Sudden death of young piggy

[gonebanhannahs]

My heart is broken this morning.

I don't know what I did wrong, or what went wrong, but our little girl died yesterday very suddenly.

My daughter asked to hold her in the morning and I went to get her and she was like a limp noodle in my hand. Her one nostril was blocked and I wiped it with a warm rag and it was clearly snotty.

She was perfectly healthy and eating and running the day before.

I set her back down in her cage and she was very wobbly, couldn't walk without falling over and looked drunk. She would turn her head to the side, almost making herself into a circle and it was so terrifying and distressing.

I gave her critical care and tried to make her as comfortable as possible until I could get a vet on the line to get an emergency appointment.

She went downhill very quickly before the appointment and passed away several hours later.

I don't know what I could have done or if my other piggies are in danger of being ill.

She had all the signs and symptoms of a stroke but she was less than a year old.

I just don't understand what went wrong. I've done everything right, I bought the best of everything, given them more than enough space and hides, good diet, attention and love, a peaceful environment.

Has anyone else experienced sudden illness or death in their young guinea pigs? I'm at such a loss.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Please don’t blame yourself. You haven’t done anything wrong. Strokes and heart attacks can sadly happen at any time and at any age. Equally they also can hide their illnesses so sometimes there is just nothing to see.

I’m so sorry for your loss

 

[weepweeps]

I’m so sorry for the unexpected loss of your piggy. It must have been such a shock for you all.

 

[Princess_Harriet]

I'm so sorry for your loss, I had an identical experience a couple years ago with a pig who was only 5 months old.
Don't blame yourself, there was nothing you could have done for her. Sending you big hugs.

 

[Merab]

So sorry for your loss.

I lost a 2 year old very suddenly. She was fine in the afternoon, obviously ill a few hours later and passed away while I was phoning the vets.
Sadly, as @Piggies&buns said, strokes or heart attacks hit out of the blue at any age.

Have a look at the bereavement thread. There’s some good resources for helping you all cope with the loss

Be gentle with yourself as you grieve.
Holding you in my heart

 

[Freela]

I'm so sorry for your loss. Unfortunately pigs can get sick quickly and go downhill quickly. ((HUGS)) to you and your family. It really isn't anything that you did wrong or could have prevented.

I would keep an eye on the other pigs, as she had a snotty nose which can be a sign of an upper respiratory infection, which could potentially be contagious. Just make sure they're eating and behaving normally.

 

[Wiebke]

My heart is broken this morning.

I don't know what I did wrong, or what went wrong, but our little girl died yesterday very suddenly.

My daughter asked to hold her in the morning and I went to get her and she was like a limp noodle in my hand. Her one nostril was blocked and I wiped it with a warm rag and it was clearly snotty.

She was perfectly healthy and eating and running the day before.

I set her back down in her cage and she was very wobbly, couldn't walk without falling over and looked drunk. She would turn her head to the side, almost making herself into a circle and it was so terrifying and distressing.

I gave her critical care and tried to make her as comfortable as possible until I could get a vet on the line to get an emergency appointment.

She went downhill very quickly before the appointment and passed away several hours later.

I don't know what I could have done or if my other piggies are in danger of being ill.

She had all the signs and symptoms of a stroke but she was less than a year old.

I just don't understand what went wrong. I've done everything right, I bought the best of everything, given them more than enough space and hides, good diet, attention and love, a peaceful environment.

Has anyone else experienced sudden illness or death in their young guinea pigs? I'm at such a loss.

Hi

HUGS

I am so very sorry. It sounds like a stroke or a serious neurological event, which can hit at any age. Some piggies sadly live with a genetic timebomb in their bodies that you won't be aware of until it goes off without warning with devastating results.

It is is nothing you have done wrong or could have done to prevent it; it was simply one of the short straws in the cosmic lottery. If you want to blame anybody, then blame the culture of mass produced pets right across all pet species.

I have lost piggies of all ages, including the odd young one, to strokes, heart attacks or sudden heart failure over the years - some I have found still with a mouthful of hay sticking out from their mouth - it happened that quickly and
suddenly. You have been very unlucky in starting with a death like that.
If you struggle with your feelings of guilt and failure (which are typical for the onset of the grieving process of any caring owner; you wouldn't have them if you didn't love deeply) or find that you struggle with your daughter's grieving, you may find the very practical information in our grieving helpful; we have a whole chapter with resources for children of different ages.
Here is the link: Human Bereavement: Grieving, Processing and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children

Here are our tips on what you can do for the piggy companion straight after a loss and in the longer term; including when your loss and your remaining piggy's needs collide: Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig