Wobbly/floppy Guinea Pigs -died-

[Bunnyblasttt]

Sorry for a messy post I'm posting this from the mobile site.
Basically I went out to feed my pigs yesterday evening and immediately saw that there was something seriously wrong with Joshie (Male,2 years old), wrong to the point of me automatically bursting into tears and saying he was dying. He couldn't stand on his legs properly and he kept flopping everywhere. I got him straight inside warmed up on me and tried to syringe him some sugar water incase it was dehydration/low blood sugar which happened to a mouse I had once. My boyfriend went out to check on our other three pigs and found Luna (female, 1.5 years old) exactly the same.

We took them to an out of hours vet who basically told us they had no idea what it was and that they hadn't seen this before. Asked the other vet there who agreed they had no clue. Said it looked a bit like poisoning? Asked if they'd eaten anything strange which they haven't.

Told us they could keep them overnight warm and give them fluids but it would cost us £350 which we couldn't pay because my dad was already paying the £100 out of hours fee. So I took them home and gave them more attention than they would get at the vets anyway.

At one point they both looked like they were improving, they went less floppy and could stand on their legs even if they were shaking a bit, we got them drinking sugar water, got one to eat a bit of salad, they were weeing and pooing. But they both went downhill again, one passed away around 11:30pm and the other didn't pass away untill 2:30am. I sat with them cuddling them the whole time, before they passed they started having little fits...

I just wanna know if anyone has any ideas about what it could be ? Maybe if your pigs had the same symptoms ? I've got two piggies left and I wanna make sure this doesn't happen to them.

 

[Wiebke]

I am very sorry; what a shock for you! Please have your suviving piggies checked by a regular vet today.

We have just a had a case on here yesterday where somebody has lost three of their piggies unexpectedly over concerns that their hay could contain a poisonous substance and I have heard of another case on my social media feed where hay is also suspected for killing somebody else's piggies in our wider region.

If you have surviving piggies, please can you please see whether removing the current hay (but keeping it for testing/compensation claims) and switching the brand can help, just to be on the safe side. As things stand, there is nothing substantiated. As soon as there is, we will certainly put a warning.

 

[Doragon]

I'm so sorry about the loss of your piggies!

The only thing I can suggest is perhaps the vet was right about the poisoning - did the hay they had look alright? You could always have the hay tested, though that's a little expensive. A post death examination might give you some idea how death occurred, but that can be expensive too and I can understand why you wouldn't want to carry one out!

It could have perhaps been a sudden heart attack or stroke - these can strike at any age and it's no ones fault! Something could have gotten in the garden and scared them, too.

But please keep in mind that it was most likely completely out of your hands and you did everything you could to help your little babies! You took them to the emergency vet and gave them so much love. I'm so sorry you lost two at the same time, that must have been a shock!

 

[Bunnyblasttt]

Thankyou everyone.
The vet did check out our other two pigs and couldn't see any signs they were ill.
And my partner is out getting our usual brand of hay right now, we were using a cheaper brand the last week but we've used it before and didn't have any problems ?
The brand they've eaten this week is called Norfolk Pastures. If people want to avoid it just incase.

 

[VickiA]

I'm so sorry for your terrible loss. What a shock.

Was this a new bag of hay?

 

[sport_billy]

I am very sorry for your losses. This is so awful. Massive hugs to you. How is your other little piggy?

Sleep well little ones

RIP Joshie and Luna
x x

 

[Bunnyblasttt]

@VickiA It had been open 1-2 days and it looks and smells perfectly normal.

 

[Freela]

I am really sorry for your loss. Losing two like that in the same day must be awful! For two to go unexpectedly on the same day, I would wonder about something environmental- something they ate, something in the environment somehow. Unfortunately, what you say (shakiness, floppiness, wobbly on feet, fitting before passing) is fairly nonspecific, in that I have had pigs show these symptoms around the time of passing for various reasons... as such, I think the symptoms are more a sign that the body is shutting down, not necessarily WHY the body is shutting down, if that makes sense. I know it's awful to see and I'm so sorry for your loss and wish I could give you a more definitive answer.

 

[Wheekallweek]

Poor Joshie and Luna, and poor you
At least you were with them both