Sudden Paralysis in Back Legs

[Wiebke]

Thank you I don’t have the strength to say much right now.. I am feeling sick just going through how Peanut passed away. It was so traumatic. I pray that he was already unaware and not in pain, but his front legs were racing as if he was running fast. I think his brain was already shutting down as he had a vacant look in his little eyes. Late last night he was making little grunts and snuggling into my neck. I am so lost without him and I just keep looking at the empty cage

Hi

We call this 'running to the Rainbow Bridge'. It happens right at the end when the blood circulation breaks down and the body becomes oxygen deprived - which also applies to the brain. Peanut would have been well out of it by that stage.
So please take a deep breath. A natural death is a lot more physical than we normally expect with our vague concept of gently drifting away in one's sleep.

A Practical and Sensitive Guide to Dying, Terminal Illness and Euthanasia in Guinea Pigs

 

[Wheekallweek]

I'm so utterly sorry to hear Peanut has had to go
If it helps, as @Wiebke has said, my RB boy Eric passed away on my lap, and it sounds very similar to Peanut's passing. It seems so traumatic (and it is for us!) but our babies are not aware of what is happening at this point - they are already asleep.
At the end, he made the choice to let go and be with his brothers, perhaps to save you making the heartbreaking decision yourself.
He is no longer suffering, he is free.
And he was surrounded by love and warmth at home, which is perhaps the best we can wish for for our piglets at the end of their earthly lives.
Now you can start to grieve of course, but also, with the help of your boys above, and your girl by your side, to process everything, and begin to emerge the other side.

My prayers are with you

 

[Julezfm39]

Hi

We call this 'running to the Rainbow Bridge'. It happens right at the end when the blood circulation breaks down and the body becomes oxygen deprived - which also applies to the brain. Peanut would have been well out of it by that stage.
So please take a deep breath. A natural death is a lot more physical than we normally expect with our vague concept of gently drifting away in one's sleep.

A Practical and Sensitive Guide to Dying, Terminal Illness and Euthanasia in Guinea Pigs

Thank you for reassuring me. It was so distressing to watch so I’m relieved that he wasn’t aware by that time. I miss him so much, I feel sick

 

[Julezfm39]

I'm so utterly sorry to hear Peanut has had to go
If it helps, as @Wiebke has said, my RB boy Eric passed away on my lap, and it sounds very similar to Peanut's passing. It seems so traumatic (and it is for us!) but our babies are not aware of what is happening at this point - they are already asleep.
At the end, he made the choice to let go and be with his brothers, perhaps to save you making the heartbreaking decision yourself.
He is no longer suffering, he is free.
And he was surrounded by love and warmth at home, which is perhaps the best we can wish for for our piglets at the end of their earthly lives.
Now you can start to grieve of course, but also, with the help of your boys above, and your girl by your side, to process everything, and begin to emerge the other side.

My prayers are with you

I am so sorry that you lost Eric but thank you for sharing your similar experience - it is comforting to know that our babies are already crossing the rainbow bridge at the stage, and they’re not in pain. I am just devastated to not have my lil boys wheeking at me anymore.. it’s the end of an era for me now . I have my lil girl and I think I need to adopt a friend for her . I know it will take a long time to heal but this wonderful community has got me through these past 6 weeks

 

[Wiebke]

The running (a few other things) can really throw you when you come across it without warning; especially if it is your first natural death or you suffer from anxiety.

I have a few of mine doing the running over the years. Personally, I find it a relief to see it, knowing that they are on the home stretch now.

 

[Julezfm39]

The running (a few other things) can really throw you when you come across it without warning; especially if it is your first natural death or you suffer from anxiety.

I have a few of mine doing the running over the years. Personally, I find it a relief to see it, knowing that they are on the home stretch now.

Thank you - yes it’s the first time I’ve experienced the running and I found it so distressing, but I could see in my darling boys eyes that he wasn’t truly there. I had been asleep for a couple of hours with him cradled in my arms, so he would have been feeling the love and warmth before he started to cross over. I just feel this cumulative loss of all my boys and downstairs in my house it’s so silent now . Little Nevaeh is in my bedroom (along with my 18 month old hamster, Simon, who’s in his own cage of course) so I will be giving her lots of cuddles and I also want to adopt a friend for her

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you - yes it’s the first time I’ve experienced the running and I found it so distressing, but I could see in my darling boys eyes that he wasn’t truly there. I had been asleep for a couple of hours with him cradled in my arms, so he would have been feeling the love and warmth before he started to cross over. I just feel this cumulative loss of all my boys and downstairs in my house it’s so silent now . Little Nevaeh is in my bedroom (along with my 18 month old hamster, Simon, who’s in his own cage of course) so I will be giving her lots of cuddles and I also want to adopt a friend for her

Give yourself time to bear your grief, allow your physical and emotional exhaustion and the resulting adrenaline hangover - when it finally runs out (that is when the blues really hit) their due time and work your way through; it's been so nonstop. It is not going to be a nice or easy time but it needs to come out so you can then start healing, slowly but surely. Think in months rather than days or weeks. This is not something you walk away from easily.

