Is my elderly guinea pig dying? What can I do to help?

[Melp23]

Hello! I have a 9 year old Abyssinian Guinea Pig, Henry, has been having seizures the past few months (since this past summer). My mother thought it was from ear mites, so we have been using cat and dog ear mite treatment to help him. it seems to be effective for about a week then we have to use it again. Just yesterday, Henry had a lot of seizures and I put more drops into his ears. But today he has been acting very odd.
He has been laying down all day, he hasn't drank any water or eaten his hay, he hasn't even eaten his treats today! (I gave him some bell pepper because he loves it) Yesterday he was just fine and ate the treat I gave him then (kale).
For some reason, he just seems like he has given up on everything. When I pet his head he lays it down even further. His back legs seem to be kicked out and he doesn't care about anything.
I have but him in a smaller cage (the one we use when he travels with us) and he is now in my room and I have been sitting beside him all day. He hasn't eaten anything at all of drank anything even tho I put him right in reach of everything.
Is this something I can wait out or is this a sign that he has given up and there is nothing I can do?

Thanks,
Mel

 

[Piggies&buns]

Please have him seen by a vet.
He is such a good age but I’m afraid we can’t really know what is going on at this point but seeing a vet to either diagnose and treat the issue or help him is important.
Please step in and syringe feed mushed pellets or a recovery feed if he able to swallow.
Please don’t use any unprescribed medications without speaking to a vet to get a diagnosis and correct treatment for any particular issue.

All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

Death, Dying, Terminal Illness; Human Grieving and Bereaved Companions: Information and Support for Owners and Their Children

 

[Melp23]

Please have him seen by a vet.
He is such a good age but I’m afraid we can’t really know what is going on at this point but seeing a vet to either diagnose and treat the issue or help him is important.
Please step in and syringe feed mushed pellets or a recovery feed if he able to swallow.
Please don’t use any unprescribed medications without speaking to a vet to get a diagnosis and correct treatment for any particular issue.

All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures
Death, Dying, Terminal Illness; Human Grieving and Bereaved Companions: Information and Support for Owners and Their Children

Okay thanks, I will try asking my mom to bring him to the vet soon.
We had to syringe feed my sister's guinea pig when he got older, I'll see if I can find the one we used and try doing that!

 

[Wiebke]

Hello! I have a 9 year old Abyssinian Guinea Pig, Henry, has been having seizures the past few months (since this past summer). My mother thought it was from ear mites, so we have been using cat and dog ear mite treatment to help him. it seems to be effective for about a week then we have to use it again. Just yesterday, Henry had a lot of seizures and I put more drops into his ears. But today he has been acting very odd.
He has been laying down all day, he hasn't drank any water or eaten his hay, he hasn't even eaten his treats today! (I gave him some bell pepper because he loves it) Yesterday he was just fine and ate the treat I gave him then (kale).
For some reason, he just seems like he has given up on everything. When I pet his head he lays it down even further. His back legs seem to be kicked out and he doesn't care about anything.
I have but him in a smaller cage (the one we use when he travels with us) and he is now in my room and I have been sitting beside him all day. He hasn't eaten anything at all of drank anything even tho I put him right in reach of everything.
Is this something I can wait out or is this a sign that he has given up and there is nothing I can do?

Thanks,
Mel

Hi and welcome

What a great age to live to!

If possible, please see a vet as an emergency. I doubt that he has ear mites.

Please read these two very practical and informative links which talk you step by step through the whole issue from feeding support - if your old man is still able to process it - and how to spot whether his body is closing down and he is dying; plus what you can do for him in this case. We cannot tell you which side of the line of no return he is but the guide will help you to work it out.

Please be aware that once the really old piggies start closing down, it often goes very quickly and sometimes rather dramatically. Once that has started, there is no way to reverse it.

Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment

A Practical and Sensitive Guide to Dying, Terminal Illness and Euthanasia in Guinea Pigs

All the best.

 

[Melp23]

Hi and welcome

What a great age to live to!

If possible, please see a vet as an emergency. I doubt that he has ear mites.

Please read these two very practical and informative links which talk you step by step through the whole issue from feeding support - if your old man is still able to process it - and how to spot whether his body is closing down and he is dying; plus what you can do for him in this case. We cannot tell you which side of the line of no return he is but the guide will help you to work it out.

Please be aware that once the really old piggies start closing down, it often goes very quickly and sometimes rather dramatically. Once that has started, there is no way to reverse it.

Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment

A Practical and Sensitive Guide to Dying, Terminal Illness and Euthanasia in Guinea Pigs

All the best.

Alright, thank you so much! I believe that my mother said we were probably not going to take him to the vet since he is already so old and she expects that the next few days will be his last. But I definitely will check out those links!
Thank you so much!
Mel

 

[Melp23]

Just as a quick up date!

I have tried syringe feeding him but he just spits the food right out. I have also offered him water from his bottle but he hasn't taken any.
I fear that he is nearing his end soon and his body is slowly shutting down.

 

[Siikibam]

Please have him seen by the vet. If he is in pain then he needs medication. Or to find out what may be wrong and causing the seizures. Piggies have a habit of suffering in silence so please have him seen. Good luck.

 

[Julie M]

Until his vet appointment, I would just try and keep him warm but not too hot and comfortable. If he's not able to swallow I wouldn't force him. He's an absolutely fantastic age.

 

[Melp23]

Please have him seen by the vet. If he is in pain then he needs medication. Or to find out what may be wrong and causing the seizures. Piggies have a habit of suffering in silence so please have him seen. Good luck.

