What might have been the cause of my guinea pig's death?

[Sverker&birger]

Yesterday my guinea pig Sverker died, and I have no clue as to why. I know that guinea pigs hide it well if they are sick, but there was nothing that seemed wrong with him at all, until yesterday when he suddenly became very ill. It wasn't pneumonia because he had no symptoms of it, and up until the point when he was dying he was happy, sociable, ate and drank normally. I wonder if it could have been that he was very constipated, but he showed no signs of being uncomfortable and I did not notice that the amount of droppings in his and his brothers cage was less than usually. I feel bad, thinking that perhaps I did something wrong because he was only 10 months old. I miss him a lot, and if anyone has an idea as to why he died, please respond.

R.I.P Sverker <3

 

[Wiebke]

Yesterday my guinea pig Sverker died, and I have no clue as to why. I know that guinea pigs hide it well if they are sick, but there was nothing that seemed wrong with him at all, until yesterday when he suddenly became very ill. It wasn't pneumonia because he had no symptoms of it, and up until the point when he was dying he was happy, sociable, ate and drank normally. I wonder if it could have been that he was very constipated, but he showed no signs of being uncomfortable and I did not notice that the amount of droppings in his and his brothers cage was less than usually. I feel bad, thinking that perhaps I did something wrong because he was only 10 months old. I miss him a lot, and if anyone has an idea as to why he died, please respond.

R.I.P Sverker <3

Hi

I am ever so sorry for your loss. Unfortunately, the only way you may be get a reliable answer is a post mortem examination at the vets.

We can only guess as much as you do. At that young age, there is always a higher chance that it could be connected to a genetic defect, like a kind of time bomb that can go off at any time. Guinea pigs can unfortunately go downhill extremely quickly and out of the blue.
I have lost several young piggies myself to sudden acute heart failure due to an inherited genetic defect from bad/uncontrolled breeding; they died within hours of showing the first symptom. I can however not say whether that is what your own boy has died from

It is certainly not anything you have done wrong but as humans we are wired to always seek the fault in ourselves. This kind of soul-searching with strong feelings of guilt and failure is very normal of the onset of the grieving process. You wouldn't feel like this if you weren't a caring owner - what you are experiencing now is the other side of the coin we call love.

Please take the time to read the very helpful and practical information via the link below. It contains information about the natural dying process, your human grieving process (to help you make sense) and about what you can do for the companion in the wake of a loss in much more detail and with helpful tips than we can put into a single post.
Here is the link: Death, Dying, Terminal Illness, Grieving and Bereaved Companions: Information and Support for Owners and Their Children

 

[Sverker&birger]

Hi

I am ever so sorry for your loss. Unfortunately, the only way you may be get a reliable answer is a post mortem examination at the vets.

We can only guess as much as you do. At that young age, there is always a higher chance that it could be connected to a genetic defect, like a kind of time bomb that can go off at any time. Guinea pigs can unfortunately go downhill extremely quickly and out of the blue.
I have lost several young piggies myself to sudden acute heart failure due to an inherited genetic defect from bad/uncontrolled breeding; they died within hours of showing the first symptom. I can however not say whether that is what your own boy has died from

It is certainly not anything you have done wrong but as humans we are wired to always seek the fault in ourselves. This kind of soul-searching with strong feelings of guilt and failure is very normal of the onset of the grieving process. You wouldn't feel like this if you weren't a caring owner - what you are experiencing now is the other side of the coin we call love.

Please take the time to read the very helpful and practical information via the link below. It contains information about the natural dying process, your human grieving process (to help you make sense) and about what you can do for the companion in the wake of a loss in much more detail and with helpful tips than we can put into a single post.
Here is the link: Death, Dying, Terminal Illness, Grieving and Bereaved Companions: Information and Support for Owners and Their Children

Thank you for responding, I really appreciate it.
It is hard for me to reconcile with this happening, because I've been so set on them both growing old with me, so I thank you for adding those links. And I feel sorry for your losses too

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you for responding, I really appreciate it.
It is hard for me to reconcile with this happening, because I've been so set on them both growing old with me, so I thank you for adding those links. And I feel sorry for your losses too

Thank you! The young losses are in my own experience harder to deal with.

