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Unusual Guinea Pig Death

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Oaks

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I have had my guinea pig for nearly a year. One day he looked ill so we took him to the vet. He had a Stinky white substance in his mouth and was really sluggish. We got prescribed some medicine and took him back home. He was VERY cold and we warmed him up as best as we could. He slowly got less and less active. Eventually we put him back in his cage to see how his brothers would react when I heard a weird noise. I checked him and he had been SICK (guinea pigs do not have the ability to be sick right?) I held him in my arms and he convulged and died in my arms, releasing that same smell upon death... What happened to him? the vet was baffled and had no idea either.
 
Hi, so sorry to hear of your traumatic loss. You are right guinea pigs can't be sick. My first thought was that he had an abscess that burst inside his mouth (rather than on the outside face area). Abscesses are usually full of pus and very, very, VERY smelly! I mean seriously, when a vet was draining one for me on Christmas Eve I actually went a little faint and thought I was going to pass out. The abscess alone wouldn't have been the result of his death unless the pus blocked the airway but it could have accidentally gone into his lungs I suppose which could have caused respiratory illness.

What medicine was prescribed? If it was an abscess then ideally it should have been drained and antibiotics and pain relief prescribed. Do you know how knowledgeable your vet is when it comes to guinea pigs? Vets experience and knowledge varies widely and a good vet is an absolute life saver (I moved from my original vet when the knowledgeable ones left and I was left with someone who had to look every little thing up on an ipad!).
 
I'm so sorry for your loss.
I'm afraid anything could of happened to your piggy, it could have been a stroke, heart attack, chest infection. Though if your vet is an exotic specialist she should have picked up on that.
Unfortunately some piggies just die. I'll tag someone with a bit more knowledge than I have. @Wiebke
 
I am very sorry that you have lost your piggy! You are welcome to post a tribute in our Rainbow Bridge section if or whenever it feels right for you.

Guinea pigs don't have a vomit reflex, but oral discharges looking like a piggy is being sick are not uncommon in the last moments of a piggy dying. The cold body indicates that by that time your boy's body was very likely already closing down. :(

The smell could have been from an abscess or fermenting food stuck in his mouth because he was unable to chew/swallow properly. Did your vet check for overgrown teeth?
@helen105281 @Jaycey @furryfriends (TEAS) @Elwickcavies
 
I'm so sorry for your loss @Oaks , I hope you're okay.

Piggies can go downhill very quickly so please don't blame yourself.

In my experience abscesses are very stinky and they can be very complex so it could look like it's coming from somewhere that it shouldn't.

I have had a piggy that looked like he was vomiting but it was oral discharge( it was the same pig that had the abscess in his mouth) In his case he had a very sudden, severe case of bloat with a blockage so he was unable to swallow anything and it all came back out.
 
I'm really sorry for your loss. I've been present for the deaths of three of my pigs, so I know it can be hard to watch. Unfortunately it can be hard to know exactly what happened to cause the death. The fact that you say there was a foul odor makes me query an abscess of some kind in the mouth or throat (abscesses smell terrible- I don't know how to describe it, but it's a smell you'll remember if you come across it again.) However, I have had pigs without abscesses be unable to swallow and push food bits/fluid/foam from their mouths in their last hours. It's certainly hard to watch. :( I'm so sorry and wish I could give you a clearer answer. Sometimes we just don't know for sure.
 
I'm so sorry for your loss. I agree it could have been an abscess of maybe oral thrush as that can be smelly too but I have not heard of it coming out of the mouth like that.
 
Just wanted to say how sorry I am for your loss
 
Thank you for your replies everyone, the day after the vet did indeed say that it may have been an abcess in his thoat that burst. I feel alot more at peace now that I have somewhat of an answer.

Please treasure the time you have with your piggies...
 
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