Our Older Piggie Passed Away Today

[Wabbs]

Our 7.5 year old guinea pig was put to sleep today after a short illness. l'm really seeking some answers about what might've been wrong :-( Two nights ago, Sparky was very lethargic at supper time - laying in his house and not interested in food at all. He seemed very unwilling to move and uncomfortable when he did move. When l picked him up, he was soaked with urine underneath. l gently cleaned him up and gave him some pain relief until l could get him to the vet. He took a small amount of syringe feed and l took him to the vet yesterday morning. Unfortunately, my usual and trusted vet was not consulting and he was admitted by the vet we saw. I asked for him to be given Septrin as opposed to Baytril and he was given warmed fluids as his temperature was low (he was also placed on a heat pad) and he was dehydrated. He was given various meds as he wasn't passing any faecal pellets. After 24 hours, he hadn't improved at all, had fainted several times during the night and had a seizure after the nurse gave him syringe food this morning. The vet had felt a thickening around his middle during the initial exam and she thought it could be a tumour. When we discussed the possibility of further tests, she thought it was unlikely Sparky would pull through and l made the terribly difficult decision to have him put to sleep, as l felt it was unkind to put him through more stress when he was already so ill, also taking into account his age. l guess l am wondering what could've caused this combination of symptoms and wondered if anyone could shed light on Sparky's situation? l'm extremely upset to have lost my original piggie and now have to consider whether to find a new companion for his remaining friend, who is now alone. Thanks in advance for any information given. P.S. l should add that apart from some general slowing down (such as sleeping more and taking longer to wake in the mornings), Sparky has been well in himself with a good appetite and charging up down his condo ramp as usual. The first signs of any problems were the night before last.

 

[Poppy'sMum]

I'm so sorry for your loss, what a great age. I lost my Poppy when she was 7 & I know how heartbreaking it is. Unfortunately it sounds like his body began to shut down from the way you describe it. The low body temperature could indicate sudden heart failure If it was a tumour then that could have caused it. How old is his friend?

 

[Wabbs]

Thank you for your understanding, Poppy's mum :-) Olive is also 7 and shows no signs of slowing down yet. l've been feeling as though l let Sparky down by not knowing what was wrong. We lost our oldest pig, Daphne, in February this year (she was at least 8). She'd had a tumour for a while but was doing really well. However, she eventually went down hill. It was very sad but expected and l knew it was time to let her go peacefully.This was so sudden and there were so many symptons at once, it's hard to make sense of what happened. l think you're right in that everything started to shut down. lt is devastating to lose a much loved companion x

 

[Flutterby]

So Sorry for your loss. Sleep tight little one x

 

[piggyfan]

I am so sorry you lost sparky.

 

[Julie M]

Sorry for your loss. Sleep tight little piggy.

She lived to a good age you can be proud knowing you looked after her well.

 

[maxdawn]

So sorry for your loss.
Wow two pigs to make 7 yrs and one to make 8. That tells me that your piggy have a wonderful home and very much loved.

 

[Caviequeen]

Sometimes they just die unfortuatly of course and we have no clue what happened to them.
He lived to a wonderful age and you should be very happy and dont foget to remeber all the lovely memories you to shared it will be easier when coping with his loss.
Sending healing vibes your way, I'm very sorry btw.

 

[Wiebke]

I am very sorry; it sounds like multiple organ failure to me. The symptoms can change somewhat depending on the order in which the organs close down, but it sounds very much like his body was closing down, and there is nothing whatsoever you can do about that! Sadly most deaths are a bit more graphic than just falling asleep and not waking up again.
Take comfort in the fact that Sparky has lived to a very good old age and that he didn't have to suffer for long when his time had come thanks to you. You have not failed him!

Your urgent need to understand what has happened and that it is not due to you missing out on anything is something most of us have to deal with; it is the price we pay for having such a close, loving bond and being responsible pet owners. Feelings of guilt and failure are unfortunately a natural part of the grieving process, especially when you are dealing with pts and/or a very sudden and unexpected death. It means that you are a very loving and caring mummy.

Whenever it feels right for you, you are most welcome to post a tribute to Sparky in our Rainbow Bridge section and share your loss with some understanding people.

PS: Here are tips on what you can do for a bereaved piggy: https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/looking-after-a-bereaved-piggy.110463/

 

[Wabbs]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I understand the process of grieving and that some of these feelings are very natural - I've been through it many times before with both people and animals. I guess my confusion was partly over how the vet communicated the information to me (which I didn't really address in my post) and that Sparky's decline was very sudden with no prior warning of any ill health.

We've decided that Olive will probably appreciate having another friend to share her condo with, so I'm going to begin searching for a suitable 'mature' piggie to adopt.

Again, thanks for all the supportive comments and understanding, they're all very much appreciated. Grief is just one of those things you have to endure... there is no quick passage through to the other side of acceptance.

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I understand the process of grieving and that some of these feelings are very natural - I've been through it many times before with both people and animals. I guess my confusion was partly over how the vet communicated the information to me (which I didn't really address in my post) and that Sparky's decline was very sudden with no prior warning of any ill health.

We've decided that Olive will probably appreciate having another friend to share her condo with, so I'm going to begin searching for a suitable 'mature' piggie to adopt.

Again, thanks for all the supportive comments and understanding, they're all very much appreciated. Grief is just one of those things you have to endure... there is no quick passage through to the other side of acceptance.

Could you please add your country, state or (for the UK) your county to your details. We have got contact details for good standard piggy savvy rescues in several countries with a mandatory quarantine and pregnancy watch, many of which offer dating at a rescue under expert supervision, so Olivia can decide who she wants to live with. Perhaps you are within reach of one of them? Click on your name on the top bar, then go to personal details and scroll down to location.

 

[Freela]

I'm so sorry for your loss. Seven years old is a wonderful age for a piggy. From having multiple small pets over the years, my experience is that once they stop retaining body temperature their bodies are in the process of shutting down. It can be hard to know exactly why, and I've never gotten a thorough diagnosis in any of my pets who passed at a ripe old age. I believe that, in most cases, they were simply old. Again, I'm sorry for your loss. Losing pets is hard, even when they have lived a good life.

 

[piggylover]

I'm so sorry for your loss xx big hugs sent your way x

 

[KittyandNancy]

I am so very sorry for your loss it sounds like Sparky had a wonderful long life and was very very loved. RIP little Spark!