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Lost both of our Piggies yesterday :(

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LucyC

Our two little fellas both died yesterday very unexpectedly. I am really sad and miss them so much already but also I feel so guilty that it could be something that I am doing wrong. It appears that they were poisoned in some way but I don't know how they could have been.
I came back from work at lunchtime and found that Gingerbread Man had died and Linny was dying. I took Linny to the vets straight away who told me there was nothing he could do and it was kinder to put him to sleep. Linny was responding to my voice and touch but he was obviously in discomfort and could not move off of his side.
The vet told me that it must have been some form of environmental poisoning. At the time I didn't think he was implying any neglect on my part but I keep going over it in my head and trying to think what else he could mean.
We had only had them since January so they were young and they replaced our rabbit who had also died within the year. I kept the cage clean, they had fresh food, a regular supply of dried guinea pig food (standard type) as well as odds and ends from the kitchen, fresh water (not filtered but would do this in the future) etc. They have/had a two storey hutch and I found Ginger downstairs and Linny was upstairs. This makes me wonder whether it was something that they ate. Could there be something wrong with the cage? Is there any type of virus that may cause sudden death in this way? They were well loved and cared for family pets.

I am just wondering if anyone else has experienced this before or could make any suggestions. I feel terrible about it and just can't stop thinking about them.

Lucy
 
Hi Lucy,

I'm so sorry to hear about your pigs, must have been a huge shock to you. Have your pigs been in a run? They may have ate something poisonious like a plant without you knowing. Did they have any signs of illness like diarrea? I'm not sure what has caused this, it does sound like poisoning though, I'm sure someone with more knowledge will help.

Sending hugs,

Louise
x
 
Thanks Louise.
Their hutch has a run attached to it but with the bad weather we had put them on the patio for a while so they were on concrete. Neither of them had diarrhoea and they didn't display any signs of being unwell. But then...maybe I just didn't notice:( They were eating as usual and being the noisy little chaps they always were.
 
Hi Lucy,

I'm relatively new to Guinea Pigs but just read that maybe it was contaminated veg (something out of your control) maybe it was something like E-coli, I hope one of the mods can help out. I know you must be beating yourself up over it, but really this sounds like it came on so quick and you did all you could for Linny at the end.

I hope you can find some answers.

Louise
x
 
I'm really sorry to hear about your piggies.

Are your gardens very close to your neighbours? I have recently heard of animals getting ill because of neighbours using spray gardening chemicals, used inadvertantly when perhaps there was a breeze, blowing the chemicals into the animal's part of the garden. This may or may not be relevant to you, just an idea.

Again, I'm really sorry about your piggies - you must be devastated. :(

Angel x
 
Were there any signs of illness at all before they died? Environmental/Organic poisoning would have, I'd have thought, shown symptoms first.

Where do you live ie town or country?

What buildings are near you?

Have the pigs been outside?

Is your heating on? (inside pigs)

Could it be a leak of anything?
 
I am so so sorry to hear this sad news. i don't know what to suggest, but am thinking of you xx
 
We are so very sorry to hear of your loss :'( :'( :'(
RIP Gingerbread Man and Linny, run free at the bridge, you're now safely together, no more pain :'( :'( :'(
SOrry i've no advice either, if they were brothers it could be something they both had when you got them :'( :'(
 
Oh Lucy,
So sorry for your loss. :'( :'( :'(
I too have no ideas or suggestions, but run free little ones. RIP 0:) 0:)
 
Really sorry to hear this, RIP little ones :'(
I don`t have much to add really to what has been suggested except to say it does sound like some sort of poisoning. I say this because both died. Had it been one, it could have been a heart atteck or something. Try to think of anything they could have eaten, are there any mice or rats that could have spread disease? Where was their food stored? could that have been contaminated?
Was their water bottle free of algae etc

Hope you find out :( Big ((((hugs)))))
 
I understand your confusion,we lost two of our pigs very suddenly with no prior signs at all. You'll probably be constantly wondering if it's something you did inadvertantly, or if you missed something, we went through the same kinds of lists of things that KarenRGPR and LavenderJade posted, and kept drawing blanks. We never did find out, and I think thats worse, because you constantly worry about any other pigs you have and cannot rectify anything.