The silence in a house where you have until recently had three vibrant boys is deafening and it will take time to getting used to it. You are not going to walk from this quickly and easily. But there is no shame for you to what has happened or how you have dealt with it.

I have told you before that you are one strong woman, and in your plans on how you are going to address your piggy future right in the middle of all your pain, you are giving me a glimpse of her. You still have a future to plan even on the darkest of days. Good on you!
You are going to get through it and come out stronger at the other end. Hold onto that. This may cut you up (and sadly hurt accordingly) but it is not going to break you.

Try to let some of it out by talking freely to a pet bereavement specialist bound by confidentiality so your wounds don't fester, but we continue to be there for you and support you through your grieving process as a community, which you are most welcome to join.

 

[Julezfm39]

Thank you I’ll arrange to speak to a pet bereavement counsellor as I’m sure this will help. I need to phone the pet crematorium tomorrow as I have Peanut at home of course, and have nowhere cold to keep him. If I don’t get a cremation appointment quickly enough I’ll ask the vet to keep Peanut until I take him to Dignity.
You’ve believed in me from the start of this whole nightmare and that has meant the world to me, thank you .

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you I’ll arrange to speak to a pet bereavement counsellor as I’m sure this will help. I need to phone the pet crematorium tomorrow as I have Peanut at home of course, and have nowhere cold to keep him. If I don’t get a cremation appointment quickly enough I’ll ask the vet to keep Peanut until I take him to Dignity.
You’ve believed in me from the start of this whole nightmare and that has meant the world to me, thank you .

Thank you. I am so glad that I have been able to help you through this awful time. Your thanks have made my day.

 

[CTWC]

Hi there I just wanted you to know I am thinking about you, no need to reply but here for you

 

[Julezfm39]

Hi there I just wanted you to know I am thinking about you, no need to reply but here for you

Thank you so much. A close friend is driving me to the pet crematorium on Wednesday evening after she finishes work. I didn’t want to go alone to say farewell to my last piggy boy .
As I don’t have my car I can’t get to the vet to let them store my darling boy for 3 days so I have just carefully wrapped him up in a few layers and placed him in an empty compartment in my freezer. It feels horrendous to even do this but I hope it will be okay. I didn’t use to do this as I would swiftly arrange appointments at Dignity. Was it ok to do this for Peanut? I’m just not even thinking clearly right now but I want him to have his dignity.

 

[Julezfm39]

Thank you. I am so glad that I have been able to help you through this awful time. Your thanks have made my day.

You’re welcome I’m just quite numb today. I feel like everything is crashing down and I don’t even feel very positive. It’s like a light has gone out now that Peanut has gone

 

[Wheekallweek]

Peanut will be fine there for a few days

 

[Julezfm39]

Peanut will be fine there for a few days

Thank you for reassuring me I’m panicking as I’ve not done that before.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you so much. A close friend is driving me to the pet crematorium on Wednesday evening after she finishes work. I didn’t want to go alone to say farewell to my last piggy boy .
As I don’t have my car I can’t get to the vet to let them store my darling boy for 3 days so I have just carefully wrapped him up in a few layers and placed him in an empty compartment in my freezer. It feels horrendous to even do this but I hope it will be okay. I didn’t use to do this as I would swiftly arrange appointments at Dignity. Was it ok to do this for Peanut? I’m just not even thinking clearly right now but I want him to have his dignity.

HUGS

Yes, this is perfectly OK. I would recommend to additionally place him in a plastic bag or put him in one when you take him out again but as long as he is well wrapped and cannot leak onto anything it's not a problem - not that he should have started to really decompose yet anyway.

It's mainly your own head as you have to jump a bit of a social taboo hurdle with one of these things you do but never talk about; especially when you have never had this issue before, so there is no official guidance about and you have to use your own common sense.
The first time is always when it feels somewhat uncomfortable and fainly disrespectful; the second time you usually just get on with it. Peanut will be kept frozen/cooled right down at all stages until his remains are burned for hygiene reasons, anyway.

