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The nightmare every animal sitter dreads......

luvabun

Warren Veteran
I'm looking after my friends' 2 guinea pigs whilst they're on holiday. I've had gerbils or jirds in the past; have had the 2 chinchillas for 8 years and rabbits for nearly 3. But I have no experience with guinea pigs so have relied on what my friend said plus stuff I've read. I've looked after them in the summer for 3 weeks, no problem. This time I was going to bring them round to my house again but their "summer home" was damp (its my old bunny starter plywood hutch - OK for summer or indoors but does not stand up to adverse weather). My plan was to keep them in the house. My friend advised me that they prefer to be out in the run and I could safely leave them in the run whilst I was at work (10 hours inc. travelling time). These are the second pair of guinea pigs they've had and the others died suddenly and young so my friend does not have much experience with animals. I was uneasy about leaving them out unattended for so long and also about changing the temperature of their environment so left them in their own hutch, with daily visits and runs out. I went round this morning and put them in the run. I put newspaper on some of the grass (so they had a dry patch) and also the 2 plastic tubes that they love to play in. I also shielded some of the run with tarpaulin. That was at 10 o clock. I went back round at 2 o clock and they're both dead!!!! They were still warm and soft, not rigid so I presumed it had only just happened. Absolute nightmare. Any ideas on what could cause the sudden death of bith pigs?
 
OMG Jill, what a nightmare right enough! I'm not very 'up' on gps so can't help much there. Could there have been something which could have frightened them? Or is there any crop spraying going on nearby? Could it have been something which was on the grass?
 
Frightened? maybe. Crop spraying? No, they live in suburbia. Something on the grass? Their run keeps getting moved about the lawn so that shouldn't affect unless it was a build up of something but its weird that they went at the same time. That makes me lean towards the frightened theory but I really don't fancy digging them up for a post mortem.
 
I can totally sympathise with you - I had to look after my pals four ginui pigs in the summer and her eldest one died of old age while in my care.

It sounds a bit odd that she also lost two other gp's when they were both young. If they were bought from the same place it may be that they have a hereditary condition or have caught and infection.

It is also possible that the grass may have been sprayed or affected by something ie-weedkiller, moss treatment etc etc.

The other thing is that wee animals like that are very susceptible to changes in weather conditions. I don't know about he weather whrre you are but here it has got very very cold all of a sudden.

I know this is a bit vague but I am sure that it is nothing you have done. If your friend is wanting more gp's then I would suggest she tries older ones and monitors them closely ie what and where they are eating and makes sure they are free from cold/frosts.

Hope this helps

lol Pam, Kim & Aggie
 
oh Dear what a position to be in, I am so sorry to hear about the wiggies.
I am not convinced that they died of fright, or weather conditions(unless there was thunder storm or something in your area??), as it sounds like they died quite rapidly, and within a very short time of one another :cry:

i would be suspicious of either an infection that they both picked up(from the grass, or something else in their environment) or possibly poisoned in some way...it must have been something they both came into contact very recently else you would have thought there would have been other symptoms earlier.

Wiggies are prone to respiratory things, so was it something they breathed in that could have interfered with their nervous system.

Sorry to ask, but how did they look when you found them...were they blue around their mouths? have upset tummies? or just look all peaceful but dead :?

Not a nice experience for you, and it is nothing you did wrong, these things sadly happen.
Did your friend have the wiggies for very long? How old were they?
 
Thanks Pam, that helped a lot. I was concerned about the weather and put loads of hay in their hutch. I just think I should have gone with my gut instinct and not put them out in the run. If only..........

I have suggested that my friend's daughter gets her "fix" by helping out at any of the local rescues. If she still wants more gp's, she could look at an older one from there - good suggestion.
 
Oh thats awful for you! What a nightmare.

I personally think it may have been posion or some sort of chemical the lawn was treated with. It is highly unlikely that both would die at almost exactly the same time as each other from natural causes.

Sympathies to you and I am sure you friend will not blame you in anyway. Animals are so fragile sometimes :-(
 
They weren't blue around the mouth, in fact they both felt quite warm so I tried massaging their chest (don't ask me why, it seemt like a good idea at the time). One had a couple of normal pellets half out of its anus and the other one had more sloppy liquidy stuff. Eyes still open. My friend always lets them out on the lawn so I presume she doesn't put weedkiller on it. They were probably about 4/5 months old - I had them stay with me for 3 weeks in the summer without any ill effects.
 
Oh Jill

I am so sorry that this has happened to you. I can only imagine how you must be feeling.

Big HUGE hugs coming your way

Love from
 
Jeeze Louise! :(

What a disaster. I would be beside myself. Poor piggies and poor you!
It is so difficult. I let my neighbour take my Clio to the vet today. They were gone all of 30 mins but it still stressed me out.
It is such a terrible position to be in. You did everything you could to make them comfortable. It is weird that they both died together. It must have been a "thing" like fright or poison. It would be odd for both piggies to die of cold within minutes. Also it's not THAT cold out today. It sounds like they were very used to being out.
I can't imagine how you are feeling but I can't see how you could have avoided it. Please don't worry.
Also just in case, when you get home scrub up well before you handle your buns.
 
;-( oh what a horride thing to happen.

Maybe it was some urine from a fox or cat? Was this the same person whose GPs died after eating dandelions?
 
Got it in one Amber, are you thinking that maybe they blamed the dandelions last time but it was something closer to home?
 