Losses are unfortunately the flip side of having pets. I have learned to see my guinea pigs as a loan from God. I can never know how soon and in which way he recalls my pets but I can concentrate on giving my piggies a good time while they are with me. Guinea pigs don't have a concept for life expectancy; they measure a good life in happy todays. I often think that looking at this from the guinea pig/pet perspective is not the worst thing we humans can do.

Be kind to yourself and to your remaining piggy in the coming days.
These guides may be helpful when tackling the problem of companionship; especially as I know of only one guinea pig rescue in Sweden, Eragon Marsvins in Gothenburg.
Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars

 

[Idris]

Sorry for your loss. Life can be cruel sometimes and seems especially unfair when we lose them young or without knowing why. Be kind to yourself and your remaining pig (Birger?).

 

[Freela]

I'm so sorry for your loss. Unfortunately, it's impossible to say for sure. At a young age there may have been some sort of genetic issue that had minimal or no visible symptoms. My experience is, unfortunately, that guinea pigs often go from seemingly fine to passing away very quickly, without any easy-to-identify reason why. Honestly, I only have one pig where I know the cause of death for sure (sepsis from a dental abscess.) The others, while they were older than the little one you lost, are a total mystery to me. Most were seemingly fine that day and then passed away within a period of hours. Please try not to blame yourself... it wasn't anything you did wrong. Again, so sorry for your loss.

 

[weepweeps]

I’m so sorry for your loss of Sverker. Please don’t blame yourself. You gave them a happy life. Take care.

 

[Merab]

So sorry for your loss.
It’s such a blow when a young piggy dies so suddenly and unexpectedly.
You gave Sverker a lovely home and lots of happy todays.
Be gentle with yourself as you grieve

 

[Sverker&birger]

Update: Thank you all for your kind words and support, it makes it easier knowing that I’m not alone in this and that there is support and advice to get on this site.
You have all made it a bit easier
Thank you

 

[Bill & Ted]

Please don’t think it’s anything that you missed or blame yourself. Sadly this does happen. I woke up to finding one of my boys had died overnight and had been perfectly fine the night before, so sorry

 

[MissMyMishaPig]

Thank you! The young losses are in my own experience harder to deal with.

Losses are unfortunately the flip side of having pets. I have learned to see my guinea pigs as a loan from God. I can never know how soon and in which way he recalls my pets but I can concentrate on giving my piggies a good time while they are with me. Guinea pigs don't have a concept for life expectancy; they measure a good life in happy todays. I often think that looking at this from the guinea pig/pet perspective is not the worst thing we humans can do.

Be kind to yourself and to your remaining piggy in the coming days.
These guides may be helpful when tackling the problem of companionship; especially as I know of only one guinea pig rescue in Sweden, Eragon Marsvins in Gothenburg.
Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars

"A loan from God", I love that! I think I'm going to look at it that way, as well. I just lost a piggy tonight and it's so utterly heartbreaking every single time, a piggy passes away. I've had a few of these heartbreaking moments over the past few years. Never gets easier. They are sweetest creatures. I feel that we, humans, are so lucky to have them, no matter how long or short the time

 

[weepweeps]

"A loan from God", I love that! I think I'm going to look at it that way, as well. I just lost a piggy tonight and it's so utterly heartbreaking every single time, a piggy passes away. I've had a few of these heartbreaking moments over the past few years. Never gets easier. They are sweetest creatures. I feel that we, humans, are so lucky to have them, no matter how long or short the time

I’m so sorry you lost your piggy. Take care

 

[MissMyMishaPig]

I’m so sorry you lost your piggy. Take care

Thank you so much! <3

 

[Wiebke]

"A loan from God", I love that! I think I'm going to look at it that way, as well. I just lost a piggy tonight and it's so utterly heartbreaking every single time, a piggy passes away. I've had a few of these heartbreaking moments over the past few years. Never gets easier. They are sweetest creatures. I feel that we, humans, are so lucky to have them, no matter how long or short the time

I am very sorry for your own loss. You are always welcome to open your own support thread if you need it and post a tribute to your piggy in our Rainbow Bridge section if you feel that it would help you.

We also have some practical but sensitive support information for grieving owners and piggy companions, as well as a support guide for the dying and saying goodbye process and everything connected with it (including to help make sense for owners in the wake of a traumatic loss that struggle to put their experience into a context).
Here is the access link, in case you are interested: Death, Dying, Terminal Illness; Human Grieving and Bereaved Companions: Information and Support for Owners and Their Children