gp euthanased this morning - anyone have any advice pls? Sorry - a bit long!

[sanguinechompa]

Hello. Our lovely female 4 yr old gp (one of a pair) had to be put down by the vet this morning and I just wondered if anyone has had a similar experience or can offer any advice pls?

I'm really going to miss her because she had a really fabulous character - always very happy and assertive and friendly . The cage-mate she has left behind is lovely but very nervous and shy.

We had to go away for a fortnight at the end of January (gps looked after by pet-sitter) and when we got back I noticed that she had lost weight and had a bit of a dirty rear end but she was eating and drinking fine and I just put it down to the change of routine. Her tummy problems cleared up but she didn't seem to be putting on any more weight so we took her to the vet who couldn't identify anything in particular that was wrong. She was eating and drinking fine, her teeth were fine, but was still thin and her coat looked a bit ragged (having always been very healthy and strong and on the rotund side!!) I thought she was on the mend though.

Anyway on Thursday of this week she seemed to be off her food, and out of sorts again so we fed her lots of choice salad food which she nibbled a bit. However she seemed to go downhill and so we took her to the vet who gave us some tonic to put in her water. We all felt it wasn't an infection because her cage-mate is in very good health. The vet (looking back) was hinting loudly that all was not well (perhaps we should have put her down then???) but I didn't really understand the severity of the situation.

Anyway, this morning she took a turn for the worse so we went back to the vet who said she only had hours to live and so we decided to have her euthanased by injection. She couldn't tell us exactly what was wrong though ....

So my questions are (a) does anyone know what could have happened and what could have caused her death? She always had plenty of fresh food and v. good quality hay supplemented with a good quality grain diet (but not huge amounts).

and (b) what shall we do with her remaining (nervous and shy) companion who has always felt insecure whenever her cage mate wasn't around? Should we get a new companion for her and if so, when?

Oh I'm so sorry!

Think they are happier in a pair, how to do it though, I don't know

When you say she went downhill today, how did that look?

cancer? Worms? All rodents prone to cancers, especially the girls.

Sorry about your piggie. I don't have any words of wisdom to offer on what may have happened to her.

If you are looking for a cage mate, a good rescue would help you pair her up, letting her meet potential piggies and seeing if they get on.

there have been alot of GP passings in the last month.

I don't know about the dirty bottom, other than diarrohea (I know rabbits can have this)
When our GPs died they seemed to get a very quick cold -like illness.(Died within a day)

It sounds like it was a stomach problem from what you describe. They do hide illnesses well to survive.
She didn't have any different water or food when she was with the sitter?

With regard to her hutchmate- rescue will have single female GPs you could 'match' her with. Though I never successfully introduced a new GP to a group. We had a mum& daughter who didn't like the new female. New female was pg when we got her.When the older mum died her daughter was fine with the new pair.

Thanks for all your kind words - much appreciated! Still feeling sad and my dd (aged 8yrs) is inconsolable.

Lilac - when she went downhill today, I didn't think she was THAT bad but she wasn't eating, her coat was "staring" (as we say in the horse world) and she seemed less energetic than usual. Didn't think she wasn't going to come back from the vet though - she has always been such a healthy (almost belligerent!) pig!!

Ragged I didn't think about worms at all and the vet didn't mention that as a possibility but the pair of them graze on the lawn during the summer so I suppose it could happen. Wouldn't both of them be affected though? (Worried now - had better check her cage mate).

Cancer would make sense - when she had a dirty bottom, she didn't have the runs exactly - it was more like the poos were in clumps rather than nice clean singles - although that got better.

Squiggle a rescue pig would be a very good idea I think but I'm going to wait until I am absolutely sure that her cage mate is OK (quarantine period). We've never had any health problems at all with them since they arrived four years ago and I'm absolutely paranoid now.

I've been reading a gp site that says the best way to introduce a new pig is to put it in a separate cage alongside the first pig and let them co-exist for a while in their own spaces. Then, when you feel that they are familiar with one another, clean out the first gp's cage so that all the smells are "neutral" and put them in together on clean litter.