 

[Julezfm39]

HUGS

Yes, this is perfectly OK. I would recommend to additionally place him in a plastic bag or put him in one when you take him out again but as long as he is well wrapped and cannot leak onto anything it's not a problem - not that he should have started to really decompose yet anyway.

It's mainly your own head as you have to jump a bit of a social taboo hurdle with one of these things you do but never talk about; especially when you have never had this issue before, so there is no official guidance about and you have to use your own common sense.
The first time is always when it feels somewhat uncomfortable and fainly disrespectful; the second time you usually just get on with it. Peanut will be kept frozen/cooled right down at all stages until his remains are burned for hygiene reasons, anyway.

Thank you.. yes, I wrapped him in a carrier bag too. My precious baby boy I miss him so much. I need to take his cage apart in the next few days as it’s even harder just seeing the empty home where my boys used to be .

 

[Wiebke]

You’re welcome I’m just quite numb today. I feel like everything is crashing down and I don’t even feel very positive. It’s like a light has gone out now that Peanut has gone

What you are experiencing is a very normal and healthy reaction in the wake of a major crisis.

Please prepare for feeling rather grotty and very down when your over 6 weeks long adrenaline high is running out and leaving you feeling both emotionally and physically like your premises after hosting a several weeks long wild nonstop party. That's adrenaline for you - it's a great motor and partial buffer during a wild night ride but the fuel comes from your own bodily reserves.

You are now getting the bill for living over the sustainable limit of your bodily and emotional resources for so long and find that your inner storage cupboards are empty - as is your life before you gradually get it back into a new routine.
It's not a nice feeling but it is necessary to stop and clean the premises before the slow healing process of putting all the bits back and repairing what is repairable can get underway. Because your ride over the last few weeks has been right up with a night out with the Wild Hunt, the physical and emotional reaction will be on a different order to earlier losses since you are mourning all three boys together now after losing them in the most traumatic way possible.
It may help you if you picture them all together up there and mourn them as a bonded group.

What I would recommend is that you drink plenty of plain tap water in the coming days to help your kidneys to wash out all the metabolic debris from your stress hormones as quickly as possible. That should help you push through this stage a bit quicker. Plan a little naughty indulgence for yourself for every coming day; just something little you would not normally allow yourself. Now is the time to look after yourself and be kind to yourself.

Just follow your grieving path, which is - like dying - actually in some respects more physical than you would anticipate and which won't be a nice straight tarmacked road up to the funeral chapel. It is more like a winding rough path over rocks, fallen logs and sticking up tree roots that will take you to places you would not expect.
Trust in yourself; you have a very strong, grounded core. There is just nothing you can do to speed things up and there are no shortcuts. And each time there is a different path...

You may however find our Grieving Guide helpful, as I have tried to keep it as practical as possible and have also tried to include as many ideas for all different personalities in how they can help themselves with processing activities - and not all of them are what you would expect, either.
Human Bereavement: Grieving, Processing and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children

You may also want to consider whether you would prefer to start a new ongoing grieving support thread in our dedicated End of Life and Bereavement Support Corner, which we can run for as long as needed for all things you would like to ask questions about along the way - or even just to ask for a virtual group hug if you are feeling really down.
Same people, same community but you may not want to look at the old thread title and be reminded of it all the time once you get a bit further into your grieving process and actually start healing. Just bookmark any new thread so you can pick it up easily.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you.. yes, I wrapped him in a carrier bag too. My precious baby boy I miss him so much. I need to take his cage apart in the next few days as it’s even harder just seeing the empty home where my boys used to be .

I would recommend to either move Nevaeh's cage there or move a chair or a house plant etc. into that place - just making sure that you are not looking at any sort of physical void as a quick filler measure.

 

[CTWC]

Thank you so much. A close friend is driving me to the pet crematorium on Wednesday evening after she finishes work. I didn’t want to go alone to say farewell to my last piggy boy .
As I don’t have my car I can’t get to the vet to let them store my darling boy for 3 days so I have just carefully wrapped him up in a few layers and placed him in an empty compartment in my freezer. It feels horrendous to even do this but I hope it will be okay. I didn’t use to do this as I would swiftly arrange appointments at Dignity. Was it ok to do this for Peanut? I’m just not even thinking clearly right now but I want him to have his dignity.

