My Zoe Girl Just Passed Away

[zoegirl]

i had zoe 3 years ago, I adopt her from a well off family, but since the previous owner got sick she' s no longer able to take care of zoe,
zoe is very bubbly andd hyper guinea pig, she loves to make sounds to communicate with you, she loves cuddle, a very sweet one,
she always loves to eat, she even know how open her cage and go back when she's tired playing , until 3 weeks ago, we notice that she's no longer active, and she lost appetite to eat,
my boyfriend and I take her to the vet, and she was diagnosed by URI, she was prescribed baytril,flaygyl and meloxicam, so the side effects of those medications was losing appetite, so we need to syringe feed her with critical care (we bought it in amazon with 5 stars rate) and it really helps, she gain back a lil bit of her energy, and we really need to focus on her feeding, she started to eat on her own again but not the same way she used to be, so we still continue to give her the critical care, but my boyfriend notice her left foot was kinda swollen, so now she has scurvy, (defienciency of Vit C) so we bought her pure Vit. C from petco, she was all ok, but last night when i was holding her, i noticed that she's really lethargic, so me and my bf was planning to take her to the vet again this coming weekend, since we work 5 days a week, she still eating her pellets last night, and i still feed her the critical care, but this morning i just found her on her cage lying on her side with eyes open, i cant help but cry, my heart broke, i cant see her like that, because she was a very happy one before, I imagined the old zoe ( i was crying while typing this, but i need to vent it out, since she just passed this morning) i just ran to my boyfriend and hug him telling him that zoe is gone, (she's our baby) so i told him to take care of her since i cant really look at her, so he gets a box and wrap her with my pink shirt,
then my bf told me she was still breathing, we tried to give her a little bit of water, but she's no longer taking it, (i think she's fighting for her life and she dont want to leave us) ='( i was holding her and talking to her, to thank her for the joy and love she brought us, until she had her last breath, and died...getting a guinea pig is easy and not everybody will understand how heartbreaking it is, to my zoe, no more pain for you baby, you will always be in my heart

 

[Critter]

I'm so sorry, that was heart-breaking to read. She was obviously very much loved and had a good life with you, and you did everything you could to help her through her illness.
You are a very caring couple, and I hope that when the time is right you can adopt more guinea pigs into your care. Please feel free to vent on here, there are many of us on here who have had to cope with the pain of losing our loved pets and we know it's hard.
Huge hugs to you both.
There is a Rainbow Bridge area for tributes to our piggies, and if it helps you please feel free to post a tribute to sweet Zoe

 

[Wiebke]

I am very sorry about your loss; Zoe couldn't have had a more caring home! It is always very hard to cope whan you lose such a hard-fought battle. Please do not feel like you have failed her or feel guilty; those feelings are normal for the onset of the grieving process and are only testament to what a loving piggy mom you are.

I am however wondering whether you were dealing with acute heart failure instead of URI? The symptoms can be similar and heart issues can be very difficult to diagnose. Your repeated mention of her lethargy has alerted me to it, also that you haven't mentioned the typical accompanying symptoms of a URI apart from loss of appetite, which applies to both. A decrease in blood circulation can also lead to problems with the extremities and cause infections/the build-up of fluid in the body.

However, if it is any consolation for you, you have done absolutely the right thing in her care anyway and have bought Zoe a bit more precious time. There is not a lot else you could have done for a failing heart - many humans die from that every day despite all the medication we have; it is one of the most common ways you can die!
Once the body is closing down, a guinea pig is no longer able to process food or water and will totally refuse it. I usually know that I have lost the battle with one of mine when I reach that point. It is never any less heart-breaking and it can be very upsetting if you have never been confronted with a dying animal or person before. it is a lot more physical than we imagine with our vague concept of peacefully drifting away in one's sleep!

You are welcome to post a tribute to Zoe in our Rainbow Bridge section if and whenever it feels right for you; we all grieve differently.

 

[zoegirl]

I'm so sorry, that was heart-breaking to read. She was obviously very much loved and had a good life with you, and you did everything you could to help her through her illness.
You are a very caring couple, and I hope that when the time is right you can adopt more guinea pigs into your care. Please feel free to vent on here, there are many of us on here who have had to cope with the pain of losing our loved pets and we know it's hard.
Huge hugs to you both.
There is a Rainbow Bridge area for tributes to our piggies, and if it helps you please feel free to post a tribute to sweet Zoe

thank you so much, I am still lost for words now, and still in denial that she's no longer with us. but I know that she's in happy place now, where there's more treats for her

 

[zoegirl]

I am very sorry about your loss; Zoe couldn't have had a more caring home! It is always very hard to cope whan you lose such a hard-fought battle. Please do not feel like you have failed her or feel guilty; those feelings are normal for the onset of the grieving process and are only testament to what a loving piggy mom you are.

