bit more shy than usual (wanting to run and hide when I go near the hutch when he’s in there).

I’m just trying to rack my brain thinking why they both died like that so suddenly? It was 22/23 Celsius and they have been outside plenty of times in that heat and have been absolutely fine. They both seemed in good health (eating and drinking as normal and no discharge etc), I don’t understand why they were lying together when they died, why they were underneath the tunnel and not in it if something scared them?!

Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[Bill & Ted]

Hello and welcome to the forum
I’m so sorry you lost two of your piggies in such sudden circumstances. It does sound like there is a possibility that something has severely shocked them, perhaps a stray dog, cat or Fox? It’s odd they were under the tunnel and not in it. If they were used to going outside in runs in the summer daytime then it doesn’t sound like heatstroke, although it can happen if there’s very humid air not just heat and strong sunshine and you had partially covered them too.
I don’t suppose you will ever find out the answer but do keep a very close watch on your other piggie x

 

[Black piggies]

So sorry to hear about your poor boys. What a shock for you. Could it be the cumulative effect of the heatwave weakening them? It was 28 degrees here yesterday but fresh in the morning, with heat surging after that. Could the temperature or humidity have gone up after you went out?
Our childhood piggies were got at by a cat or fox, could anything like that have happened?

 

[Bill & Ted]

I had a similar experience many years ago when I came home to find an upended hutch on its side with one piggie safe in the bedroom area but the other one sat on what was the grid front looking very shocked and scared. I took them both inside but sadly it was all just too much for the one that was stuck in the lounge area unable to climb up the side to get to safety, he died quite suddenly on the way to the vets. We had a very large but friend Doberman living next door to us at the time and I think he may have got through the beech hedge and knocked the cage off the bench it was on (not very high about 2 ft) but that was enough to send the piggie into deep shock

 

[proudguineamomma:)]

Hello and welcome to the forum
I’m so sorry you lost two of your piggies in such sudden circumstances. It does sound like there is a possibility that something has severely shocked them, perhaps a stray dog, cat or Fox? It’s odd they were under the tunnel and not in it. If they were used to going outside in runs in the summer daytime then it doesn’t sound like heatstroke, although it can happen if there’s very humid air not just heat and strong sunshine and you had partially covered them too.
I don’t suppose you will ever find out the answer but do keep a very close watch on your other piggie x

Thanks for the reply Bill&Ted. That’s what my partner thinks is that something scared them, it could explain why they were together in the corner but I don’t understand why they didn’t hide? The only thing that could have got in our garden was a cat as it was daytime so couldn’t be a fox, but they were used to cats coming and going in our garden as our next door neighbour has a cat that comes in and out. The other thing I’m thinking is that they were fighting, like really going for each other and stressed themselves out so much that they died there and then maybe? When I found them they were both stretched out not curled up.
Me and my partner have now got a new piggies for the other one remaining as we didn’t want him to be on his own They both seem fine together and are both eating and drinking fine

 

[proudguineamomma:)]

So sorry to hear about your poor boys. What a shock for you. Could it be the cumulative effect of the heatwave weakening them? It was 28 degrees here yesterday but fresh in the morning, with heat surging after that. Could the temperature or humidity have gone up after you went out?
Our childhood piggies were got at by a cat or fox, could anything like that have happened?

Hi thanks for your reply. That’s what my next door neighbour said to me that it might be heat stroke but I doubt they would have huddled together in the corner as they like their own space away from each other.

 

[Black piggies]

It's great you've already got friends for your remaining piggy. A heatstroke death is often preceded by confusion, so they may have lain together under the tunnel for that reason. Did they normally fight? It's hard not knowing, I sometimes wonder about all the piggies I've lost and why it happened.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi all I’m hoping to get some clarification as I’m going out of my mind trying to think what’s caused this.

So yesterday I put my three boars out in their run, they had water, pellets, an iglu dome thing and a large tunnel in there, I’ll admit, I forgot to put a cover over one side of the run for shade. The run was on the lawn so they had fresh grass. This was at 11.30am.

I came back home at 2.30pm to find two of them lying together in a corner of the run under the tunnel (this is out of the ordinary for them as they usually annoy each other). As I got closer I noticed they weren’t moving and when I touched them realised that rigamortis had set in

The other guinea pig was running around and has been acting a bit more shy than usual (wanting to run and hide when I go near the hutch when he’s in there).

I’m just trying to rack my brain thinking why they both died like that so suddenly? It was 22/23 Celsius and they have been outside plenty of times in that heat and have been absolutely fine. They both seemed in good health (eating and drinking as normal and no discharge etc), I don’t understand why they were lying together when they died, why they were underneath the tunnel and not in it if something scared them?!

Does anyone have any ideas?

Hi!

I am very sorry. Guinea pigs can die from fright. It is sadly not all that uncommon, especially with outdoors piggies.
It can be anything from a mouse to rats, cats, dogs, foxes, weasels to birds of prey etc. It sounds like they were seeking whatever little protection was available to them but were likely harrassed there too.

It could also have been heat stroke if they have both been squeezing into what shade there was or a combination of the two as heat will affect the heart.

Please always make sure that guinea pigs have protection against the sun even on a seemingly pleasant day and also access to a safe double shaded place out of wind and weather if you leave them out unattended on the lawn. Also make sure that nothing can wiggle through a little dip in the ground.
Hot Weather Management, Heat Strokes and Fly Strike (Please have a read of the link; it does contain a very illuminating experiment with hut temperatures on the lawn in similar weather than you had)

Human Bereavement: Grieving, Coping and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children
Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig

 

[Bradshaw Piggies]

I'm so very sorry to hear of your loss

 

[Bill & Ted]

Thanks for the reply Bill&Ted. That’s what my partner thinks is that something scared them, it could explain why they were together in the corner but I don’t understand why they didn’t hide? The only thing that could have got in our garden was a cat as it was daytime so couldn’t be a fox, but they were used to cats coming and going in our garden as our next door neighbour has a cat that comes in and out. The other thing I’m thinking is that they were fighting, like really going for each other and stressed themselves out so much that they died there and then maybe? When I found them they were both stretched out not curled up.
Me and my partner have now got a new piggies for the other one remaining as we didn’t want him to be on his own They both seem fine together and are both eating and drinking fine

Glad you have a little companion for your remaining piggie, hope they get on well together. Boars really should only be kept in pairs to avoid fights, three’s don’t usually get on very well although I don’t think that’s caused both of them to die x so sorry

 

[eileen]

I'm so sorry for your loss.what a devastating shock for you.thinking of you at this sad time.x