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Ditto Passed Away :( Help!

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Lil-Ninnibig

Lil-Ninnibig

Teenage Guinea Pig
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Hi guysmi havent used the forum for a long time, however some of you may remember me and my pig 'Ditto'. Everything's been fine he's been happy and generally healthy apart from needing his nails clipped occasionally. Anyway the last few days i noticed he wasn't eating or drinking properly not even his beloved veggys i monitored this and yesterday he began to nibble on carrot and cucumber. I thought things were looking up! Then last night i got in from work Ditto came running across his cage to me and collapsed. He couldnt close his mouth control his head and his back end was so weak he rolled rather than walked. I put him in his vet carrier nice & warm in the house and within an hour he was struggling for breathe & died with me stroking his face. Devastating for me but hopefully comforting for him. For those who remember us we had an amazing bond & he was so tame.such a character. I'm heartbroken,he was taken from me in a matter of days and shown no sign of the sniffles or runny eyes etc. He seemed fine bar going off his food, i noticed he wasn't pooing much also but presumed this was due to the amount he was eating. Had i of noticed an illness hed of been straight to a vet but the collapse happened so fast. Can anyone tell me what this may have been? I'm heartbroken and worried it was something i did wrong in terms of his care. He was around 4-5 year old. Thanks in advance.
 
Am sorry. Night night Ditto.

It could have been anything, is always best to get them straight to the vet when they stop eating as their systems start to shut down so quickly without food. It may have been dental for him to go off his food so quickly or something like oral thrush but it si difficult to say.
 
Don't beat yourself up about it hun.It happens.You did the best you could for him.BIG HUGS
 
Really sorry to read this. Massive hugs to you. x

RIP Ditto
x x
 
I am very sorry for your loss!

Please always see a vet asap and start hand feeding as soon as you notice a dip in appetite and a weight loss (always weigh an piggy that is not 100% daily). I doubt that it would have made a difference in your case, though, but it may do with another piggy.

We have an information thread on how to care for bereaved piggies at the top of our Rainbow Bridge Pets section.

RIP Ditto
 
so sorry for your loss.

as others have said, as soon as there is any change in eating and pooping, it is best to see a vet asap as their systems do start to slow down very quickly. there was obviously something going on for him to slow down his eating, but it would be hard to say for sure what it was.

sleep tight ditto x
 
Popcorn free Ditto at the bridge x

I second what everyone else has said at first sign of them going off food I go to the vets, they hide things so well and going off food or weight loss is often a first sign anything is wrong.
 
Thanks so much everyone i am absolutly heartbroken. Coming in from work today to an empty cage was torturous... As daft as it sounds he wasnt just a pet he went through alot with me a relationship breakdown and a family bereavement and was always there for cuddles after a crappy day at work so i miss him loads already.. I only noticed he wasnt eating as much as usual on saturday, i monitored sunday and he was eating small amounts so i wasnt to worried, then yesterday he was eating a little more and drinking as normal so i thought he was picking up. Then i got in late yesterday from shopping with my other half and found him collapsed. It all happened so quickly :( had he of stopped eating all together etc id of rushed him to the vets but he was still eating a little. I just hope it was nothing ive done... Going from his symptoms though the collapse and open mouth, floppy body, and head tilt, decrease in appetite what would you guys say happened? My mum thinks this was a stroke? Xx
 
Sorry to hear your sad news. RIP litttle Ditto fella.
It sounds to me as though the little guy perhaps had a heart attack, I had a boar with similar symptoms, he collapsed also went blue around his ears and mouth when this happened too and the same morning it happened he was off his food. It is such a shock when this happens as it came on so sudden without warning.
 
Lil-Ninnibig said:
Thanks so much everyone i am absolutly heartbroken. Coming in from work today to an empty cage was torturous... As daft as it sounds he wasnt just a pet he went through alot with me a relationship breakdown and a family bereavement and was always there for cuddles after a crappy day at work so i miss him loads already.. I only noticed he wasnt eating as much as usual on saturday, i monitored sunday and he was eating small amounts so i wasnt to worried, then yesterday he was eating a little more and drinking as normal so i thought he was picking up. Then i got in late yesterday from shopping with my other half and found him collapsed. It all happened so quickly :( had he of stopped eating all together etc id of rushed him to the vets but he was still eating a little. I just hope it was nothing ive done... Going from his symptoms though the collapse and open mouth, floppy body, and head tilt, decrease in appetite what would you guys say happened? My mum thinks this was a stroke? Xx
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It could have been a stroke or something else. From the speed with which it all happened, I suspect that something major in his body was going wrong and that nothing would have saved him. If it is any consolation to you, I lost my Bethan within 48 hours despite a vet check and round the clock hand feeding not even two weeks ago. There was nothing more that could be done.

Your only consolation has to be that he didn't suffer for long and that while his passing has left you very shocked, you didn't have to go through a long drawn-out battle with him only to have to make the heart-breaking decision to let him go in the end. Sadly, it is often a sudden, fairly easy death that leaves the bereaved suffering worst, as they haven't been able to brace themselves for it and have yet to go through the full grieving process. :(
 
sorry for your loss. Ditto is free, I had a piggie who was 7months when he died, his heart was failing, he was eating only small amounts, and then he calapsed and died with his mouth opening and shutting, it was heartbreaking, he was on heart medication, but nature took its course, Ditto will be playing with my wee Pepper and all the other little piggies on the rainbow bridge. x
 
Oh no! Melissa I am so so sorry. I know how close you were and how heartbroken you will be. You did all you could and you must not feel any guilt. You loved him with all your heart and he clearly really loved you even running to you when he was unwell. If you ever want to talk then please pm me. I really am so sorry.
 
Hi guys thankyou so much for your kind words! I have today been to a rescue and adopted 2 boars :) one is lilac with red eyes the other is dittos double! White with brown and black patches- I'm really struggling for names so suggestions are welcome! The lilac boy is very shy and the other is very confident- i miss ditto so much and its hard to accept hes gone and these pigs although beautiful arent him but I'm hoping in time i will bond with them and theyl trust me like he did. Xx
 
They will do, new piggies never replace any you have lost. Each piggie finds a unique place in your heart.
 
Aww that is great Melissa! I can see them in your avatar. I hope they can comfort you.
 
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