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A Guinea that Just Gave Up

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AnnS

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Last week my four year old Belle just stopped eating - tried everything to tempt her, took her to the vets and everything was normal. Tried anti-biotics and hand feeding with critical care all to no avail. Last night I had her put down as she was in such discomfort. The said she just seemed to have given up.
I have had guinea pigs for ten years and this has happened to me only once before. Has anyone had a similar experience and managed to pull their guinea back from the brink?8...
 
Welcome to the forum Ann, I am sorry to hear your lost your girl last night.

There are many reasons a piggie suddenly stops eating, but as you have found it is sometimes difficult to figure out why. Were all her teeth - incisors and molars - examined? Was the possibility of oral thrush/oral infection considered? Whether Belle's problems were caused by her teeth or other illness, I feel you'd be unlikely to find out for sure without a post-mortem, which unfortunately it's probably too late for now.

You are quite close by to me, I live near to the Cambridge Cavy Trust. Have you heard of them before or taken any pigs to see Vedra? I've found that the CCT are far more competent in piggie medical care, despite not being vets (though they do work closely with reputable vets). Maybe something worth bearing in mind if you have other piggies at the moment.

I'm sorry you have found us under such sad circumstances.
 
we seemed to have done it 3 times with Bertie.
Anti-biotics never help with loss of apetite. We tried calpol to reduce discomfort, dyarolite to rehydrate, mushed up pellets and critical care to keep digestive system working and lots and lots of cuddles. We also added some vit C in the end to boost his immune sytem. It felt horrible to feed him so many drugs at the time, especially when the poor begger has a known kidney issue/condition.
Bertie seems to have picked up after being off his food for 10 days... he's drinking and eaing on his own now and has put on some weight.
I'm really sorry that this comes too late for your little one but if there is a next time, be sure that there are lots of people on here who can offer priceless advice that vets may not have. Without a few who shall remain nameless, my Bertie would be at the Bridge...
 
Cuzzy was like this he had head tilt, but no inward symptoms like an ear infection. So we thought it was probably a genetic problem he had. He did pick up after this but he wouldn't eat anything at all and he went down hil even with syringe feeding. We never got to the bottom of it and losing him was hard as he was only six months old as we struck up such a bond.
 
They checked ears, teeth, temperature, heartbeat and checked for lumps and bumps in the tummy and all normal. I suspect I will never really know, but I will certainly bare in mind the calpol and dyarolite in the future.
I have been to the Cavy Trust before the last time this same thing happened, but still had the same result. I was unable to get down there this week, but to be fair my vet was very thorough and I think she did as much as the Cavy Trust did last time.
Many thanks for your advice - the one good thing to come out of this is that I found this forum.
 
thinking positive is always a good thing.
Welcome BTW and again, sorry that you found this forum under sad circumstances...
 
It is a fairly common way for a pig to wind down at the end of it's life by "just giving up". If you are confident that there is nothing else you can do or try there is no other option but to accept the inevitable and just provide supportive care, such as warmth, company and fluids.
 
Ann has already had her guinea pig put down, AlcesterPigs.
I'm really sorry you lost her - it's always so sad when it happens. Perhaps you can think about getting a new addition when the time's right. :)
 
I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your pig. It is devastaing to lose them no matter what the circumstances are. 8...8...8...

I had a pig who died exactly 40 hours after he lost his best friend. I know he died pining & I know they have been reunited over the bridge. But he did just give up - stopped eating, drinking & living. 8...

I was lucky as I knew why he gave up - sometimes we are not so lucky. ?/ Hold onto the precious memories you have & know that your piggy is over the rainbow bridge, happy & being looked after by the piggies who have gone before.

My boys are sending you hugs & squeaks x)x)

Michele
xx

 
I too am so sorry to hear about Belle ... and it doesn't seem quite right to say "welcome to the Forum" under the circumstances, but I hope you will stay with us.
 
I'm sorry to hear of your loss - it's so devastating when they simply give up and we can't find out why!

Do you know how to post a pic on here, so we can have a look at Bella? There is a special section to commemorate our loved ones and share the grief as much as possible.