I am however wondering whether you were dealing with acute heart failure instead of URI? The symptoms can be similar and heart issues can be very difficult to diagnose. Your repeated mention of her lethargy has alerted me to it, also that you haven't mentioned the typical accompanying symptoms of a URI apart from loss of appetite, which applies to both. A decrease in blood circulation can also lead to problems with the extremities and cause infections/the build-up of fluid in the body.

However, if it is any consolation for you, you have done absolutely the right thing in her care anyway and have bought Zoe a bit more precious time. There is not a lot else you could have done for a failing heart - many humans die from that every day despite all the medication we have; it is one of the most common ways you can die!
Once the body is closing down, a guinea pig is no longer able to process food or water and will totally refuse it. I usually know that I have lost the battle with one of mine when I reach that point. It is never any less heart-breaking and it can be very upsetting if you have never been confronted with a dying animal or person before. it is a lot more physical than we imagine with our vague concept of peacefully drifting away in one's sleep!

You are welcome to post a tribute to Zoe in our Rainbow Bridge section if and whenever it feels right for you; we all grieve differently.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts, but you might be right that she had a heart failure, because I know that URI is accompanied by secretions, which she don't have, its just the lethargy and unable to walk, she was still eating but very slow, and you can really see her weakness,, the symptoms are random, she was ok then the next day she's not..I even took her to work just to monitor her feedings last week, that's why what happened this morning is unexpected, i even heard her last night moving on her cage and eating, =( I dont know what went wrong.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts, but you might be right that she had a heart failure, because I know that URI is accompanied by secretions, which she don't have, its just the lethargy and unable to walk, she was still eating but very slow, and you can really see her weakness,, the symptoms are random, she was ok then the next day she's not..I even took her to work just to monitor her feedings last week, that's why what happened this morning is unexpected, i even heard her last night moving on her cage and eating, =( I dont know what went wrong.

You were the most devoted mommy Zoe could have had, but what went wrong was simply Zoe's body failing her in the end - her engine simply stopped.

Guinea pigs can go downhill very quickly when their time has come; it can be quite terrifying, and of course it is heart-breaking and puzzling when you cannot brace for it. Nothing of it is your fault or caused by something you have missed.

 

[VickiA]

Hugest of hugs.
You were a truly great piggy slave to Zoe and she was lucky to have you. I'm so sorry that she didn't make it but you did all you could for her x

 

[artcasper]

ahhh so sad... very sorry for your loss xx

 

[zoegirl]

Hugest of hugs.
You were a truly great piggy slave to Zoe and she was lucky to have you. I'm so sorry that she didn't make it but you did all you could for her x

Thank you Vicki,
just how I wish they can live longer, but there's some situation that we are going to be helpless cause it is beyond our control,
thank you for the words of encouragement, I will just miss her noise that makes me wake up in the morning, and the squeeking sounds she makes when I'm opening the fridge, because she knows where her food is at.. enjoy all the moments you have with your piggy while they were still alive

 

[zoegirl]

You were the most devoted mommy Zoe could have had, but what went wrong was simply Zoe's body failing her in the end - her engine simply stopped.

Guinea pigs can go downhill very quickly when their time has come; it can be quite terrifying, and of course it is heart-breaking and puzzling when you cannot brace for it. Nothing of it is your fault or caused by something you have missed.

Thank you!,
just how I wish they can live longer, but there's some situation that we are going to be helpless cause it is beyond our control,
thank you for the words of encouragement, I will just miss her noise that makes me wake up in the morning, and the squeeking sounds she makes when I'm opening the fridge, because she knows where her food is at.. enjoy all the moments you have with your piggy while they were still alive

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you Vicki,
just how I wish they can live longer, but there's some situation that we are going to be helpless cause it is beyond our control,
thank you for the words of encouragement, I will just miss her noise that makes me wake up in the morning, and the squeeking sounds she makes when I'm opening the fridge, because she knows where her food is at.. enjoy all the moments you have with your piggy while they were still alive

Thank you!,
just how I wish they can live longer, but there's some situation that we are going to be helpless cause it is beyond our control,
thank you for the words of encouragement, I will just miss her noise that makes me wake up in the morning, and the squeeking sounds she makes when I'm opening the fridge, because she knows where her food is at.. enjoy all the moments you have with your piggy while they were still alive

It's a lesson I have learned the hard way some time ago; I have lost several younger piggies to heart failure over the years - and even rushing them to a vet as an emergency as soon as I noticed hasn't saved them. Sadly, it is one of the things that can happen at any time in the life of a guinea pig.

The hardest are going to be the coming days when you to have retrain yourself to a daily routine without Zoe, especially after caring for her round the clock. it is not so much the big things, but the small unthinking little gestures and moments that jar and hurt the most, I find.

