My beautiful Milo passed away on Saturday, I was really shocked as he was fine in the morning, eating and drinking well, I went in his room after lunch and he had passed away. Really struggling as keep thinking i missed something, he had his nails clipped at the vets just a week before and was moving about as he always did. He was about 5 years old and an amazing character and loved his chin rubs.
BIG HUGS
I am so sorry that it was quite simply Milo's day when he got an urgent call from the Bridge, most likely with a heart attack/sudden acute heart failure or stroke if was that fast and out of the blue. Nothing whatsoever you have done wrong or could have prevented. It happens more often than you think; it's just that our human mindset is wired to reflect everything back onto ourselves so we tend to compulsively soul-search and feel guilty.
Please try to take comfort that he must have had - as natural deaths go - a very quick and easy one and cannot have have suffered much or for long. Would we not rather choose to bear the pain ourselves if we can spare a beloved one?
You have given him a full life span and a very happy piggy life; Milo was lucky to find you and be able to live each day with you in the way guinea pigs define perfection: lots of happy todays filled love and good care. If you give your piggies that while with you, no matter how long or short they are with you, you are not failing them. When, in which form and under which circumstances the end comes is out of your control and is not yours to choose.
Please be kind with yourself in the coming days. You have both the shock and the loss to deal with at the same, which is a lot to process - and you can only ever do so much at once. It is OK not to be OK for a little but if you truly struggle to sleep, function or find yourself stuck in one of the pernicious mind loops that can come with grieving, then please seek help.
Pet bereavement and pet loss (free pet bereavement support platforms, UK only animal charity)
PS: For finding support in other countries, please see the relevant chapter in this guide here:
1 The grieving process
- Loss and the start of the grieving process
- Grieving with a terminally ill guinea pig
- Going through the grieving process
2 Ways of coping
- Expressing and processing your feelings
- Regaining your guinea pig
- Burial and marking the passing
- Dealing with special days
3 How do I tell my children?
- Finding local support lines and charities...
Sleep tight sweet Milo! 
but please don’t blame yourself, you’ve done nothing wrong (((hugs))) 
