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Learnt my lesson the hard way

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tiggy

Hi everyone. Sorry if this is in the wrong place.

When I did my introduction on here about 3 weeks ago I admitted how much guilt I was feeling as I bought 2 guinea pigs from Pets at Home.

3 weeks has gone by and I loved my piggies to death. I bonded very quickly with little Hoggle, Ludo has such a character.

Up until this evening they were both fine although Hoggle was deaf. They have both gained weight well. They both scrambled for their morning veggies and all was well. I have been at my allotment this afternoon and when I got in this evening I noticed Hoggle was very still.

I got him out for a cuddle and to check him and found he was very cold. I checked his eyes and all over and there nothing wrong. I put him back in his cage thinking I would ring the number for the vet and get the emergency number, within seconds he kind of shook his head rapidly and passed away instantly. I'm guessing he had some sort of heart defect/siezure.


I am absolutely distraught.

It is my daughter's 2nd birthday tomorrow and she spends a lot of her day sat 'talking' to the piggies. I know she will notice instantly that Hoggle isn't there.

I am heading to Pets at Home tomorrow morning (without my daughter) as I intend to cause a scene.
 
i bought my two guinea pigs from pets and t home
they are coming up to 6 months ol and in rude health

i think it's just a sad thing that has happened-i don't think you can say it's because they are from p a h
 
My deepest condolences hun, such a sudden loss how is Ludo doing?
 
Be carefull what you say to them as being arrested/getting a warning on your daughters birthday proberbly isn't the best thing to do! How old were the piggys? Were they healthy?
I'm so sorry for your loss RIP little one
My little Perky died recently. I went into her cage and she was very cold and sat alone in the corner. I took her to the vets and she was very weak, she stumbled around on the table. The vet said it would be best if they let her go to sleep and she went over the rainbow bridge.............
They'll be together in Piggy Heaven.

Lol we all posted our messages in the last 2 minutes!
 
I'm so sorry that you have lost one of your piggys so soon.

RIP Hoggle.

Do you know how old he was? Maybe he had did have heart problem and you wasnt to know if he was acting normal, maybe it was just bad luck and it wasnt because you had him from p@h.
 
Ludo is sat in what was Hoggle's bed, he is up and down the ramp squeaking so I guess he is looking for Hoggle.

They were 'apparently' 10 weeks old when I got them 3 weeks ago. They were new in, I'm not sure I believe a breeder would keep them for 10 weeks.

dannyanddodgersmum unfortunately I think you may be one of the lucky ones.
Glad your 2 are doing well.

Hope Perky will introduce Hoggle at rainbow bridge. xx
 
Oh I didn't mean cause a scene as in fight fight. I just want to speak to the Manager about it.
 
My Pinky (Perkys sister) is squeking and looking around for her sister and is now a bit depressed but still eating fine which is good.
Just make sure Ludo is OK and give him extra ((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))) and snuggles!:):)
 
I'm really sorry you lost Hoggle.

Unfortunately, in order for P@H to get their profit margin, it's likely to be at the detriment of the health of the guinea-pigs they buy-in.

Ludo will feel lonely without his friend. Guinea-pigs are very sociable creatures and although you probably don't feel like replacing Hoggle just yet, please do so as soon as possible. There are many rescues on here who would be more than happy to help you find a new friend for him.

From my own experience, I have found that getting another guinea-pig also helps with getting over the loss.
 
alot of people who come to my rescue for a friend for there guinea come because they brought a guinea from pets at home and a week or 2 later they died i think they have them many animals there that they cant spend enought time checking for health problems but saying that i got are first guinea from there 4yrs ago and shes going strong :)touch woodmallethead
 
i only had charlie for a few months & he was from a rescue he had a bladder problem but you couldn't tell till he was poorly as was always full of life & cheeky

its sad to say its just something that happens & it always breaks our hearts 8...no matter where the piggies come from 8...

so sorry for your loss xx
 
p@h are in my bad books, big time. i've had little Molly and Allie for 5-6 weeks. at the store,they were kept on sawdust, and Molly had some in her eye when i got her. it took a while to sort that out, as she had conjunctivitis. i asked p@h about this, and they offered to buy her back. she was a very sweet little piggle. she had the perfect character, and is the most unique piggle i've ever met. i pick her up and hold her every day, as she's the only one of my 5 that actually enjoys being cuddled. i picked her up a few days ago, and noticed she had a head tilt. i was completely distraught. she went to the vets, and it was a brain tumour. apparently most likely hereditory illness. she had to be put to sleep. i'm just glad she was put to sleep before she was in any physical pain.
 
