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This article was co-written by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. Dr. Elliott is a veterinarian with over thirty years of experience. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 and worked as a veterinary surgeon for 7 years. Then, Dr. Elliott worked as a veterinarian in a clinic for over a decade.
This article has been viewed 11,073 times.
Sadly, many small pets (especially rodents) have short lifespans, so we need to be mentally prepared to one day say goodbye to them. On average, guinea pigs can live for five to eight years without serious illness or injury. [1] X Research Resources If your guinea pig is approaching its end, there are many things you can do to help it live its final moments as comfortably as possible.
Steps
Recognizing a dying guinea pig
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Evaluation of guinea pig behavior. There are a few possible signs that a guinea pig’s lifespan is coming to an end. However, there is no indication of any behavior being 100% accurate. Many guinea pigs show no abnormal behavior, while others appear to be dying but still live a long time afterward. Some potential signs include: [2] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source
- Anorexia
- Sluggish or sedentary
- Uncontrolled excretion
- Inactive behavior
- Breathe hard
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Estimate the age of the mouse. Unless you’ve had your guinea pig since birth (or received it from someone who’s had it since childhood), chances are you don’t know exactly how old it is. Signs of aging usually appear at certain times in the life cycle of guinea pigs, based on which we can estimate their age (and infer the remaining life time). This estimation is best done by a veterinarian. Some signs of aging include: [3] X Research Source
- Thick, crooked toes
- Cataracts (cloudy eyes)
- The appearance of a tumor on the body or head
- Stiffness
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Watch for signs of sluggishness and fatigue. As they age (especially a few weeks before death), guinea pigs often become less alert and slow to move. A guinea pig’s inability to climb uphill or stand or walk a lot is a sign that its body is already very weak. [4] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source
- You should always keep an eye on your guinea pig’s energy levels compared to when he was younger and healthier. Some guinea pigs are always inactive; If your pet does, then sluggishness is not a sign that it is about to die.
- Being overweight also makes mice tired. You need to control the food, the reward and keep the rat’s food intake at a normal level to keep it healthy.
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See a veterinarian. If you suspect your rat is sick, injured, or dying, take it to your veterinarian for medical attention. In addition to life-saving treatment for sick guinea pigs, your veterinarian will provide expert advice on your hamster’s health and what needs to be done to help it stay healthy.
- Sometimes, old or terminally ill guinea pigs can suffer a lot of pain (depending on the type of illness); If your veterinarian tells you that the rat is in such a condition, consider whether euthanasia is the most humane option. [5] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source
Make guinea pigs comfortable
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Keep guinea pigs near their fellow humans. Guinea pigs are social animals, so if you have more than one mouse, you should avoid separating them when one of them is about to die. Doing so can make both mice nervous or sad, which is certainly not what you want to do for your pet rat who is slowly leaving the world. [6] X Research Sources
- You should separate sick guinea pigs from other animals if it is in pain or is disturbed by other guinea pigs. You need to make your own decisions to suit each particular situation.
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Roll the mouse back. Place a small, light towel or cloth over yourself, or wrap it around your guinea pig to help it stay warm and relax. When the body is about to stop working, guinea pigs may not be able to control their excretion, so you need to change the blanket regularly to keep the mouse clean and comfortable. [7] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source
- Many animals (and humans) are more sensitive to the cold as they get older and close to death, so keep the temperature in your old guinea pig’s cage a little warmer than before to make them more comfortable. .
- Use a blanket or towel that is familiar to your guinea pig to make it more comfortable.
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Mouse support to perform basic needs. When dying, the guinea pig will be very weak and unable to eat or drink on its own. You can help it go the rest of the way more gently by giving it water with a spoon, syringe, or water bottle; Make “smoothies” for rats by grinding or mixing hay, water, and bran pellets.
- Do not force the mouse to eat or drink if it does not want to. You just need to help the rat to access food and water if it can’t get it on its own.
- Make sure your rat’s food is finely ground so it doesn’t have to use up what precious energy it has left to chew (which it may not even be able to chew).