Big hug

Vicky
 
I'm going through something similar at present with Gussy who's nearly four. He's been syringe-fed for the past seven weeks due to pneumonia and a dental op. He's had three courses of antiobiotics, is very lively and the vet has given him a clean bill of health but he just won't eat! I've tried tempting him with all his favourites and when he's in his pen he tugs at the dandelion leaves with enthusiam but he will only eat if syringe fed. Like you, I've posted a note on the forum in the hope that someone out there has an answer. He doesn't seem to be in any pain and, like I've said, he's very lively but I am desperate for him to eat. I'm sorry your guinea gave up. Know this happens often. Just hoping Gussy will pull through.
Elaine
 
As long as he is well and eating, albeit syringe-fed, don't get too worried. I have syringe fed some pigs for upto 12 months, before they have either died of old age or have started to eat again by themselves.
 
As requested think I got it right - this is Belle (middle) with her two best friends Lily (left) and Misty (right).
Thanks for all the support guys it's really appreciated.
 

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it's so sad when animals give up
they just know when it's time for them to go and nothing we can do can prevent that
i'm sorry for your loss *hugs*
 
I'm so sorry to heat about your loss. You did everything you could for little belle xx
 
I am so sorry to hear of your loss.

Sadly I went through exactly the same with my Fritz 2 weeks ago. He was fine on the Wednesday evening, Thursday evening he seemed a little quiet, Friday evening he didn’t come out of his house to greet me and showed no interest in his food. Obviously he needed a vet, but I couldn’t see one til 8am Saturday – by which time he had deteriorated drastically. The vet tried everything he could and he stayed on a drip and antibiotics until Monday – but the vet said we were just keeping him alive, so we made the decision to put him to sleep. He was just 4 years old. It all happened so quick it was like a bad dream.

I like to think guinea pigs just don’t have the fear of death that humans have, and therefore they don’t fight it. They seem to sense something is wrong with them, and decide enough is enough, so they stop eating and off they go. I think it must be lovely for them to go off to the rainbow bridge with no fear or worries about what they are leaving behind or where they are going.

Obviously as loving owners we want them as long as possible and we fight as hard as we can to keep them with us…. and we want them to fight to stay with us too, but maybe they just can’t.

Sending lots of love to you and your family
Rachel
 
I agree Rachel, they know when it is there time and that is why they hide it from us too. If only they wouldn't though. My Pearl did this and it was only when she had the runny bum that we realised how ill she was. Hours earlier she was running around her cage!

I find it hard to see them like that, especially the ones who are so lively in life. :( Sorry for your loss. x
 
Rae1508 said:
I like to think guinea pigs just don’t have the fear of death that humans have, and therefore they don’t fight it. They seem to sense something is wrong with them, and decide enough is enough, so they stop eating and off they go. I think it must be lovely for them to go off to the rainbow bridge with no fear or worries about what they are leaving behind or where they are going.

Obviously as loving owners we want them as long as possible and we fight as hard as we can to keep them with us…. and we want them to fight to stay with us too, but maybe they just can’t.
Click to expand...

Following on from Rachel's post, animals are much more accepting of death than humans are. As far as they are concerned, it's a normal part of life, it's just the natural cycle. They don't want to leave their humans behind, and I believe it is important that the animal knows that they can pass if they need to. When Tuppy was ill, I said to her that if she needed to go, then to just let go. She died that evening. I try to save tears for after they have passed, I don't want the last thing they see to be the human they love in a state of upset. It is the hardest thing to do, to hold off your own heartbreak, but for the sake of a peaceful and easy crossing for the animal it is worth trying to act normal and give your pig a happy, loving, comforting final few moments. Even if you can't do that, if tears are streaming down your face as they are so ill or dying, the fact that you care so much comforts them, your love still shines through.

Belle was beautiful, Ann.
 
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I thought animals had no fore-knowledge of death. Instinct may make them move away from the group. Death is a normal part of life for all of us, at least we can prepare for it beforehand.
 
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