Would never buy pigs from pets at home. But I did buy from a reputable farm, where so called expert told me they were 10 weeks old and boys. However, after reading up a lot and finding this site have learnt a lot. 1 will always take in rescue pigs. 2 you can tell boys from girls, they either have a donger ( penis boys) or not ( girls). Sorry but from the pigs I have it is too obvious to make the mistake! 3 the 'experts' don't actually know.

I mistakenly bought two girls, thinking boys. Needless to say 5 weeks down the line and three babies have more than I bargained for. Secondly watching the 'Three Little Pigs' grow up, I know know that mirtle and gertie might actually be older than what i was told.

Bug died on 9/01/10 and I think he was older than they told previous owner. I took him in.

I am now just totally passionate about pigs because people don't know what to do with them. there's no research into the piggies care.
 
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Whatever thoughts, good, bad or indifferent, that we may have about Pets at Home, I do not think that the cause of death can be attributed to the shop in this case, sad though it is.
 
I bought my 2 from Acorn as I was new to it and knew nothing about the amount of piggies in rescue. They were both fine until Chip passed earlier this month age 2 year 8 month.
I can see how some unhealthy pigs can slip through in a place like that - to be honest I don't think that my particular branch has any idea!
Getting a new pig definitely does help - when we first tentatively looked and were offered our little Buttons from Becklen I wasn't sure as 'he wasn't Chip' but now I can't wait to pick him up on Monday (Just about 'wheeking' with excitement!) and it has given my boys something positive to focus on.
Rip little man xx
 
I'm so sorry you lost Hoggle, that is awful to lose him so soon. Big hugs. xx
 
so sorry to hear you lost hoggle it must have been awful for you

i got mojules from P@H nearly 4 years ago and I swear they are indestructible they are real stunt pigs - give us real heart-in-mouth moments when they want x
 
I got Millie and Charlotte from pets at home about 18 months ago. After a few days Millie turned out to have conjuctivitis and a week later Charlotte came down with a respiratory infection. Just as all that was clearing up Millie suddenly came down with a respiratory infection too. I had to work that evening and was gonna take her to the vet the next morning but while I was at work she suddenly went down hill and I had to rush her in after my shift at 10:30pm. She just made it through the night but died at 7am. I stormed into p@h with my £160 vet bills and got my money back and the money I paid for both of them too. The manager was so unpleasent and unsympathetic that I haven't been through the doors of the place since. pow-pow mallethead

Thankfully Charlotte made it and is now boss of her own herd, I hope your lonesome little dude finds a nice new friend.

RIP all the little piggies who don't make it
 
I'm so sorry to hear about your loss and hope you can find a new match for his little friend.

As others have said, try not to feel worse about the situation because of where your piggies came from. Not all animals from pet shops are in poor health, in bred or likely to have a shortened lifespan. Even rescue piggies can have inherited conditions or develop illnesses later. Of the 7 boars I've had, the one that seemed to have the most chronic illnesses and died the youngest (had just turned 3) came from Peter Gurney himself and died suddenly while being boarded at the Cambridge Cavy Trust.

Although now I would certainly turn to a rescue for a young boar, should either of my fur babes go to the Rainbow Bridge, I know that with a new piggie, you can't always be sure what you will get. I have to say that the pigs I've had from pet shops, including Pets at Home (including Celyn actually) have been healthy and well.

You can do your very best, but sometimes, unfortunate things just happen.
 
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Castaway said:
Of the 7 boars I've had, the one that seemed to have the most chronic illnesses and died the youngest (had just turned 3) came from Peter Gurney himself and died suddenly while being boarded at the Cambridge Cavy Trust.
Click to expand...

You knew Peter Gurney?! Very jealous. :)

What was he like (unless that's prying, in which case, I understand if you don't want to answer)?
 
I am very sorry about the sudden loss of poor little Hoggle! He may have had a heart defect; but it is very upsetting for all of you!

I hope that you can find a new friend for Ludo soon; perhaps it can help if can involve your daughter in the search for a companion?
 
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