It just seems to weird to happen twice. There hast to be a reason why. I know that we have been told that picking plants that animals might have wee'd on might kill them but in this case I am wondering if that was just a coincidence.
 
What an earth can you do? It is a horrible situation but it could have been reversed or happen to anyone. I really would hate it to happen to me!

Has made me think tho - might make sense might not? I also that this easier to preach than practice!

If you are going to take on someone elses animals then you need to have full contact info for them whilst they are aay but also full contacts of thier regular vets.

Perhaps it is worth broaching the subject and saying what ever happens if the worst happens? Not easy I know but easier before the event than after. Some of thhe things that you need to know are really morbid but, again, best before than after.

Do you want me to contact you if they die.
what do I do with the body?
Do I get a PM?

Horrible things but these are things that you need to not only consider before you take on someones pet but also before you allow someone to look after your own pet.

Sorry to be so glum :-(
 
I keep beating myself up with the "what ifs". I really wish I'd stuck to my original plan of bringing them round to mine and having them inside.. but then what would have happenend when they returned to the outdoors back home, change in temperature etc. . What if, what if, what if.

Bob, your suggestion is a practical one and I'm reviewing the options for when I go away in November for 3 weeks. I'm contacting the local rescues to check for boarding as I wouldn't wish this on anyone. Norma, my neighbour, has successfully looked after my 2 fish tanks, 2 chinchillas and 2 buns in the past. I put out enough food for each tank in a pastry case for each day (so she doesn't over-feed) and the chins are quite easy too. But she wouldn't recognise rabbit illnesses. She did notice Totti getting more subdued as the days went by last time and put that down to him missing his regular cuddles and he's so handleable, she was able to provide those. Also, even giving her the Vets number wouldn't help without stressing her further as she works 6 days a week. Boarding it has to be.
 
I have a great neighbour who looks after Dubbs and my two Meezers, her grandson lives with her so he plays (supervised) with the anmials and keeps them stimulated whilst I am away.

I have always told my neighbour that should she suspect *anything* might be wrong with my babies, if their behaviour changes, or they go off their food that she should get them straight to my vet. I leave her enough money for cabs and the suchlike. I also tell my vet when i am going away and request that should my elderly neighbour bring any of my pets in for a condition that will need medicine or constant attention, that he should board them at the vets until i return from my holiday, as i dont think my neighbour would be able to administer medicine to an animal.

This happened to Dubbs once, he spent 3 weeks at the vets when i was on holiday and he loved it! Cost me a fortune though - £900 - thank god for Petplan though!
 
While my two were at the vets having a manicure (!?), I asked the vet if he had any ideas about the pigs plight. He said that they are susceptible to bronchial problems and it could have been a bronchial seizure brought on by allergens in the air. He said its not unusual for them to be fine in the morning then dead a few hours later (and I hadn't even told him that's what happened to my charges). Before I buried them, I had a look at their teeth - is it normal for the bottom ones to be growing up behind the top ones in pigs so young 4/5 months?
I will stop stressing about this, have got other worries now i.e .what to do with my pair of possums
 
Jill, please do not blame yourself in any way, as Bob said it could happen to any one :?
I run a Luxury Rabbit Hotel and specialise in house rabbits, so if I can help with your rabbits while you are away you only have to ask.
We have Clients drive a two hour plus journey here as they know I am here with the rabbits all day, and quickly spot any developing problems, having years of experience with special need bunnies.
We are booked up most of the year round, but I am sure we could squeeze your rabbits in, as we have lots of options...we also collect and deliver bunnies from further afield :D (It depends where you are based Jill?)
The reason I began the boarding (apart from needing to raise funds for the Sanctuary bunnies) was that we had a bad experience when we left a group of rabbits elsewhere..it ruined our holiday on our return, and I wanted to ensure other people could go away and relax in the knowledge their bunnies were being given all the TLC, love and attention they deserve.
We have long term boarding bunnies too, including Arnie who is here whilst his Mummy and Daddy (professional Ice Skaters) are away on tour for nine months.


Jill I really hope that you can come to terms with this dreadful experience, and find peace of mind once more...many hugs coming your way. :rabbit2:
 
What a nightmare!

Are you sure your friend is not putting something on the grass not realising that it could be bad for her G'pigs. Seems strange that this has happened before, perhaps she treated her grass before she went.

I have two G'pigs and they have no problems with other animals, cats. dogs, crows magpies etc so I think it is rare that it is fright and it's not that cold.

Could she be feeding them something which is bad for them?


I look after other peoples animals and it is a very worrying time, but I'm sure you have not done anything wrong
 
Totally agree with Bob and Dele about the what to do if... point.

Luckily I had asked my friend what she had wanted done in the event of any sudden departures (only because I knew the GP's were very elderly) and in the sad event I was at least able to call her mum and arrange for a suitable garden burial. (God knows what she would do if she ever sold up as I have since found out there are about 20 animals buried there! - from over a considerable period of time I should add)

Unfortunately when you look after animals, either your own or someone else's, death has to be faced up to as it's part of life.

I know that the kennels we use for the dog have two emergency numbers plus the vet so I don't think it is unreasonable to ask for the same.

Anyway there was and is nothing more than you can do - I think you have been really kind and caring even seeking advice as to what might have caused their deaths.

I hope that you have lots of happy times with you own lovely bunch.

lol Pam, Kim & Aggie
 
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