• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

Piggie Not Eating And Is Limp

Status
Not open for further replies.
M

Maddieerin

New Born Pup
Joined
Feb 14, 2016
Messages
6
Reaction score
1
Points
30
EzLEQTW.jpg
ptWwb6n.jpg
SdCraGm.jpg
My female Guinea pig, Lucky, is around 4 years old, give or take. We bought her at Petco and have gotten a defect Guinea pig from there before we'd gotten Lucky and Rees (my other pig), so maybe I should've learned my lesson.

Yesterday morning I put a pile of carrots and celery and hay in their cage before I left. We got back today at around 1:30 and Rees was excited for more food, but Lucky was in the corner and wasn't moving (very unusual for her) for the food. She seems very limp and is moving her legs, but when she's placed down, she doesn't seem to want to do any moving or talking. I don't think it's cause they didn't have enough food, since Rees seemed fine (unless she stole food from Lucky). Lately, though, Lucky has been screaming and "weeking" when she hears us walking and in the kitchen, in order to get food (I don't want to over feed them).

I blended up carrots and celery and put a little bit of corn syrup in there, and water, and then was trying to spoon feed it to her. I tried my best to shove the littlest but I could possibly get down her throat, but she wasn't even swallowing it, or closing her mouth. My dad just wants to wait it through for a little and let her rest. We're keeping her warm and giving her space. My dads girlfriend and her son are coming over, so maybe the commotion around the house will perk her up a bit (as it usually does). Our car isn't working so we can't get her to a vet today, maybe not tomorrow. I'm not old enough to drive anyways, so even if it was working I wouldn't be able to go. I've already lost my mom, my dog this year and I really can't lose my piggies too.
 
I'm sorry. We can only offer a certain amount of advice on a forum. Your Guinea Pig really needs to be seen by a vet.
 
I'm so very sorry. Her condition does need an emergency vet, but I also very much appreciate that this is very difficult for you all. Is there a neighbour who would be kind enough to take Lucky down with your Dad? Is there a possibility of a taxi?
Sadly, and I know this is not what you want to read, but I don't think her chances are very good.
I'm so sorry :hug:
She could have had a stroke, or heart failure to go down-hill like that so suddenly after being normally very active. Personally I feel an emergency vet is her best chance, but even then she may not make it. Huge hugs to you xx
 
Is she feeling cool to the touch? (even though she's breathing)?
 
Hi! I am very sorry about your upset and your poor girl!

Please keep your girl warm (but not hot!) and as comfortable and quiet as you can. If at all possible, please try to contact a vet or out-of-hours service for advice, but that may not be an option in the US or in Canada (where I think you are?)

It is likely that she has had a stroke or a major heart attack. She looks like is on a knife's edge between life an death.
You can offer her syringe feed, but if she really doesn't want it or is too weak to swallow, please do not persist and let her slip away, as her body is in that case already closing down.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

As we have members from all over the world, could you please add your country or state/province to your details, so we can take your local options into account when advising you. Click on your username on the top bar, then go to personal details and scroll down to location.
 
Critter said:
I'm so very sorry. Her condition does need an emergency vet, but I also very much appreciate that this is very difficult for you all. Is there a neighbour who would be kind enough to take Lucky down with your Dad? Is there a possibility of a taxi?
Sadly, and I know this is not what you want to read, but I don't think her chances are very good.
I'm so sorry :hug:
She could have had a stroke, or heart failure to go down-hill like that so suddenly after being normally very active. Personally I feel an emergency vet is her best chance, but even then she may not make it. Huge hugs to you xx
Click to expand...
I know we need a vet. But we are literally unable to make it today. She's had a lot of health problems trough her life, and they've costed a lot of money for us. We're in no position to pay that kind of money right now. There aren't any emergency vets within at least an hour of us (it's Sunday, most of them are closed, too). Is there anything that we can do to keep her safe for the night and try to get her to a vet once our car is fixed?
Critter said:
Is she feeling cool to the touch? (even though she's breathing)?
Click to expand...
yes, she's pretty cold. I think it's too late. The closest emergency vet is around an hour away. My dad isn't even wanting to take her. He says he didn't want them anyways, so what's it to him. (He doesn't really like me lately. I don't think he gets what I'm going through. I've lost my mom and dog, this is just a Guinea pig but it's making me lose hope in life is I lose her). I think that the best we can do is give her lots of warmth and I've and let her just slip away on her own terms. I hate they and in crying lots, but I don't think we can do much.
 
I'm sorry. She's cool and this generally means her body is shutting down ready for passing away. I think the best thing you can do is keep her warm and let it happen.
As morbid and 'early' as this sounds, letting her cage-mate see and touch her (if she wants to) when she has passed is the best way to help her to understand.

It sounds like you have been through so much and my heart goes out to you. It sounds like both of you have had a lot of grief to try to deal with, and trying to support one another and deal with all the bad things that life has thrown at you is not an easy task at all.

