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Sudden death of 10 month old female

S

Snowy19

New Born Pup
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Jan 5, 2019
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Hello, our beloved Snowy only 10 months old died suddenly this morning in front of me and my 11 year old daughter. (She’s hers).
No sign of illness and was happy, eating and full of energy minutes before.
My daughter brought her down to play on the mat (with Treacle too, her companion). She put Snowy down on the floor and then she kind of rolled on her back and side, gave a couple of raspy loud breaths and twitched and then went still. I held her but she was all floppy, literally dead in a minute. It was awful. My daughter is distraught and I wondered if anyone else had experienced this with a young guinea pig. These are our first and we’ve really cared for them but now I’m worried we did something wrong. So sad and awful to witness it.
 
Snowy19 said:
Hello, our beloved Snowy only 10 months old died suddenly this morning in front of me and my 11 year old daughter. (She’s hers).
No sign of illness and was happy, eating and full of energy minutes before.
My daughter brought her down to play on the mat (with Treacle too, her companion). She put Snowy down on the floor and then she kind of rolled on her back and side, gave a couple of raspy loud breaths and twitched and then went still. I held her but she was all floppy, literally dead in a minute. It was awful. My daughter is distraught and I wondered if anyone else had experienced this with a young guinea pig. These are our first and we’ve really cared for them but now I’m worried we did something wrong. So sad and awful to witness it.
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Sounds like probably some defect going on inside, might run in the history. My sister in laws cat had the same thing happen at 6 years old. Young for a cat. so strange. Sorry for your loss x
 
I’m so sorry for your loss, I don’t know what could’ve happened
 
Snowy19 said:
Hello, our beloved Snowy only 10 months old died suddenly this morning in front of me and my 11 year old daughter. (She’s hers).
No sign of illness and was happy, eating and full of energy minutes before.
My daughter brought her down to play on the mat (with Treacle too, her companion). She put Snowy down on the floor and then she kind of rolled on her back and side, gave a couple of raspy loud breaths and twitched and then went still. I held her but she was all floppy, literally dead in a minute. It was awful. My daughter is distraught and I wondered if anyone else had experienced this with a young guinea pig. These are our first and we’ve really cared for them but now I’m worried we did something wrong. So sad and awful to witness it.
Click to expand...

Hi and welcome

I am so sorry for your loss and the upset it has caused.

It sounds like a heart attack or acute heart failure to me. They can happen at any age in seemingly healthy piggies without warning, especially when a piggy has been born with a genital or congenital heart defect. The added stress from the pick-up has been enough to trigger it.
Please do not feel guilty - your piggy has been living with an invisible time bomb in her body that could have gone off any time when it took as little as a pick-up to set it off. Not your fault whatsoever and nothing that you could have prevented in any way. Just cosmic bad luck!

I have lost younger piggies that way myself and know how it can quite literally shake you up. There is nothing that warns you and it happens right out of the blue. :(

Try to take consolation that Snowy hasn't suffered and that her death has been one of the kinder ones. It is much worse on your daughter, you and Treacle because you can never brace for it.

Here are tips on what you can do for the companion right now and in the longer term and what to look out for. If you have outdoors piggies, then please bring her inside. Looking After A Bereaved Guinea Pig

You and your daughter are welcome to post a tribute to Snowy in our Rainbow Bridge Section if you feel that it will help your daughter.
 
Wiebke said:
Hi and welcome

I am so sorry for your loss and the upset it has caused.

It sounds like a heart attack or acute heart failure to me. They can happen at any age in seemingly healthy piggies without warning, especially when a piggy has been born with a genital or congenital heart defect. The added stress from the pick-up has been enough to trigger it.
Please do not feel guilty - your piggy has been living with an invisible time bomb in her body that could have gone off any time when it took as little as a pick-up to set it off. Not your fault whatsoever and nothing that you could have prevented in any way. Just cosmic bad luck!

I have lost younger piggies that way myself and know how it can quite literally shake you up. There is nothing that warns you and it happens right out of the blue. :(

Try to take consolation that Snowy hasn't suffered and that her death has been one of the kinder ones. It is much worse on your daughter, you and Treacle because you can never brace for it.

Here are tips on what you can do for the companion right now and in the longer term and what to look out for. If you have outdoors piggies, then please bring her inside. Looking After A Bereaved Guinea Pig

You and your daughter are welcome to post a tribute to Snowy in our Rainbow Bridge Section if you feel that it will help your daughter.
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Thank you so much for this very kind and helpful xx
 
Thank you everyone for your kind words, very helpful xx
 
So sorry for your loss.
This sounds very similar to the way I lost a youngish piggy.
It’s devastating because there was no time for you to act.
Sadly with heart attacks or major strokes it does happen this way.
Be kind and gentle with yourselves as you grieve for Snowy
Use the Rainbow Bridge thread as suggested- it’s a very good way to help grieve
 
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