Sudden and confusing pig loss

[jesse1234]

So, first of hello everybody, I haven't been here in a while! Hope everybody has been good in this lovely space.

This morning, my sister messaged me to say one of the guinea pigs had died overnight. We really don't understand what happened. They're well cared for, not to be pretentious but it's always been a priority to have them cared for in an ideal way. Not to say I'll admit no fault, but to say that I think we would've noticed noteworthy signs of something like this happening. Rain was about 3, rescued after being a classroom pet from 2019-2020. She was sick with some type of URI about a year ago, but went on medicine and a probiotic and hadn't had problems since.

Just yesterday night she was behaving completely normal, running around and destroying her cage, as she loved to do. This morning, she was lying toward the center of the cage, with her back legs sprawled out and her eyes open, dead. The temperature in the room was about 70°F, which is what it always is at and has never had a problem for any of the other guinea pigs. She has no signs of injury. No blood and we heard no strange noises at any point. She was eating like normal, except, she was not eating her peppers completely. She was given vitamin C cookie things every day and wasn't a huge fan of those either but she would nibble on them. She normally ate everything up, pretty ravenously but wasn't super into the peppers for about the last 2 days. There's been a bad storm here (Buffalo, NY) so we were not able to get out of the house to buy a new type for her. My first thought was maybe she didn't like the brand or something because I know one time my other guinea pig absolutely HATED orange bell peppers for like a month before he started to enjoy them again for whatever reason. Anyways, that's the only thing I can think of. And if that's somehow what caused her to die, I feel awful about not recognizing that as more of an emergency. She was acting completely normal, eating and drinking normal, excluding the peppers, but was still eating the vitamin C cookie so I wasn't too panicked about the pepper stuff.

I just don't get it. I'm scared for the other guinea pigs now because we don't know what would've caused this. I'm just sad and wish I knew what happened. I know the only real solution is to go to a vet but it feels better to get it out and vocalize how I'm feeling because I just wish I could know what happened to my poor baby. We're going to take her body to the vet once they're open (closed due to the storm, it's a travel ban) and get her cremated. It depends on the price of further inspection like an autopsy but it really scares me that we don't know what the problem was. I've read that things like heart attack and stroke can happen out of nowhere and for no real reason, which I guess would be the best case scenario because the other pigs wouldn't be in danger of catching something and she probably was not in pain for any long duration. I just don't know what to think and I just feel so sad and confused about everything.

 

[weepweeps]

I’m so sorry you have lost Rain. Such a shock for you and your family.

We have heard it so often on the forum that piggies are completely normal and then pass suddenly. This does happen.

Don’t feel bad that you may have missed something or should have done something different. There probably wasn’t anything for you to see as they hide their illnesses so well.

Rain sounded like she had an amazing life with you. Think of the good times you had with her. She knew she was loved.

Popcorn high over the bridge Rain. Take care

 

[PigglePuggle]

I'm so sorry for your loss. Sudden deaths are a huge shock, but just like people, piggies do suffer sudden strokes, heart attacks, sometimes a tumour deep inside nobody knew was there might suddenly press on something vital- it happens unfortunately, and they slip away in minutes without ever feeling unwell and don't suffer at all.
Its very hard wondering why, but please be assured its nothing you did, or didnt do. There is never a good way for any cherished friend to die, some go fast and far too soon, some battle on much longer than they should and force us to make tough choices for them- but take comfort that your piggy never even knew what was happening, she was happy then asleep, all her days were happy days and you can remember her at her best x

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome

HUGS

I am so sorry! What a nasty shock for you!

Guinea pigs can sadly die out of the blue from a sudden heart attack, a stroke or something else going wrong inside the body or brain/nervous system right out of the blue without any warning. There is nothing you can do to prevent it and therefore never anything to brace for it. It always comes as a huge shock and leaves you with the need to make sense of it all. As humans we are wired to reflect everything onto ourselves so the start of the grieving process is typically characterised by strong feelings of failure, guilt and intense soul searching; you wouldn't experience them as strongly if you weren't a loving and caring owner. They are an expression of who you are but do not relate to what has actually happened.

I have found piggies in that position in the morning a couple of times still with a mouthful of hay sticking out - the heart attack must have come so suddenly right in the middle of their normal activities if that helps you. Stroke piggies generally end up on their side. Please try to take comfort in that your piggy can't have suffered much at all. They have just been living with a genetic time bomb.
PS: You can find more very helpful tips and practical information for your own grieving process and for what you can do for any bereaved companions now and in the coming days and weeks in these two links here:
Human Bereavement: Grieving, Processing and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children
Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig