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Guinea Pig Has Died

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Wilch

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Hi all, I returned home at midnight last night after about 30 hours away to find one of my two guinea pigs (brothers) had died.
My first thoughts were that they'd had a fight as they do 'square up' to each other a lot and chatter their teeth. But as there was no wounds or blood I doubt this is the case.

Henry, the one who died, had his mouth full of what looks to be either bedding (megazorb) or bits of newspaper and also faeces, which was still damp, so perhaps he choked.
There was more vegetables uneaten than usual, and more dry food had been consumed, but normally they always go for the fresh veg first. They've had no hay for over a week so I'm guessing they wanted the hard, coarseness of the dry food for their teeth, but that's pure speculation.

Before I went out I did notice Henry looked a little dishevelled and his mouth seemed open more than usual. I inspected his mouth but though little of it. Now I'm thinking his teeth may have overgrown, but from only a week without hay? I'm not sure.

Both guinea pigs sneeze regularly, which I never thought much of before, but now I'm concerned I've missed something obvious.

There was a lot of newspaper exposed from under the bedding which has been chewed, probably an entire pages worth. Could the ink have harmed him?

Thanks for any advice!
 
Also, I noticed the hair on his chin looked thinned out and discoloured
 
Hello and welcome to the forum.

I'm sorry that your piggy has died.

Can I ask why your piggies had been with out hay for a week and why they had been left for 30 hours?
It really is best to have your piggie see a vet when they don't seem right as they can go down hill very quickly.
Unfortunately I don't have any answers as to why he died as there seems there could be a number of them.
However I would get your remaining guinea checked by a vet and think about whether you really have the time to give them :(
 
Hi! I am very sorry for your big upset, made worse by your longer absence.

It sounds like Henry was digging for fibre in lack of hay; it should make 80% of their daily food intake. The newspaper ink would not have killed him (that is only damaging when eaten regularly over a long period), but we had a recent case on the forum of intestinal blockage caused by eating megazorb. It could well have been that eating his bedding has caused him to choke. However, it is impossible to determine exactly what caused his death unless you have a post mortem done; but it always comes a shock.

The signs serious illness are often rather subtle as guinea pig are prey animals and therefore hiding problems until the last. it is easy to miss them when your are very busy and preoccupied with other urgent issues.

Please have your remaining piggy checked by a vet to be sure that he is OK. You may also consider a change of bedding and making sure that you are not out of hay. have you go somebody who can come in and look after your piggies/feed/restock hay and water on those days you cannot be there?
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/...or-a-balanced-general-guinea-pig-diet.116460/
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/looking-after-a-bereaved-piggy.110463/
 
Being without hay for a whole week would have caused the teeth to over grow and gut problems. It is essential for guinea pigs to have access to hay at all times.

Please can you put your location as this helps when giving advice.
 
Thanks for the input.
My schedule is pretty hectic. I have a room in shared residence and I'm often working for days at a time in a care home, then I come home and am usually out again before long. I used to have much more time to spend with them (he was 3 years old) and over the last year I've had less time and they became less sociable with humans because of this, but I thought as long as they had each other they'd be happy. I did manage to spend much of the summer in the garden with them. They had unlimited fresh grass daily. They have a huge bag of timothy hay in the garage which I use to top up a smaller bag in my room, but about a week ago I realized some of it is damp and I could smell mould. And I admit I hadn't got round to replacing it, I just made sure they had copious amounts of veg and dry food. My house mates keep an eye on them when I'm at work, but they have little interest in them.
I was hoping to relocate them to my brother's house in December as he has a family who can spend time with them every day.

My schedule won't get much better any time soon and now there's only one GP alone. I'd rather not introduce another GP to him, but re-home him somewhere he can get the attention he deserves. I do worry about his behaviour though, he was taken from his mother too early which is something I didn't realise at the time, he likes to nibble on fingers which can put people off, but he only nips. Henry was the opposite, he was very timid, but loved having his back caressed, he would spread out almost flat and make cute noises while I stroked him.

So yeah, I think there are a number of possible causes for his death. I'll take Guybrush to the vets and have him looked over today
 
I am sorry; it is quite often an unfortunate combination of circumstances that is at the bottom of it. You didn't sound like somebody who didn't care about their piggies.

Whereabouts are you located?
 
Thanks for your advice. I live in Preston, Lancashire. They were only 4 weeks old when I got them. I spent a lot of time with them for the first two years, but I started working very long shifts after this.
There are times I walk through the door, change/feed them then rush out again. They have a large C&C cage which they enjoy running laps in
 
Boars have to be taken away from their mother at three weeks as they can get her pregnant. They are not meant to be rehomed until six weeks though. I hope you find a rescue but if there is not one blue cross will also take piggies.
 
Yeah, there are a lot of people who do still rehome at 6 weeks. It is also the same for puppies and kittens :)
As long as the animal for rehoming is thriving etc it can be ok, it is just a guideline x
 
Can you try to contact Rainbow Rescue in Southport or Milhaven in Keighley? Both are very high standard rescues that will make sure your boy is bonded with a friend of liking and only going to a suitable home. He will receive good care while in rescue. There may be a waiting list for non-emergency guinea pigs. We can guarantee for both rescues and that your boy will be in a very good and safe hands and only be going to home checked homes.
https://www.facebook.com/kaylee.rainbowrescue
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Milhaven-Guinea-Pig-Rescue/242212542587095 or https://www.facebook.com/pages/Milhaven-Guinea-Pig-Rescue/242212542587095
 
Thanks for the advice, I'll contact the rescues tomorrow morning, I'll also contact my local RSPCA shelter. Do you have any recommendations on the least traumatic way to transport him?
Guybrush has plenty of hay now, he's had a little, but doesn't seem like he's been short of it. But this could be due to grief at the loss of his brother...
 
I'm so sorry this happened, I hope they are taken to the shelter well. I do not know the way to transport him to least traumatize him.
 
I'm so sorry to hear this has happened. If only you had discovered this forum earlier - perhaps thing would have been different for poor Henry.

Let us know how you get on when you speak to the rescues.

I have a particular soft spot for Milhaven because this is where I took Max dating and he came back with 2 lovely sows ( Bess and Sparkle). Max & I travelled up to the rescue by train and I came back on the train with 3 guinea pigs.
 
Wilch said:
Thanks for the advice, I'll contact the rescues tomorrow morning, I'll also contact my local RSPCA shelter. Do you have any recommendations on the least traumatic way to transport him?
Guybrush has plenty of hay now, he's had a little, but doesn't seem like he's been short of it. But this could be due to grief at the loss of his brother...
Click to expand...
A normal pet carrier is fine. Line it with a soft fleece or fowl and include some hay for him.
 
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