I know thats no help, just wanted to say we know how you feel.
 
That must be awful for you!
R.I.P Little ones run fee at rainbow bridge!
have you tried asking the neighbours if they have treated or sprayed anything in the garden? Or the council?

My feelings are with you!
xx
 
I am so sorry this has happened to you,it is very upsetting.

You say you fed them with "odds and ends" from the kitchen.What were these?.Is there a boiler or other gas fittings near the accomodation?.
 
maryh said:
I am so sorry this has happened to you,it is very upsetting.

You say you fed them with "odds and ends" from the kitchen.What were these?.Is there a boiler or other gas fittings near the accomodation?.
Click to expand...

reminds me of that story somebody posted when their mum accidentally fed her rabbits rhubarb, thinking it would be alright for them :'(
 
Hi Lucy
so sorry to hear about your piggies :'( if they are housed in the kitchen could it of been that you gave the kitchen a really good clean using many detergents and your piggies were overcome by the toxic fumes. Do not beat yourself up about it just trying to help find a reason for what happened to your piggies. I really feel for you its such a shock to find them at the bridge.
 
Jeez thats harsh. Really sorry that you have had to go through this & I hope you sincerely get to tbe bottom of it.

I know of a case where mice had been into a guinea cage and done poos in the pigs food bowl. The mice had eaten some poison previously & the poo they had left behind got eaten by the pigs....

Keep us posted

Hx
 
Thanks to everyone for your posts and kind words.

The 'odds and ends' from the kitchen were cauliflower (not the flower but the green leaves/stalks surrounding), carrots, apples and broccoli. They were kept outside in their two storey hutch just a couple of metres from my kitchen window. My neighbours haven't sprayed before that I have noticed and I doubt that they would have done on that day...they would tell us something like that as they are very nice and thoughtlful people.

Somebody has mentioned to me that wood shavings could have caused problems for them. I cleaned their cage on Monday evening and had run out of hay so to compensate I tipped in the last of the wood shavings (about a third of a small compacted bag) and ripped up some newspaper for warmth until I got to the pet shop the next day. The shavings were maybe 2-3 inches deep but I thought it would just be fun for them. They died on Wednesday. Could this be it? I feel very stupid and irresponsible.
 
Hi Lucy,

If the pigguns had been on woodshavings before then I don't see that being a problem. I'm still thinking of contaminated veg or a virus, it does sound like it wasn't your fault at all.

By being here and asking questions you obviously cared for them a lot.

Louise
x
 
I don't think wood shavings could be responsible for sudden death like that.
Its probably unlikely that you will find out the cause for definite - unfortunately sometimes sudden deaths do occur without any warning.
It sounds like they were well cared for so try not to be too hard on yourself.
 
I am so sorry to hear about the lost of your sweet piggies but I have to agree with others, it sounds like it could have been contaminated veggies. I know here in the States we have been having problems off and on with veggies being contaminated with e-coli. Doesn't sound like it was your fault at all.

R.I.P little guys. 0:) :'(
 
:( sorry to hear about your piggies just listening to it makes me fill up :'( but i know how it feels i lost my piggie very suddnely he just died with no warning and it turned out he had a bad heart as a cause of in-breeding maybe your piggies could have just over heated and there hearts gone. it was as horrible for me as it is for you and i know how much it meant to me when people said nice things so i hope this helps :)

hugs x

Romy xxxxx
 
I'm so sorry this happened to you :(
The only two things I can think of are preservatives on the cage and the food you gave them.
Where did you get the cage?
Did you feed them onions or anything else in the onion family such as chives? Or what else did you feed them?
 
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