I am so pleased you have someone to help you with Peanut and what you have done with him until Wednesday is absolutely fine

 

[CTWC]

Just thought about your 'empty space' not obviously sure what furniture or set up you have but it might be nice to have an indoor plant on a table there and you could put some frames photos of you guinea family there too

 

[Wheekallweek]

Just thought about your 'empty space' not obviously sure what furniture or set up you have but it might be nice to have an indoor plant on a table there and you could put some frames photos of you guinea family there too

Brilliant idea

 

[CTWC]

Just wanted to say we'll be thinking of you as always but especially today

 

[Wheekallweek]

Absolutely

 

[CTWC]

Hi just wanted to let you know we're still thinking of you

 

[Julezfm39]

Hi just wanted to let you know we're still thinking of you

I’m so very sorry that I’ve not been here to respond to your thoughtful messages. You have all been in my thoughts too . I took my darling Peanut to Dignity Pet Crematorium last Saturday and I’ll be collecting him this Saturday. It was a very emotional goodbye to my darling boy . I didn’t want to leave his little body but I know that his precious soul had crossed the rainbow bridge already . I miss him so much, I miss all my boys so much . I think of that last night when darling Peanut was lying in my arms as he gradually let go of this life. I held him close as his body gave up. I cleared away their cage and put a wooden unit there - on top of it I have the ashes (in bamboo pouches) of Shaun, Biscuit and Toffee (the biological brother of Biscuit and Peanut who died in May). I’ll place Peanut there too when he comes home and light candles for them . I will never forget them, and all my fur babies who have crossed the bridge before them

 

[Julezfm39]

Just wanted to say we'll be thinking of you as always but especially today

Thank you . I’m sorry I didn’t reply. In the end I couldn’t take Peanut until last Saturday as I was dependent on a lift from my friend. It was a very emotional and gut-wrenching day, saying farewell to my beloved, courageous boy

 

[Wiebke]

I’m so very sorry that I’ve not been here to respond to your thoughtful messages. You have all been in my thoughts too . I took my darling Peanut to Dignity Pet Crematorium last Saturday and I’ll be collecting him this Saturday. It was a very emotional goodbye to my darling boy . I didn’t want to leave his little body but I know that his precious soul had crossed the rainbow bridge already . I miss him so much, I miss all my boys so much . I think of that last night when darling Peanut was lying in my arms as he gradually let go of this life. I held him close as his body gave up. I cleared away their cage and put a wooden unit there - on top of it I have the ashes (in bamboo pouches) of Shaun, Biscuit and Toffee (the biological brother of Biscuit and Peanut who died in May). I’ll place Peanut there too when he comes home and light candles for them . I will never forget them, and all my fur babies who have crossed the bridge before them

That is a lovely idea. I hope that you'll post a picture once Peanut has joined his brothers.

After losing all four boys in such quick succession and in such a traumatic way, it takes a long time for you to come to terms with them no longer being there where you can touch and hold them. This is sadly not something that you can speed up or ease.

Injuries of the heart are just as serious as physical injuries, only that there are no easy painkillers for the soul and it takes time to get used to no longer having a boy band in the house...

HUGS

 

[Julezfm39]

That is a lovely idea. I hope that you'll post a picture once Peanut has joined his brothers.

After losing all four boys in such quick succession and in such a traumatic way, it takes a long time for you to come to terms with them no longer being there where you can touch and hold them. This is sadly not something that you can speed up or ease.

Injuries of the heart are just as serious as physical injuries, only that there are no easy painkillers for the soul and it takes time to get used to no longer having a boy band in the house...

HUGS

Thank you for your beautiful messages and really understanding how I feel. That’s what’s so special about this community I am finding it so hard without my boys. The downstairs of our house is too quiet.. there’s just no sound.. there was always loud wheeking and I miss it so much. I also lost Max in mid-June - he was 6. So I’ve lost 5 boys in as many months. Biscuit, Shaun and Peanut were cruelly and suddenly taken from me though but I’ll be bringing Peanut home on Sunday to be with us again

 

[CTWC]

Morning no need to apologise I just didn't want you to feel forgotten.
I can only imagine the heartbreak you are going through,it is upsetting enough when we lose one guinea
Try to take care of yourself

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you for your beautiful messages and really understanding how I feel. That’s what’s so special about this community I am finding it so hard without my boys. The downstairs of our house is too quiet.. there’s just no sound.. there was always loud wheeking and I miss it so much. I also lost Max in mid-June - he was 6. So I’ve lost 5 boys in as many months. Biscuit, Shaun and Peanut were cruelly and suddenly taken from me though but I’ll be bringing Peanut home on Sunday to be with us again

HUGS

Would it help you to play some soft music, nature sounds or some piggy noises on a loop in the short term whenever it really hits you?

The silence in a piggy-free house (Neveah not whithstanding) can be truly deafening.

When I come to the end of my own piggy journey in the not so far future the one thing I dread the most is the silence - and it is also going to affect my hub after having had piggies in the house for over 20 years now.