70isalimit their diet was exactly the same while we were away but two different people were feeding them so perhaps the hours and amounts weren't exactly the same. I'm a firm believer in having lots and lots of hay available and I stressed that to the sitters (and not to feed fresh food straight from the fridge - but to let it warm up a bit first). The only difference was that they were brought up from the (freezing) basement to our main sitting room because the sitters weren't there at night to put the blanket on the cage and take it off in again in the morning. Maybe they got too hot - but I think both of them would have been affected.

So sorry to hear your pigs died so quickly - that must have been an awful shock for you.

Thanks again everyone [sniff]

Waiting so see how your little one is sounds like a very sensible plan. Sorry aagain about your piggie. Suggest lots of cuddles with the other one for now.

Thanks Squiggle

Update: guinea pig NO.2 has just succumbed ...

No sign of illness or distress. Good weight. Eating well this morning, just a bit subdued. Died late afternoon

Sounds like a virus then...

Awww. So sorry to hear that. I am not sure if guinea pigs can die of a broken heart.

that's what I am wondering about thefifthfishy and Momoomie

I obviously had washed and sterilised everything after 1st gp's passing. And gp no.2 didn't display any of the same symptoms (lethargy, weight-loss and funny tummy) and we were obviously keeping a very close eye on her.

She had a much more nervous personality than guinea pig no.1 and always depended on her (ie hid behind her when stressed) so it could be that she didn't find it easy to live alone ....

so it could be either cause I reckon.

Am really

At the same time, I'm happy we hadn't gone and bought small, young companions yet (not even sure I can bear to do this atm - get too attached [sniff*]) in case there is something viral in the air ...

Thanks for your responses everyone

can't help but have a hug and

thank you gemma 'twas much needed [sniff] and appreciated ...

for GP2.
It sounds like your guinea-pig couldn't survive without her companion. It doesn't sound like there was anything you could've done TBH, she just pined. They are 'group' animals by nature and feel more vunerable alone, especially if your GP1 was the Alpha of the pack.

It is very sad when they go so quickly but I think at least they don't suffer that way.
And if they were both 4yo ,it's a pretty good guinea life span.

Your poor DD though, having lost 2 GPs in a matter of days.

(It'll feel really weird when you open the fridge or rustle a bag or chop something ; and not have a GP chorus of "We're here.We've got mouths ")

Thank you for your very kind post 70isalimit Much appreciated. I can tell you have been through the same thing!!

DD and I are both still upset and we are both missing the "fridge" chorus and the "stair" warbling .... and their belligerent little noses pressed up against the cage almost shouting for treats (carrot tops were their favourite)

The only thing consoling me atm is they did have a v. happy life (we have a walled garden that they rushed around in every day during the spring/summer). They stayed out all day grazing and popping about.

What I am not so happy about was the contrast between that and their life during the cold, winter months (too cold to go outside). They have a very large indoor cage downstairs and were allowed to run around our sitting room twice a day but it's just not the same.

Any tips on how to improve this for the future?

I am so sorry to hear about your piggies passing. We had one die of an upset stomach and it broke our hearts. We took her to the vet but we weren't given any medication but the rodentologist said she should have been given an antibiotic and probiotic at the same time.

If you are thinking of getting pigs again I would get two rescue pigs that need a home and make sure you find a GP savy vet or rodentologist and join Cambridge Cavy Trust... most vets know very little about guinea pigs. We learnt to our cost ...

If a GP has diarrhoea it is a medical emergency (we did not know) and they need to go to a vets that can give them an antibiotic such as Baytril asap. You can also give them over the counter medications while you are waiting for an appt at the vets. Look at the Peter Guerney website for piggie potions. Guinea Pig Lynx is also great for medical information.

I have also found out that GP rescues often have GP boarding kennels for example April Lodge in Kent or Cambridge Cavy Trust and I think I'll use them if we go on holiday.

Please be kind to yourself. One of my pigs had a heart attack in my arms last year. She was only four but when I phoned the rodentologist she told me it was a good age for a GP. Still broke my heart....