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What caused his death?

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natk

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Only a few days ago our very loved pig passed away. He was only 9 months old and completely healthy.

We had just given him a luke warm bath... which he had become very used to.

After we had dried him, we clipped his nails. We had finished his bottom ones and were then starting on the top, we did one, put him down on our lap, gave him some lettuce just to calm him down, and then picked him to start on the next one. Just before we were about to clip his next nail he stared making a strange noise almost like a hissing noise that you would here from a cat (that is the only comparison I can really make) he then did it again and we put him down on the couch, realising that he was gasping for air. when I put him down his whole body went limp. And he just kept gasping for air, and then he started vomitting- it was green from the lettuce, but the tiniest pieces, after he vomitted, that was it no heart beat, no pulse. While he was gasping for air, my boyfriend was gently pressing on his stomach, just to help him out some how.

I called the vet and they suggested CPR, I did this after he had vomitted. But nothing.

It was awful, but if anyone could please just shed some light on this, it would be truly appreciated.
 
As far as i'm aware guinea's don't vomit, but i have no idea sorry. Hopefully someone will come along with more knowledge.
Sorry for your loss!
 
No idea, sorry. But wanted to say I'm so sad for your loss. I was also under the impression that g.ps can't vomit so it would probably have been the food he had in his mouth rather than from his stomach. I'm sure someone will be along soon who may have an idea. Have you got a guinea pig savvy vet who'd do an autopsy for you?
 
I'm so sorry for your loss. I can only imagine how hard this must be.

From what you have written, I can only think that he choked. Guinea pigs can't vomit as such as they have no gag reflex or flap at the back of their throats. If they're choking, they will try to cough out anything that's stuck - usually things get stuck on the hard pallate- the roof of the mouth. It sounds like a pice of the lettuce got stuck in his little windpipe and he couldn't get it out. This would be quite strange but I can only imagine that the stress of the bath and nail clipping has made him anxious whilst eating and that's caused him to choke.

I'm really sorry for you. This must be horrible and you have all of our sympathy.
 
I'm really sorry for your loss- that sounds awful! The only thing I can think of is choking... guinea pigs are incapable of actually vomiting, but they can cough/spit out food that is in their mouth (they hold food in their mouths for a long time while chewing it, which could make it look like it was enough to be stomach contents.) I'm wondering if he got something stuck and was unable to dislodge it. ((HUGS))- again, so sorry for your loss!
 
I'm no guinea pig expert, but I have been an emergency medical tech on ambulances, and the description (except for the hissing) sounds like heart attacks I've seen in people. Heart attacks present in different ways, but going limp and vomiting is common.
 
Oh how horrible! :( I am so sorry that you lost your piggy, it must have been a very distressing sight.

I have to agree with the other posters about the gag reflex/vomiting. Sounds like he choked :(:(:( Poor little guy
 
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