Help? We Have Just Suddenly Lost Our Baby Pig :(

[Gemma Gregory]

Hi

I'm new here just looking for some help and advice as I'm so upset , we have just lost our baby guinea big Zorro he was only 4 and a half months old.

He came from the adoption section at pets at home and 3 weeks after we got him he developed phnuemonia and I took him to the vet he had a jab then 3 days of antibiotics. Which he had and I took him back and the vet said he looked better.

Took him home he was eating ok and I changed his bed to torn up paper to reduce dust etc but tonight he was just led in his hay and passed away no idea why or what happened . Need to now find the courage to tell my 4 year old son any ideas or help would be much appreciated thanks

 

[Gem789]

Hi

I'm new here just looking for some help and advice as I'm so upset , we have just lost our baby guinea big Zorro he was only 4 and a half months old.

He came from the adoption section at pets at home and 3 weeks after we got him he developed phnuemonia and I took him to the vet he had a jab then 3 days of antibiotics. Which he had and I took him back and the vet said he looked better.

Took him home he was eating ok and I changed his bed to torn up paper to reduce dust etc but tonight he was just led in his hay and passed away no idea why or what happened . Need to now find the courage to tell my 4 year old son any ideas or help would be much appreciated thanks

I’m so sorry for your loss.Ive got no advice but just wanted to say how sorry I am xx

 

[Happydays]

Oh no, how awful. I am so sorry, I'm afraid no advice either as new to guinea pigs myself. I hope you and your son are OK.x

 

[DM030619]

 

[Lady Kelly]

I'm so sorry for your loss. Do you know how knowledgeable your vets are around guinea pigs? Experience and knowledge vary widely between vets and a good vet is the best resource you can have. If your piggy had full blown pneumonia then 4 days of antibiotics was unlikely to make much difference. I lost a piggy earlier this year who had full blown pneumonia and the vet warned me that if we managed to cure it then the piggy might still struggle due to scarring on the lungs. Unfortunately sometimes conditions like that can be secondary to other illnesses so without a costly post mortem there would be no way to know.

I don't have experience of talking to young children about it but I think some honesty is usually the best way. My nephew was 4 when my dad passed away and my brother and sister in law spent time talking to them about death and some of the things other people believe in - heaven, reincarnation etc. You don't need to talk about him being ill as younger children are quite accepting, perhaps just a "he went to sleep and didn't wake up"?

 

[Gemma Gregory]

I'm so sorry for your loss. Do you know how knowledgeable your vets are around guinea pigs? Experience and knowledge vary widely between vets and a good vet is the best resource you can have. If your piggy had full blown pneumonia then 4 days of antibiotics was unlikely to make much difference. I lost a piggy earlier this year who had full blown pneumonia and the vet warned me that if we managed to cure it then the piggy might still struggle due to scarring on the lungs. Unfortunately sometimes conditions like that can be secondary to other illnesses so without a costly post mortem there would be no way to know.

I don't have experience of talking to young children about it but I think some honesty is usually the best way. My nephew was 4 when my dad passed away and my brother and sister in law spent time talking to them about death and some of the things other people believe in - heaven, reincarnation etc. You don't need to talk about him being ill as younger children are quite accepting, perhaps just a "he went to sleep and didn't wake up"?

Thank you, yeah a few friends have advised to seek a good vet, we just used vets for pets in pets at home but now I will look for a small animal specialist next time. Thank you that's really interesting to know I think where he was small and lost weight at the start I think he just didn't recover.

Thanks to everyone for your advice and support it means a lot

 

[Lady Kelly]

Thank you, yeah a few friends have advised to seek a good vet, we just used vets for pets in pets at home but now I will look for a small animal specialist next time. Thank you that's really interesting to know I think where he was small and lost weight at the start I think he just didn't recover.

Thanks to everyone for your advice and support it means a lot

I use a vets 4 pets and they aren't exotics specialists but they are reasonable priced and all interested in small animals (I followed one vet from my last practice over there I was that impressed with her). There's another vets 4 pets near me that has an exotics specialist too but I understand they charge considerably more. The good thing about vets 4 pets is you get the vet profiles on the websites so can check their credentials and interests out fairly easily as sometimes it will be a case of asking for a particular vet at a practice.

Do you have another piggy that was with Zorro? If so how is he doing? If he is struggling with grief we have a rescue locator above with reputable rescues listed who may be able to help with bonding him to a new friend. A local rescue might also be able to recommend a good local vets too as they will have one they go to regularly

 

[Gemma Gregory]

Ahh that's good to know they were very good I guess it just depends on who you talk to and who they recommend.

He was a single pig when we got him he had been on his own for nearly 2 weeks as he was left the last of the littler was what they said so not to take on another. I think we want to take on another piggy or 2 would they do rehoming? Would much rather give a piggy in need a home

 

[Lady Kelly]

Ahh that's good to know they were very good I guess it just depends on who you talk to and who they recommend.

He was a single pig when we got him he had been on his own for nearly 2 weeks as he was left the last of the littler was what they said so not to take on another. I think we want to take on another piggy or 2 would they do rehoming? Would much rather give a piggy in need a home

Take a look at the rescue locator, the rescues should be able to help pair you up with a lovely pair of piggies. The benefit of that is you are more likely to get piggies who are more used to being handled which will be good for your son. 2 of my current 4 came through pets at home adoption centres. The last one Lily is fairly wild and taking ages to bring her round as she was purchased as a baby and returned when she fractured her leg shortly after so shes only been handled to medicate and boy does she hate being handled! She doesn't bite at all but shes wriggly and petrified and squeals like hell on fire!