Hi, i just wanted to post my piggie sugar. I’ve been with her since she was born, as she’s about 6 now. Her birthday was a probably about a month ago and we celebrated it with a yummy veggie full cake. It obviously wasn’t a real cake, so i’m sure she enjoyed it entirely. She is starting to become lethargic and has been laying down any opportunity she gets. Her head has been twitching between 10 second intervals. I’m heartbroken cause she was my baby and I hate to see her suffer. She hasn’t been eating which is scaring me. Is her dying due to old age? Please let me know. I’ve given her a warm blanket with heating pads. Is there anything else I could give her to make her feel more comfortable? I would prefer a natural death at home, but seeing her suffer so much I think it would be better to bring her to the vet. My vet offered to put her to sleep so it’s been a big debate.
Hi and welcome
BIG HUGS
It sounds like your girl has indeed gone into multiple organ failure. 5-6 years is the averag life span.
Please be aware that if you have never experienced a death before that a natural death where the organs break gradually down is a lot more physical and at times alarming than you expect from the sanitized general vague concept of gently drifting away. It can be over in a few hours but if there some still very strong organs, the dying process can take several days. You can never quite predict it because it all depends on the general fitness but also the order in which the various organs give in.
The twitching head, if it is more of a nodding gesture generally points to the heart giving out in my own experiene.
Please keep her warm but not hot (a half-heated microaveable pad or a thick soft fleece is fine, as long as she can move away from the source of heat if she feels too hot. The need or warmth is not related to the room temperature but the failing blood circulation, which is also the reason why older people often feel cold in an overheated room. If she struggles to stay upright/keep her head up, ensure that her head is bedded just a little higher than the chest to ease the pressure on the heart.
Please take the time to read this guide here. It is as practical and detailed as I have been able to make it. It doesn't make the easiest of reading but it talks you through the whole process step by step so you have an idea what is going on, what to expect and what you need to consider when making any end of life decisions, including when it is better to euthanise so you can make any necessary choices with a clearer mind (but not a less aching heart - that part is easy as ech bond and love is unique).
I have done my best to not gloss over all the little sticky areas that can badly throw a loving owner. I cannot talk you through the whole information in this post; it has taken me several days to write the guide, which is about the best information you can find.
Here is the link:
A Practical and Sensitive Guide to Dying, Terminal Illness and Euthanasia in Guinea Pigs
You are welcome to as ask any further questions you have after you have read the guide. Please accept that we cannot tell you what to do unless there is an overriding urgent medical need. It is both your privilege and your burden as an owner to call the shots. There is an area where whichever way you decide to go is fine as long as you put your girl's welfare before your own fears of letting go; but we all weigh different factors in play differently - and that is fine because there is no right or wrong. In the end, it has to feel right in your heart.
Overall, I have gone about half-half with my own piggies; opting for pts (putting to sleep) whenever the immune system was the first to give way, a clear cage of agony or when the natural dying process hit a snag and the piggy in question was in obvious discomfort; or in the case of a bad diagnosis that would involve a painful death. However, watching somebody die can be rather upsetting, especially in the later stages when oxygen privation hits the limbs or in the latter stages of organ break down when there can be sometimes a phase of ca. 30-60 minutes of acute discomfort when an organ is fighting to keep going shortly before their passing.
Right now, your girl is in not in any major pain although she is not feeling well so the decision is fully up to you.
Sending strength to you, and I hope the blanket helps little Sugar feel more comfortable 
but what an amazing age she is