Alright, I will try my best to get something set up!
Thank you once again.

 

[Wiebke]

Please follow the the advice in my dying link to keep your boy as comfy as you can.

If he is no longer able to take food/water and to swallow, then I think he won't have long as he is no longer able to process anything. The biggest gift you can make him is to keep him comfy and warm but not hot (when the blood circulation breaks down, he will feel a bit cold, no matter what the room temperature and a little warmth will make it easier for him to let go) and just be there for him and sending him soothing, calm and gentle thoughts.

 

[Melp23]

He passed away, April 5th, 2022, 11:32 P.M. EST
He spent his final hours with my mom while I was asleep, we are burring him now and he has a special spot beside his life long best friend Oreo who died 2 years ago and has been waiting on him since.

 

[YvonneBlue]

So sorry that your piggy has left for the rainbow bridge. He was a great age and must have had the best of care from you to live so long. RIP little one.

 

[Wiebke]

BIG HUGS

I am very sorry. When something goes wrong with the very elderly and frail, it always does so with devastating speed.
You can never choose what your piggies die from and what in the end gives way first in an old body. Please do not feel bad about not having got as far as a vet; they would have not been able to do much or likely anything about it as seizures in guinea pigs are extremely under-resesearched - and by yesterday evening it was too late anyway. Once a piggy is no longer able to take on food or water, they are unfortunately already dying.

Please try to take consolation in that the end has come quickly and comparatively gently for him and take pride in having given both your piggies such a long and obviously well-loved life - the average healthy life span is around 5-7 years. They are both a credit to your good care as most piggies sadly don't live as long to even reach 5 years, never mind living beyond!

We have a practical but sensitive grieving guide if you would like to make more sense of your various strong and not always expected feelings. Feelings of guilt and intensive soul-searching are very normal for the onset of the grieving process, for instance.
Human Bereavement: Grieving, Coping and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children

We do have a Rainbow Bridge section for those who would like to post a more formal tribute to their beloved piggies and would like to remember their lives, including with pictures, if it feels right for them and whenever it feels right; we all grieve differently. It doesn't for everybody but the section is there for all members who feel that they would benefit.

 

[Melp23]

BIG HUGS

I am very sorry. When something goes wrong with the very elderly and frail, it always does so with devastating speed.
You can never choose what your piggies die from and what in the end gives way first in an old body. Please do not feel bad about not having got as far as a vet; they would have not been able to do much or likely anything about it as seizures in guinea pigs are extremely under-resesearched - and by yesterday evening it was too late anyway. One a piggy is no longer able to take on food or water, they are unfortunately already dying.

Please try to take consolation in that the end has come quickly and comparatively gently for him and take pride in having given both your piggies such a long and obviously well-loved life - the average healthy life span is around 5-7 years. They are both a credit to your good care as most piggies sadly don't live as long.

We have a practical but sensitive grieving guide if you would like to make more sense of your various strong and not always expected feelings. Feelings of guilt are very normal for the onset of the grieving process, for instance.
Human Bereavement: Grieving, Coping and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children

We do have a Rainbow Bridge section for those who would like to post a more formal tribute to their beloved piggies and would like to remember their lives, including with pictures if it feels right for them and whenever it feels right; we all grieve differently. It doesn't for everybody but the section is there for all members who feel that they would benefit.

Thank you so much for the support. He definitely lived his life well and like a king! One day when I was letting Henry and Oreo graze in a clover patch of my backyard we found a 5 leaved clover and Henry ended up eating it. I like to tell my self that it gave him more time with me and allowed him to live 2 years over their life expectancy.
I will try making a tribute to him on there and might write a poem in dedication to him. I wrote a small story in dedication to Oreo that I might add with his. Along with pictures of the both of them.
Again I thank you for all you have done,
Mel

 

[weepweeps]

I’m so sorry you have lost Henry. He had a wonderful long life. Take care.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you so much for the support. He definitely lived his life well and like a king! One day when I was letting Henry and Oreo graze in a clover patch of my backyard we found a 5 leaved clover and Henry ended up eating it. I like to tell my self that it gave him more time with me and allowed him to live 2 years over their life expectancy.
I will try making a tribute to him on there and might write a poem in dedication to him. I wrote a small story in dedication to Oreo that I might add with his. Along with pictures of the both of them.
Again I thank you for all you have done,
Mel

You are totally free as to how you want to remember your piggies.

On a practical point, since we are not part of social media (which has its advantages as we are entirely free to run this place as it works best for us and keep it friendly and supportive) and as our forum is entirely run by voluntary member donations, not all ways of picture swiping are supported and we do not have a much more expensive video upload option.

The best way is to upload any pictures via the Attach Files button underneath your post when you write because that always works and to copy/paste in any videos you have uploaded on a public setting on a service that does not require a membership sign in (Youtube is generally best).

 

[Melp23]

You are totally free as to how you want to remember your piggies.

On a practical point, since we are not part of social media (which has its advantages as we are free to run this place as we want to and keep it friendly and supportive) and our forum is entirely run by voluntary member donations, not all ways of picture swiping are supported and we do not have a much more expensive video upload option.
The best way is to upload any pictures via the Attach Files button underneath your post when you write because that always works and to copy/paste in any videos you have uploaded on a public setting on a service that does not require membership sign in (Youtube is generally best).

Okay! Thank you again!

 

[Julie M]

So sorry for your loss. They were obviously very loved piggies.