How to cope with death of guinea pig?

yenwd

yenwd

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I have a guinea pig that is around 6 years of age now, she was still very healthy and beautiful yesterday morning when I left home. But just when I came back in the evening, she lied flatly on her bed, unable to move and eat anything. I was suspicious that something inside her body was damaging, can be a tumor of some sort. It was over 7 PM and all the vets around my place was closed already, so I had to wait until next morning to take her to a vet. The next day which is today, I put her inside a small cage and drove her to the hospital, I completed the paper form the doctor gave me and was waiting for the doc to come check her out. 5 minutes later, the doc came inside to look at her and told me she was dying. I couldn't believe it, uttered some crying sound and touched her the last time. It took a few minutes for her to die. She could barely breath normally before that. Her 4 legs couldn't support her body any more, totally contrast to the healthy image of my baby just a day ago. I still remember her painful eyes looking at me for help. When I came home with her dead body, that was when I learned that somebody in my family dropped a heavy wooden branch on her. The force was so strong that caused the guinea pig's death.

I spend the rest of the day wandering around the city, to the area where I got her from and cried through the way. How can I ever overcome this kind of unexpected loss? Anyone has experience on this? I would love to read something.
 
Oh so sorry for your loss! Feel free to post on our Rainbow Bridge thread whenever you feel ready there is no time limit. Maybe one of the Mods can move this from the Guinea Pig Chat thread for you? @VickiA @Swissgreys. Where in the world are you? There are some pet bereavement services in the UK. If you look under the guides at the top of the page you will find one about bereavement have a read of it it is very good. Sorry but I can't link it in on this device.
 
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What a tragic story and am very sorry for your loss.
It is abhorrent that someone could cause a nasty injury without saying earlier but something like that I think it may not have been recoverable from without a big operation as all sorts of damage could have occurred.

What I would say is hat you clearly loved your piggy and the fact that your pig was the age it was is a testament to your handling and care skills and so I would take comfort in knowing you provided the best care you could.

Shock naturally is the biggest emotion right now, understandably and many others to follow and they are all natural so remember that.
We here understand how you feel losing a beloved pet, others without pets don’t understand so there is no point in speaking with them regarding your bereavement.
Just know you can reach out here and talk about your emotions on your piggy x
 
Mother Hubbard said:
What a tragic story and am very sorry for your loss.
It is abhorrent that someone could cause a nasty injury without saying earlier but something like that I think it may not have been recoverable from without a big operation as all sorts of damage could have occurred.

What I would say is hat you clearly loved your piggy and the fact that your pig was the age it was is a testament to your handling and care skills and so I would take comfort in knowing you provided the best care you could.

Shock naturally is the biggest emotion right now, understandably and many others to follow and they are all natural so remember that.
We here understand how you feel losing a beloved pet, others without pets don’t understand so there is no point in speaking with them regarding your bereavement.
Just know you can reach out here and talk about your emotions on your piggy x
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Thank you for your kind words. I'm still crying now, the house without her just lost its soul. It took 6 years to take care of her, watch every steps and only a few hours to watch her dying in such extremely painful manner. She was still cheerful and healthy 48 hours ago, it's something I can never imagine. I have another guinea pig, he seems alone now. He's still fine and eating normally, I just don't know how long it can last.
 
Betsy said:
Oh so sorry for your loss! Feel free to post on our Rainbow Bridge thread whenever you feel ready there is no time limit. Maybe one of the Mods can move this from the Guinea Pig Chat thread for you? @VickiA @Swissgreys. Where in the world are you? There are some pet bereavement services in the UK. If you look under the guides at the top of the page you will find one about bereavement have a read of it it is very good. Sorry but I can't link it in on this device.
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I'm living in the U.S., but found this forum for guinea pig and opened a thread here. Sorry I don't know the way here well. My friends don't really understand my suffering since they do not form a close relationship with pets like guinea pig, so I posted it here to find advice.
 
yenwd said:
I have a guinea pig that is around 6 years of age now, she was still very healthy and beautiful yesterday morning when I left home. But just when I came back in the evening, she lied flatly on her bed, unable to move and eat anything. I was suspicious that something inside her body was damaging, can be a tumor of some sort. It was over 7 PM and all the vets around my place was closed already, so I had to wait until next morning to take her to a vet. The next day which is today, I put her inside a small cage and drove her to the hospital, I completed the paper form the doctor gave me and was waiting for the doc to come check her out. 5 minutes later, the doc came inside to look at her and told me she was dying. I couldn't believe it, uttered some crying sound and touched her the last time. It took a few minutes for her to die. She could barely breath normally before that. Her 4 legs couldn't support her body any more, totally contrast to the healthy image of my baby just a day ago. I still remember her painful eyes looking at me for help. When I came home with her dead body, that was when I learned that somebody in my family dropped a heavy wooden branch on her. The force was so strong that caused the guinea pig's death.

I spend the rest of the day wandering around the city, to the area where I got her from and cried through the way. How can I ever overcome this kind of unexpected loss? Anyone has experience on this? I would love to read something.
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I’m so sorry for your loss!
 
