1 Life or death emergency – Can my piggy be saved?
- Contacting a vet clinic at all times and link to life and death emergencies list
- What to do if I cannot access vet care instantly?
- The need to save up for emergency vet access
2 Is my guinea pig dying?
- Be honest with yourself
- Multiple organ failure (i.e. a natural death)
- List of signs that your guinea pig could be dying
- What can I do for a dying guinea pig?
This guide comprises of two chapters from our full guide that looks at all aspects of dying and terminal care.
It is often not easy to distinguish the fine line between when a severely ill guinea pig can still be saved and when the body has started to close down.
Sometimes multiple organ failure (a natural death) can happen very suddenly without warning and seemingly out of the blue, even in young guinea pigs. It always comes as a devastating blow to the gut that can leave you paralysed and in a panic.
Sometimes your determined round the clock care in conjunction with medical care can make the difference in buying enough time for the medication to kick in. It is always an anxious time, and it can be a very lonely place, especially at your night or during our UK downtime.
This guide aims to help you find some useful practical information to help you assess the situation and to coach you through the process when help is otherwise unavailable.
1 Life or death emergency – Can my piggy be saved?
Contacting a vet clinic at all times and link for life and death emergencies list
Please always contact your vet clinic or an out-of-hours/24 hours vet clinic as quickly as possible and follow their advice. Reception staff is trained to deal with emergency advice.
The UK has got mandatory round the clock vet cover; you can find out of hours contact numbers for your area either by listening to the message on your regular vet’s phone number or by googling for out of hours vet services in your area.
How to contact a vet out of hours
If you have got a guinea pig with any issues that are listed in this link here, you need to see a vet as a life or death emergency, as quicky as possible. This can potentially save your piggy’s life:
For other health issues you are unsure about, please see this link ,which tells you how soon you should see a vet: How Soon Should My Guinea Pig See A Vet? - A Quick Guide
What to do if I cannot access vet care instantly?
If you cannot access instant vet care since other countries don’t necessarily have out of hours vet care and you may have to wait several days for a regular appointment, then please follow the advice in the guide link below, which is bundling together all necessary information for emergency, crisis and bridging care at home (plus useful resources) to help you keep your guinea pig going as much as possible until you can access vet care at the soonest possible: Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
Please keep in mind that seeing a general vet for basic medication can save lives until you can access exotics vets care! The sooner you can access vet care, the better your chance to get your piggy through any crisis.
The need to save up for emergency vet access
Make sure that you always save up for a vet fund right from the start as part of the normal living cost and that you have got enough money accessible at all times for an emergency visit in order to spare your guinea pig any unnecessary suffering and distress. This is one of the internationally recognised Five Animal Welfare Freedoms (including the UK and the USA).
Emergencies and severe illness have unfortunately a bad habit of happening at the most inconvenient of times. It is very often a battle against circumstances, but you do not want to fall at the first hurdle if at all possible!
Many UK clinics have a payment plan if fees are running higher than expected. You are still required to pay part of the consultation and treatment cost immediately, though. Other countries, notably the USA, demand up-front payment.
There is now a range of insurances for guinea pigs available in the UK, the USA and Australia (sadly not yet in Canada).
There are also charities that will support pet owners on benefits or unable to cope with vet bills in the UK, in the US and in Australia.
You can find more information on accessing insurance or charities via this guide here: A guide to vets fees, insurance and payment support.
Please show any legal guardian of yours this guide if they refuse vet care for a minor in their care. In the UK this is unlawful.
However, if you can at all, please make sure that you can afford to put a very ill piggy out of their agony at all times (vet access permitting) and that you have access to money at all times.
- Contacting a vet clinic at all times and link to life and death emergencies list
- What to do if I cannot access vet care instantly?
- The need to save up for emergency vet access
2 Is my guinea pig dying?
- Be honest with yourself
- Multiple organ failure (i.e. a natural death)
- List of signs that your guinea pig could be dying
- What can I do for a dying guinea pig?
This guide comprises of two chapters from our full guide that looks at all aspects of dying and terminal care.
It is often not easy to distinguish the fine line between when a severely ill guinea pig can still be saved and when the body has started to close down.
Sometimes multiple organ failure (a natural death) can happen very suddenly without warning and seemingly out of the blue, even in young guinea pigs. It always comes as a devastating blow to the gut that can leave you paralysed and in a panic.
Sometimes your determined round the clock care in conjunction with medical care can make the difference in buying enough time for the medication to kick in. It is always an anxious time, and it can be a very lonely place, especially at your night or during our UK downtime.
This guide aims to help you find some useful practical information to help you assess the situation and to coach you through the process when help is otherwise unavailable.
1 Life or death emergency – Can my piggy be saved?
Contacting a vet clinic at all times and link for life and death emergencies list
Please always contact your vet clinic or an out-of-hours/24 hours vet clinic as quickly as possible and follow their advice. Reception staff is trained to deal with emergency advice.
The UK has got mandatory round the clock vet cover; you can find out of hours contact numbers for your area either by listening to the message on your regular vet’s phone number or by googling for out of hours vet services in your area.
How to contact a vet out of hours
If you have got a guinea pig with any issues that are listed in this link here, you need to see a vet as a life or death emergency, as quicky as possible. This can potentially save your piggy’s life:
For other health issues you are unsure about, please see this link ,which tells you how soon you should see a vet: How Soon Should My Guinea Pig See A Vet? - A Quick Guide
What to do if I cannot access vet care instantly?
If you cannot access instant vet care since other countries don’t necessarily have out of hours vet care and you may have to wait several days for a regular appointment, then please follow the advice in the guide link below, which is bundling together all necessary information for emergency, crisis and bridging care at home (plus useful resources) to help you keep your guinea pig going as much as possible until you can access vet care at the soonest possible: Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
Please keep in mind that seeing a general vet for basic medication can save lives until you can access exotics vets care! The sooner you can access vet care, the better your chance to get your piggy through any crisis.
The need to save up for emergency vet access
Make sure that you always save up for a vet fund right from the start as part of the normal living cost and that you have got enough money accessible at all times for an emergency visit in order to spare your guinea pig any unnecessary suffering and distress. This is one of the internationally recognised Five Animal Welfare Freedoms (including the UK and the USA).
Emergencies and severe illness have unfortunately a bad habit of happening at the most inconvenient of times. It is very often a battle against circumstances, but you do not want to fall at the first hurdle if at all possible!
Many UK clinics have a payment plan if fees are running higher than expected. You are still required to pay part of the consultation and treatment cost immediately, though. Other countries, notably the USA, demand up-front payment.
There is now a range of insurances for guinea pigs available in the UK, the USA and Australia (sadly not yet in Canada).
There are also charities that will support pet owners on benefits or unable to cope with vet bills in the UK, in the US and in Australia.
You can find more information on accessing insurance or charities via this guide here: A guide to vets fees, insurance and payment support.
Please show any legal guardian of yours this guide if they refuse vet care for a minor in their care. In the UK this is unlawful.
However, if you can at all, please make sure that you can afford to put a very ill piggy out of their agony at all times (vet access permitting) and that you have access to money at all times.