I'm so sad and so confused... today while I was cleaning my guinea pigs cages. ( I had 2, Bobo and Critter) I had my Guinea pigs on my bed with some food ( a half handful of pellets) and Critter started choking. By the time I was able to dislodge a larger than normal pellet, he was gone.. I cried and let Bobo stay next to him for a little bit while i googled what i should do. I read somewhere to let them say goodbye to each other. So i moved Ceitters body into my closet where there was room on the floor. When I went to pick up Bobo, I noticed he was very very limp. (Bobo is older but I'm not sure by how much because I got him from the humane society) I figured it was because he was grieving so I thought nothing of it. I placed him down next to the body and he walked around the body and then laid next to him. (Thy were both boys I've had for only 2 months) after a few minutes I noticed he started breathing weirdly, he has always been a heavy breather, but this was different.. after about every 5 breathes there was one breathe that made his body move like how a humans body moves when we have hiccups. I picked him up and pet him gently and put him back down. He fell to his side and went limp.. made some very very weird squeaking noises and his body started going tense and then limp, tense and then limp while making these noises until he popped, and then died. I immediately called a vet tech friend of mine and explained what happened, then noticed he had white liquid coming out of his eyes, and his mouth, and a little out of his butt... I did also recall that sometimes white liquid came out when he peed.. I'm just wondering... what happened to Bobo... why did he pass like that? I am completely devastated and hate myself for not being able to save Critter when he was choking..... I can accept that very sadly... but what about Bobos death... I want to post a video but its saying the file I have is too large.. then its saying that the file does not have an allowed extension... but I havent been able to find that sound ANYWHERE so no one will know what I'm talking about. I NEED some closure, I need to understand what happened so please ask me to find a way to send a video clip so that the sound and the way he was cringing his whole body is understood.. I am so devastated..
Sudden Guinea Pig death
- Thread starter Lisa Bisa
- Start date
Alisa3114
Teenage Guinea Pig
I am so sorry for your loss it sounds absolutely heartbreaking what you have been through today. I am sure somebody will be along who might have an idea of what happened with Bobo. I am not tech savvy but I think you have to upload videos to YouTube then post the link on the forum, I don't think you can upload straight onto the forum. Hugs to you 
I posted a video... do you know anything about those sounds?
Bill & Ted
Forum Buddy
Oh my how tragic! I’m so sorry you have lost them both x
I wonder if you could save the food and write to the manufacturer and explain what’s happened, just in case it was something in it that shouldn’t have been there? Otherwise it’s just sheer coincidence, I’m so sorry for you x
Sleep tight beautiful piggies x
I wonder if you could save the food and write to the manufacturer and explain what’s happened, just in case it was something in it that shouldn’t have been there? Otherwise it’s just sheer coincidence, I’m so sorry for you x
Sleep tight beautiful piggies x
Abirose
Adult Guinea Pig
I am so sorry for the loss of both your beautiful guinea pigs, the video was absolutely heartbreaking to watch.
Please look after yourself as you grieve. Sending you hugs x
Please look after yourself as you grieve. Sending you hugs x
Thank you, I am so devastated that I cant sleep, its 3 am now...
I wonder if he passed of heartbreak.. my vet tech said that he was leaking push and that it's very likely he had a respiratory infection and that his emotional pain was the last straw...
Leaking puss*
Hi and welcome
I am very sorry for your tragedy. It our all worst nightmare. It is however also very uncommon.
But of course it is leaving you totally upset and traumatised and looking for explanations.
Unfortunately, we can only guess as much as you do. A post-mortem examination of the bodies at the vet's may be able to give you some answers, but it may not depending on what happened.
There are basically two scenarios:
Critter did indeed choke to death and Bobo had a heart attack (the heaving last breath is usually a sign of the heart stopping).
Or both boys were dying from some shared environmental factor (heat/poisoning/gas? Any of the really nasty bugs would have come with symptoms even those that kill in a matter of hours). Critter may not have been able to swallow instead of choking, and his sudden death speeded up Bobo's reaction to whatever was affecting them.
It is normal for the body to realise bodily fluids out of all orifices at the point of death; it can be even blood. Without seeing it, the white stuff (except for eye cleaning fluid) sounds a bit more unusual.
You may find this link here helpful now and in the common days and weeks: Human Bereavement - Grieving, coping tips and support links for guinea pig owners and their children
pfleven
New Born Pup
I am so sorry for your loss today. It is absolutely heartbreaking. Those sweet piggies were lucky to have you. May they both RIP.
Our vet mentioned the white liquid can be a sign of respiratory infection so perhaps that is part of what happened to your sweet Bobo.
Our vet mentioned the white liquid can be a sign of respiratory infection so perhaps that is part of what happened to your sweet Bobo.
Alisa3114
Teenage Guinea Pig
So sorry I couldn't reply sooner as I was just heading into work. I wouldn't have had a clue what the sounds were sorry and it was heartbreaking to watch and see what you both had to go through. Hugs to u
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I am so very, very sorry for your loss.
What a traumatic experience for you.
All I can add is that you are being held in my thoughts and my heart
What a traumatic experience for you.
All I can add is that you are being held in my thoughts and my heart
I'm so sorry. That was hard to watch and had to be so upsetting to go through. I've been present for the passing of two of my pigs, it was hard and I think we are unprepared for how physical a process death really is. Seizing or fitting around the time of death doesn't seem to be uncommon, as well as labored breathing... to me that's what the video made me think of. I would really query whether Critter actually choked, as respiratory failure can look a lot like choking... is there any chance they were exposed to something potentially toxic around the same time? Car exhaust, heat, a new food item, a cleaning product, a lawn chemical, or anything at all? ((HUGS.)) Losing both like that must be devastating.