If you happen to want to give more guinea pigs a chance at a happy life at some point in the future or sponsor a guinea pig in need in a rescue in Zoe's name to help make their lives better, there are several very good guinea pig rescues in California. They are always desperate for caring adopters to make space for other piggies in need of expert care.
I have found that handing on the love I have been given by my beloved pets to other piggies helps me to keep the spirit of my past piggies alive. No new piggy ever takes away from my feelings for those that have gone, as each guinea pig is different and each bond is unique, they all tie into a new place in my heart.
These days, I have a very nice crowd of little furry guardian angels looking out over my current rescue piggies!
Guinea Lynx :: US Guinea Pig Rescue and Shelter Organizations

 

[Freela]

I'm so sorry for your loss... I can tell how much you loved her and it sounds as though you did everything you possibly could. My last guinea pig who passed away took her last breaths in my arms as well, with me stroking her and telling her that we loved her and that it was okay to let go... I was glad that I was able to be with her, but it's a very hard thing to witness and I'm tearing up just thinking about it again. No one here will ever tell you not to grieve or that it's 'only a guinea pig.' They are special, unique little critters who leave such deep footprints on our heart. We do have a Rainbow Bridge board her where you can post a tribute to Zoe if you like.

((HUGS)) to you, and again, I'm so sorry.

 

[Freela]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts, but you might be right that she had a heart failure, because I know that URI is accompanied by secretions, which she don't have, its just the lethargy and unable to walk, she was still eating but very slow, and you can really see her weakness,, the symptoms are random, she was ok then the next day she's not..I even took her to work just to monitor her feedings last week, that's why what happened this morning is unexpected, i even heard her last night moving on her cage and eating, =( I dont know what went wrong.

It's hard... guinea pigs can go downhill so quickly, even with good care. We lost one of ours last year, and although she was elderly she was absolutely her usual self the night previous, seemed lethargic and not interested in food in the morning so I booked a vet appointment for later in the day. By the time she saw the vet she was noticeably worse, very weak and difficulty swallowing, and she passed away about three hours after the vet appointment. It was so shocking how quickly it all happened, from business as usual one night to having lost a cherished pet 24 hours later.

 

[Critter]

I can add to my experience if it is of help to you. My sweet old sow Snowball had been a hearty spritely pig all her life and never needed the vets, until she developed a congestion on her chest. She improved with medication and was getting back to her usual self, seemed very much on the mend. Then she just suddenly passed without any indication. I also had an 18 month old, an 'always on the go' piggy and a right little character, one day she just keeled over of what looked like a heart attack.
I'm not trying to depress you and I know the circumstances are not quite the same, but sometimes these things just happen and you are not alone xx

 

[zoegirl]

UPDATE:
this is the first day since she passed, and i didn't that today was more harder, waking up in the morning not hearing my zoe girl squeeks and ask for food, was just very sad, doing my everyday routine, feels like somemthing is missing, I dont know if I sound weird but i still see her in the corners of our room, and i still can imagine how cute she is! =/ my boyfriend and I miss her soo much! looking at her empty cage really hurts us, but we planning to clean and take it out soon, ZOE! miss you so much my baby!

 

[Wiebke]

UPDATE:
this is the first day since she passed, and i didn't that today was more harder, waking up in the morning not hearing my zoe girl squeeks and ask for food, was just very sad, doing my everyday routine, feels like somemthing is missing, I dont know if I sound weird but i still see her in the corners of our room, and i still can imagine how cute she is! =/ my boyfriend and I miss her soo much! looking at her empty cage really hurts us, but we planning to clean and take it out soon, ZOE! miss you so much my baby!

Especially the first few days are hardest, as you have to learn to rearrange your daily routine and you realise only just how many littl ties there have been.

If you find that your life is too empty without guinea pigs in it, please consider adopting from one of the great guinea pig rescues in your state. Any new guinea pigs will in no way replace Zoe; no piggy ever will. But it is a way of handing on the love and the piggy knowledge she has taught you.

To deal with your acute grieving, you may find it helpful to start a diary, so you can write down your feelings, as well as all the little memories and special things that have made your life with Zoe so special.

 

[zoegirl]

Especially the first few days are hardest, as you have to learn to rearrange your daily routine and you realise only just how many littl ties there have been.

If you find that your life is too empty without guinea pigs in it, please consider adopting from one of the great guinea pig rescues in your state. Any new guinea pigs will in no way replace Zoe; no piggy ever will. But it is a way of handing on the love and the piggy knowledge she has taught you.

To deal with your acute grieving, you may find it helpful to start a diary, so you can write down your feelings, as well as all the little memories and special things that have made your life with Zoe so special.

thank you, I am planning to adopt a new one on the right time, since we have a lot of love to give with piggies, =) this forums helps me as well, where i find people who can understand us, thank you so much to all of you =)

 

[Wiebke]

thank you, I am planning to adopt a new one on the right time, since we have a lot of love to give with piggies, =) this forums helps me as well, where i find people who can understand us, thank you so much to all of you =)

Please always make it two guinea pigs; they are group animals and happier with a companion of their own.

We know from our own experiences how important it is to have a place that understands what you are experiencing. Not many people are aware just to what extent a small pet like a guinea pig can steal your heart.