My beautiful girl passed, and I feel immense guilt.

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Cocobabyxxxoxxo

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On the 10 of April 2025, my gorgeous baby Honey passed away at the ripe age of two years old. However I’m not sure whether I have only myself to blame or not.
On that day, I originally went to the mall with my friends without checking on her before leaving, and I was gone for roughly 4 hours before my dad texted me and informed me that he saw Honey mid stroke, and had ran to the vet as quick as possible, however they had then said that she is in bad state and survival isn’t likely, as she may have gotten cancer or had a parasite. I went home fast and my sweet girl passed away in my arms.
However I’m not sure wether this was my fault as around a month ago I began to feel her belly swelling and feeling like a balloon (not sure if thats linked) but I assumed that lessening the veggies in their cage would help that, so I left it.
I also took her to the vet due to bloody pee we began finding throughout the cage, but it was dismissed by said vet (may be linked to the supposed cancer if that’s the case) and she also has been acting much more lethargic, and has been leaving her coat scruffy and less groomed. I just can’t believe she died so young. And I feel horrible at the thought of it being preventable. It was all so sudden. The fact that I spent all my time worrying about another one of my more visibly sick girls, and haven’t cuddled or pet Honey in a bit, and the lack of recent photos I have of her makes me feel terrible. I need advice.
 

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So sorry for your loss of beautiful Honey.
Please don’t feel guilty, sometimes life gets in the way of us giving our piggies the time we might want to.
Piggies are very good at hiding illness and by the time we notice something amiss it’s too late to do anything.
Feeling guilty is a normal part of grief.
Honey looks loved, content and happy in the photos.
Be gentle with yourself as you grieve.
Hugs 🤗
 
I'm so sorry for your loss 😞 It’s clear how much you loved Honey ❤️ Please don’t blame yourself. As prey animals, guinea pigs hide their illnesses very well and by the time we realise something is wrong, it’s often too late (((hugs))

Sleep tight Honey x
 
Cocobabyxxxoxxo said:
On the 10 of April 2025, my gorgeous baby Honey passed away at the ripe age of two years old. However I’m not sure whether I have only myself to blame or not.
On that day, I originally went to the mall with my friends without checking on her before leaving, and I was gone for roughly 4 hours before my dad texted me and informed me that he saw Honey mid stroke, and had ran to the vet as quick as possible, however they had then said that she is in bad state and survival isn’t likely, as she may have gotten cancer or had a parasite. I went home fast and my sweet girl passed away in my arms.
However I’m not sure wether this was my fault as around a month ago I began to feel her belly swelling and feeling like a balloon (not sure if thats linked) but I assumed that lessening the veggies in their cage would help that, so I left it.
I also took her to the vet due to bloody pee we began finding throughout the cage, but it was dismissed by said vet (may be linked to the supposed cancer if that’s the case) and she also has been acting much more lethargic, and has been leaving her coat scruffy and less groomed. I just can’t believe she died so young. And I feel horrible at the thought of it being preventable. It was all so sudden. The fact that I spent all my time worrying about another one of my more visibly sick girls, and haven’t cuddled or pet Honey in a bit, and the lack of recent photos I have of her makes me feel terrible. I need advice.
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BIG HUGS


I am so very sorry that you have lost your beautiful girl.

We all experience feelings of guilt or intense soul-searching at the onset of the grieving process because as humans we are wired to reflect everything back onto ourselves. This is usually much stronger after a sudden and/or traumatic death. The fact that you are feeling so strongly is actually a sign of how deeply you love and care. You have seen a vet after all and they were unable at the time to put the finger on what was going wrong. However, only a post mortem examination will (or will not) tell you what Honey actually died from; otherwise it is just idle guessing.

Please also don't feel guilty about not petting Honey when others have taken up more of your time and attention. Honey has had what she wanted from life: good piggy friends in a clearly caring home.

You can never brace for a stroke; they always happen out of the blue, and can happen at any age. Try to take consolation that Honey has not suffered for long as natural deaths go and that she didn't survive - the risk of her having more strokes in quick succession would have been very high. Would we not rather bear that pain ourselves for those we love when the chips are down? Try and see the overwhelming feelings as a part of that.
Neurological Issues (Seizures, Strokes, E.cuniculi etc.) - Symptoms and Care

You may find this link here very helpful in understanding better how the grieving process runs and what to expect. It is is a lot more complex, varied and can come with some rather nasty mind traps than you would ever dream of - being sad is just one part because our bonds and our love are a lot more encompassing on so many different levels:
Human Bereavement: Grieving, Processing and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children

It is OK to not be OK after a loss; especially an sudden one but if you continue to be trapped in your guilt loop, struggle to function or sleep for any longer than a few days, please seek help from a pet bereavement, mental health or PTSD charity with trained volunteers if you can access any.

You are of course welcome to continue posting on here for as long as needed but we can only provide community support and understanding from people having gone through similar experiences on this your ongoing support thread. It would be good if you bookmarked this thread so you can find it more easily again; you are welcome to use it whenever you need for how long you need to; we just find it very helpful if each poster kept their own journey together in a single support thread. It saves both sides time and effort.
 
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