Whilst you very much value the companionship of your piggies, it sounds like he has found it stressful to keep taking her to the vets (as it is indeed stressful on our emotions, time and bank accounts). Sometimes when a series of awful things happen and there's nothing you can do to prevent it, one more bad thing that you cannot 'fix' can make you feel wretched, guilty and sometimes quite angry. I don't know you or your Dad, so please forgive me if my words are stepping over boundaries, and I know everyone reacts differently to grief, but he probably wishes he could do something to make things better, and is angry and perhaps resentful that he can't. People can say hurtful things to the ones they love when they are in a bad place themselves. Sometimes the only thing that people feel they can do is turn their backs on the next bad problem that comes along as it all gets too much. It is hard to stay strong and supportive of others when you lose the ones you love. It could be that when he goes to bed tonight he feels even worse due to being insensitive towards you and Lucky today, and the whole thing can be a vicious circle.
Please don't give up. :hug:
 
Huge hugs to you hunnie.Am so sorry you are in this situation.It's hard when u have to rely on other people.Losing animals is bad enough without your previous losses.Thinking of u
 
https://twitter.com/x/status/698987066206658560
We've just found something I didn't expect. I'm studying vet tech so I thought that maybe she was coughing, because she was doing a motion with her mouth where she was opening it wide and then leavin it open halfway. So, my dad and I took a flashlight and some tweezers and pulled what looked like their paper bedding out. We gave her a few droplets of water. Maybe that's why she is so sickly and thin, and won't eat? Maybe she just had bedding in her throat. I'm keeping her and her sibling in a crate by the fire place (which is closed, by the way). We will check her throat again in a few hours. She is cold though and still hasn't eaten, but this does explain a lot. Thank god for my experience, otherwise she'd have choked.
 
If she's thin it suggests a long-term problem. I would think that paper bedding wouldn't have the 'structure' to cause a long term issue, it would disintegrate I'd think?
Is she still gasping?

Sorry, I was writning this as you were writing your last post x
 
It is hard. My first piggy was rehomed to me from a bad situation. In many ways I was able to give her a new life, and she should have had a happy one - she finally had companionship, comfort, good food and love. BUT she also had medical issues. Eventually she had an operation. Now piggies do usually come out from an op and make a good recovery from the procedure, but sometimes as you know, being in vet-care, they don't. She didn't. I watched her slip away too, with her body shutting down. And to be honest your Lucky seems similar.
It is heart-breaking, and you're helpless. You can't get them to eat, or drink, you just can't do anything for them other than try to make them comfortable.
It's wretched, and I feel for you :hug:
 
HUGS

I am very sorry. if she is that thin, then whatever it is must have been going on for days and she has not been able to eat; the guts in guinea pigs will start to slow down after more than a day without eating or drinking and they will eventually stop working altogether. Unfortunately, this means that at some point the body is closing down, which is what you see happening now. Please do not try to get stuff into her anymore; it is too late now. Just be with her and let her fly, carried by the wings of your love.

Please keep her warm and comfy. Sadly, dying is most often not just a quiet slipping away in their sleep, but a rather physical process as the organs are stopping to work one by one. How uncomfortable or gentle the process is depends very much on the order of them closing down and how healthy the individual organs are.
It can be very upsetting to watch, especially if you have never been confronted with the process of dying, and it is a very heart-breaking and lonly experience.
Please let her companion be near her if the companion wants to. Some do, others prefer to keep their distance.

Here is more about what you can do for the companion in the coming hours and days: Looking After A Bereaved Guinea Pig
Please make sure that you weigh the companion regularly to catch any health problem/loss of appetite early. Cheap supermarket scales will do.
 
She just passed away. I feel bad that there wasn't anything I could do for her, but she was by her favorite spot by the fire and with her sister.
 
I'm really sorry... But please, keep in mind that it wasn't your fault. Sometimes we just can't do anything about it... I'm sure she had a happy life with you, and that's what you have to keep in mind.
Big big hugs to you.
 
I'm so sorry. It's an awful thing to witness, and I know you'll miss her very much. Sometimes there's really nothing that we or the best vets in the world can do, and I doubt that a vet could have saved her.
If it helps you and you feel like it, we have a Rainbow Bridge section for putting up tributes to our much-loved departed piggies. Please don't feel any pressure to post there, but it's there if you want to, and we are here too of course if you want to talk about your loss, or anything else, or need help with Rees :hug:
 
Oh my gosh I'm crying my eyes out. I wasn't expecting those pictures and videos. The poor little thing. So sorry for your loss, RIP beautiful girl x
 
That must have been awful for you to see, especially with you being young. I'm 23 and find things like that very difficult to watch. I hope you're okay
 
I'm so sorry for your loss. You did all you could and cared for her right up to the end. She was loved and cherished and not all piggies have that good fortune. Be kind to yourself. Big hugs x
 
Wasn't your fault Hun, don't beat yourself up.You kept her comfortable til the end.Huge hugs.You are a very caring owner
 
I'm so sorry to read this. It sounds like you did everything you could. Sending you hugs.
 
Maddieerin said:
She just passed away. I feel bad that there wasn't anything I could do for her, but she was by her favorite spot by the fire and with her sister.
Click to expand...

HUGS

Don't feel bad! You have done all you can do for her in that situation!

It is normal to feel like you have failed her or feel guilty about her death. it is normal for the onset of the grieving process for every loving and conscientious pet owner; we all suffer from that.

You are welcome to post a tribute to her in our Rainbow Bridge section if or whenever it feels right for you. If you find that you are very upset in the coming days, try to start a diary where you record your feelings and all your memories. That may help you, too.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top