9 Year Old Guinea Pig: Is she sick or is her time?

[AndrewN18]

Hi guys,
My 9 year old guinea pig, Lulu, has really slowed down as of late and hardly move around her cage. I'm not sure if her back legs are paralyzed, but she doesnt put any weight on them and drags them behind her when she does walk. She hardly eats anything and i pretty much have to feed her and give her water by hand to make sure she eats and drinks anything. She doesnt seem to be in any pain, as she still seems to like being held, but her squeaks and noises have grown faint and rare, and her breathing seems very rapid. She is my first guinea pig and I'm not sure if she is sick or if it's maybe her time to pass. Any advice is very welcome

 

[Piggies&buns]

9 years old is a fantastic age for a piggy. However I would suggest taking her to a vet for a check. Her issues may be something which can be treated and enable her to live out the rest of life comfortable. Piggies are good at hiding pain, so even if she doesn’t show pain, it doesn’t mean that she isn’t in pain.

 

[VickiA]

I agree that it would be a good idea to have her seen by the vet to make sure she isn’t in pain or suffering.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi guys,
My 9 year old guinea pig, Lulu, has really slowed down as of late and hardly move around her cage. I'm not sure if her back legs are paralyzed, but she doesnt put any weight on them and drags them behind her when she does walk. She hardly eats anything and i pretty much have to feed her and give her water by hand to make sure she eats and drinks anything. She doesnt seem to be in any pain, as she still seems to like being held, but her squeaks and noises have grown faint and rare, and her breathing seems very rapid. She is my first guinea pig and I'm not sure if she is sick or if it's maybe her time to pass. Any advice is very welcome

Hi!

9 years is a wonderful age! The average life span for a healthy guinea pig is 5-7 years.

Please contact a vet clinic ASAP, so you know where you stand and can make informed decisions.

There is a possibility that Lulu's body has started breaking down, but we can only guess as much as you without having access to her - not that we are qualified to replace a vet in the first place; the same as any online place! Only a hands-on vet examination can give you the answers you are looking for.

These links here may help you:
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment (includes a chapter on dying guinea pigs and how to access out-of-hours UK vet services)

Looking after guinea pigs with limited or no mobility

 

[Sweet Potato]

I agree, a vet may be able to offer pain meds or give suggestions on how to make her more comfortable even if they cannot extend her life. 9 is a great age and you have clearly done a good job of taking care of her well done.

 

[DMS260820]

9 years is a very good age as said above, best I've had yet is 7, I would get a decent guinea pig experienced vet to examine her, I wouldn't be surprised if she has some arthiritis going on to be honest, hope all goes well

 

[PigglePuggle]

9 is an excellent age, hopefully the vet can offer some pain relief for the inevitable aches and pains of old age that will keep her comfortable for a while yet x