Guinea Pig Died Suddenly

[Carlm80]

My 6 month old guinea pig just died a few hours ago..I'm absolutely gutted and heartbroken, he was fine this morning and then by early afternoon I could hear him whimpering..when I checked on him I noticed that he had diarrhea and was acting quite tired and his back legs looked like they were going from under him..at 6pm I took him to the vets who gave him an x-ray but couldn't see anything wrong apart from he had some gas but could see that he was really ill..he also had pain around his stomach she said..she gave him an injection to help with pain and told me to bring him back down in the morning if nothing had changed..i took him home and wrapped him up in a towel and kept him on my chest then he gave a couple of small jumps and just died..I'm now scared that I've done something to him that's caused it and worried that the same will happen to his brother and I've heard that they are social creatures so do I have to go and get another one?

 

[Jesse's pigs]

Please try not to blame yourself. Guinea pigs are prey animals and hide their illnesses for as long as possible as a result. It's possible your guinea pig was infact sick before that day but had just kept it hidden. And I'm afraid that guinea pigs can go downhill rather quickly and in some cases (unfortunately like this time) They do pass away often quite suddenly.

I can't tell you exactly why your guinea pig passed away though it sounds a bit like it could've had bloat? But again don't take much word for it.

How is the remaining guinea pig? Some may mourn in the following days and seem a little less active which is when it's a sure sign they need another friend. With how young your remaining piggy is it is also in his best interest to have another friend though it will be hard. X I'm so sorry for your loss

 

[Carlm80]

Please try not to blame yourself. Guinea pigs are prey animals and hide their illnesses for as long as possible as a result. It's possible your guinea pig was infact sick before that day but had just kept it hidden. And I'm afraid that guinea pigs can go downhill rather quickly and in some cases (unfortunately like this time) They do pass away often quite suddenly.

I can't tell you exactly why your guinea pig passed away though it sounds a bit like it could've had bloat? But again don't take much word for it.

How is the remaining guinea pig? Some may mourn in the following days and seem a little less active which is when it's a sure sign they need another friend. With how young your remaining piggy is it is also in his best interest to have another friend though it will be hard. X I'm so sorry for your loss

Hi thanks for your reply...his brother is quite quiet but he was the quiet one out of the two of them so I'm not too sure how he is coping...yes I think I will get another one though as they did have fun together and I don't want him getting withdrawn, I just tried getting him out his cage there so he can have his wee run about but doesn't want to come out which is something he usually loves so think it may be best for him to have a companion.

 

[Freela]

I'm so sorry for your loss. Unfortunately guinea pigs can go from seemingly fine to very ill in a hurry. Please don't blame yourself. It sounds like you did everything you possibly could by getting him prompt vet attention.

Keep an eye on your remaining guinea pig... they are social animals and do grieve the loss of a friend. He may be more subdued in the coming days. I know it's hard sometimes to even consider another pet after a loss, but he will likely be happier with another friend down the road. However, it's important to have a quarantine period for both him and any new piggie, as you want to be 100% sure that nothing contagious is at play here.

((HUGS)) again, and so sorry.

 

[PiggyProdigy]

I am so incredibly sorry for you. I can also say from experience that they are unpredictable animals and as said earlier, prey animals who hide illness.
My advice is definitely keep an eye on the bro, and maybe give him some time and an extra hidey just to cope. This is awful.. god bless

 

[artcasper]

sorry for your loss and the shock of it all.. x

 

[Wiebke]

My 6 month old guinea pig just died a few hours ago..I'm absolutely gutted and heartbroken, he was fine this morning and then by early afternoon I could hear him whimpering..when I checked on him I noticed that he had diarrhea and was acting quite tired and his back legs looked like they were going from under him..at 6pm I took him to the vets who gave him an x-ray but couldn't see anything wrong apart from he had some gas but could see that he was really ill..he also had pain around his stomach she said..she gave him an injection to help with pain and told me to bring him back down in the morning if nothing had changed..i took him home and wrapped him up in a towel and kept him on my chest then he gave a couple of small jumps and just died..I'm now scared that I've done something to him that's caused it and worried that the same will happen to his brother and I've heard that they are social creatures so do I have to go and get another one?

Hi! I am ever so sorry for your loss. There is nothing you have done wrong. It can well be that your piggy has twisted its guts or has suffered a severe blockage, which can happen out of the blue and kill very quickly. In neither case there is anything you could have done that you haven't.

It is however a perfectly normal responsive to a sudden and mysterious loss to have these strong feelings of guilt/failure and to re-examine everything in order to find something you have done wrong. We all have them in some form or other. All they do is speak strongly of your love and strong sense of responsibility for those in your care.

Here are our tips on what you can do for his brother right now and in the longer term. Unless he is suffering from acute pining, I would recommend to wait a couple of weeks (quarantine) to make sure that it is not an infectious issue that has caused the death. See a vet asap if there are signs of illness, but hopefully there won't be.
Your remaining boar will be grieving and will be withdrawn for a few days, but as long as he is still eating and eating, you do not have to worry.

You can however use the waiting time to research whether any rescues within your reach have got suitable boars your surviving boar can meet to make his own choice as to who he wants to live with. It is not quite as easy as sticking another piggy into the cage. Doing something for your remaining piggy will hopefully help both you and your boy.

Here are more tips and lists of good standard rescues that offer boar dating: Looking After A Bereaved Guinea Pig

 

[Carlm80]

Thank you everyone for responding...my other guinea pig was being quite quiet yesterday but he seems to be a good bit better today...thanks for all your advice and comments they have actually helped me loads ❤

 

[PiggyProdigy]

No problem. That's what the forum is for