I'm sorry for your loss :(

I have posted bereavement links on your other thread.... I hope you find them useful :hug:
 
I’m so sorry you have lost her in such an awful way, have you spoken to the person who caused the accident
Sleep tight little lady x
 
So sorry you lost your girl in such a traumatic fashion.
Read the threads that @Veggies Galore has highlighted for you. They are very helpful.
Be assured, your grief is very raw at the moment.
It will work its way through.
Holding you in my thoughts
 
I had a bad feeling the past few days before her sudden death, as if something would be gone from my life. It was an unnerving, uncomfortable feeling - something I attributed to my own depression. Even my coworkers noticed it and tried to calm me down. One day I had a dream: something like balls of fire falling off from a higher spot downhill, down and real fast. It hit on to something, only blurry images. Everybody in my family was running away & yelling. My baby was still doing well then. The day after that, she was unable to walk ever again due to that accident, something I only learned later on. The night before I took her to the vet, I had another strange dream. I saw myself hurrying around the house, with other people follow after me. Then I enter a room with its opened door & saw a cat. The cat was there looking at me as if he/she was waiting to tell me something.

The next day I took my baby to see the vet, along with another family member. Right after I came near the entrance door, an orange cat was there behind the door. He/she seemed friendly. I took my baby to a room waiting for the doctor. I took a minute to get out of that room, my baby's breathing tortured me. There was another room with its door opened next to that, and the orange cat came to me again. I said hi to him/her, and the cat came close to me, let me pet and caress naturally. As if the cat was trying to console me. A few minutes later, the doc came in and informed me that my baby girl was dying. I shall never forget that day....

Thanks for reading my story, it cams my nerve & really helpful.
 
Glad that telling your story helps you.
Talking is important in dealing with grief.
Carry on posting here.
We will read your posts.
Don’t forget that you are supported here
 
So for your loss !

I still miss my Guinea pigs my room not the same and my Guinea pig was five and an half years old just a little bit of being six ! Its not the same with out her. I'm thinking about getting another Guinea pig to see if it helps me because i can't cope .don't know how your coping but its horrible ! And no one understands me.DSCF0001 (1).webp
 
I have moved your post as requested. I am so sorry for your sudden loss. Take time to grieve. Piggies may be small pets but they leave big holes in. Our hearts when they go.
 
yenwd said:
I have a guinea pig that is around 6 years of age now, she was still very healthy and beautiful yesterday morning when I left home. But just when I came back in the evening, she lied flatly on her bed, unable to move and eat anything. I was suspicious that something inside her body was damaging, can be a tumor of some sort. It was over 7 PM and all the vets around my place was closed already, so I had to wait until next morning to take her to a vet. The next day which is today, I put her inside a small cage and drove her to the hospital, I completed the paper form the doctor gave me and was waiting for the doc to come check her out. 5 minutes later, the doc came inside to look at her and told me she was dying. I couldn't believe it, uttered some crying sound and touched her the last time. It took a few minutes for her to die. She could barely breath normally before that. Her 4 legs couldn't support her body any more, totally contrast to the healthy image of my baby just a day ago. I still remember her painful eyes looking at me for help. When I came home with her dead body, that was when I learned that somebody in my family dropped a heavy wooden branch on her. The force was so strong that caused the guinea pig's death.

I spend the rest of the day wandering around the city, to the area where I got her from and cried through the way. How can I ever overcome this kind of unexpected loss? Anyone has experience on this? I would love to read something.
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Hi and welcome

BIG HUGS

I am really really sorry for the tragedy!

An unexpected death can really whack you around because you cannot brace for it. At least she has not suffered for very long and has lived a good normal life span.

You may find this link below helpful; it also contains information for UK helplines or how to find pet bereavement support in your area if you are not in the UK as well as other ways you can try to cope with your loss. Please be aware that the grieving process needs its due time. There are unfortunately no shortcuts.

Give yourself that time to process your loss, adjust to the empty space (one of the most painful things to do in life), but seek support if you struggle to sleep and get your life back on track.

I find that it helps me to imagine the piggies that left as my little furry guardian angels, looking out after their living companions and living on in my heart and in the legacy of what they have taught me and what now empowers me to help others. No beloved one is ever truly lost, but it can take a while to find them again...

Here is the link for you: Human Bereavement - Grieving, coping tips and support links for guinea pig owners and their children
Here is what you can do for any companion: Looking After A Bereaved Guinea Pig
 
She had to suffer almost a day, even half a day living that way was great torturing for her. She is both a little sister and kid for me: so innocent and sweet. Sometimes she got so stubborn, but in a nice way. I now regret that I didn't spend much time with her lately due to work, and I didn't take many photos of her. I put her body inside a box, kept her with me in my room for the last time and took her for a cremation this morning, she's really gone.

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yenwd said:
She had to suffer almost a day, even half a day living that way was great torturing for her. She is both a little sister and kid for me: so innocent and sweet. Sometimes she got so stubborn, but in a nice way. I now regret that I didn't spend much time with her lately due to work, and I didn't take many photos of her. I put her body inside a box, kept her with me in my room for the last time and took her for a cremation this morning, she's really gone.

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Please read the links in my last post. You will find them very helpful!
 
I’m so sorry on your loss, I know she was deeply loved and will be missed.
I’m also here in the US (Texas) ...
We lost Broly just 3 months ago, his loss was very sudden and extremely unexpected. He was healthy in the morning, zooming around and eating, I get home that afternoon he is fine, later that evening I see him struggling to walk and his breathing had changed, he wasn’t able to use his back legs and his front legs kept giving out on him, we called every emergency vet to see if they saw guinea pigs, we finally found one that did, and rushed him there. They admitted him right away, but he passed the next morning. It’s been hard, but getting his Urn back a few weeks after his passing has helped. We still miss him tremendously and always will. It’s weird, because he would always zoom in the very early morning hours, and I can still hear it, at the sametime it always happened, usually around 2am. I found this group a few days after his passing and posted to the Rainbow Bridge.
 

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I'm so sorry for your loss. Pets leave such a void behind when they go. ((HUGS)) to you.
 
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