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Express love. You can gently stroke your guinea pig to make it comfortable and feel loved. This will help the rat to know that it is not alone and does not need to fear or worry. If you hold a guinea pig in your hand, make sure the guinea pig enjoys it and doesn’t hurt or upset it.
- Many guinea pigs enjoy being gently stroked on the forehead. If you know your guinea pig likes this, gently stroke it like that as it slowly leaves the world.
- Pay attention to the body language or sounds the mouse makes to adjust your actions accordingly, don’t let the mouse get hurt.
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Create a peaceful atmosphere. Guinea pigs will be comfortable in a warm and quiet space with a little soft light, not too bright or too dark. Soft, soothing, natural sounds (such as birdsong or the murmur of a stream) will help your rat relax. Many times, the best way is to give the mouse some space alone so it can go away peacefully. Don’t forget to visit the mouse regularly to give it food and water.
- If the mouse is particularly fond of a toy or object, place them next to the mouse. The presence of this favorite item will help the mouse feel more at peace.
- Treat your guinea pig like you would a sleeping baby, anything that can wake a sleeping baby can make a guinea pig uncomfortable.
Facing the loss
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Decide how to dispose of the rat’s body. When the guinea pig dies, you need to choose a way to dispose of its body, either way, as long as it is hygienic and out of the reach of children and other pets. [8] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source
- Combining rat disposing with memorial and burial rituals can help alleviate your grief.
- Make sure this doesn’t violate the law or health/safety rules. For example, you must not dig a rat grave on someone else’s property or set fire to a rat in an unauthorized place.
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Tell your rat’s friend that it’s dead. If your guinea pig has friends (such as a rabbit or another guinea pig) you should let them see the body of the mouse. Many animals are able to tell that their friend is dead, which sometimes helps them deal with it more gently.
- If you take a dying guinea pig out of its cage and never bring it back, other pets may become anxious or upset about being “abandoned” by their friends.
- If it’s not necessary to leave the dead guinea pig’s body alone with other pets, simply showing and sniffing your friend’s body is enough.
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Remembrance of the guinea pig. You can do this in several ways; Commemorating will both help you to acknowledge that your pet rat is gone, and to appreciate the time the rat has been with you. You can do these rituals separately or regularly in memory of your guinea pig, either way the most important thing is to feel peace of mind. You can refer to a few ways below:
- Organized guinea pig burial
- Share funny stories about guinea pigs with family and friends.
- Review old photos of mice.
- Plant flowers or trees in memory of the mouse.
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Know that grieving is normal. It’s completely natural for you to grieve over the loss of an animal you love. It will be easier for you to accept this loss if you allow yourself to grieve. This is really no different than when you are faced with the loss of a friend or family member.
- Seek help from friends, relatives or people who have been through a similar situation; Avoid contact with people who don’t understand your suffering or disregard your feelings at the time.
- Allow yourself to be sad and don’t think of your feelings as “stupid” or “meaningless”.
Advice
- Take your guinea pig to the vet when you suspect it’s sick or injured. You should not use the excuse of suspecting that your pet rat is dying without giving it medical care and a more comfortable life.
- The squeaking guinea pig may be because it is not getting enough attention. Give it your full attention when you can.
- The mouse purring may be because it is angry with its friend. You can feed the rat on your lap and give it the time it needs to calm down.
Warning
- Never adopt a pet until you have learned about their unique needs. For example, guinea pigs need a lot of vitamin C in their diet because they cannot make this vitamin on their own. [9] X Research Source
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This article was co-written by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. Dr. Elliott is a veterinarian with over thirty years of experience. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 and worked as a veterinary surgeon for 7 years. Then, Dr. Elliott worked as a veterinarian in a clinic for over a decade.
This article has been viewed 11,073 times.
Sadly, many small pets (especially rodents) have short lifespans, so we need to be mentally prepared to one day say goodbye to them. On average, guinea pigs can live for five to eight years without serious illness or injury. [1] X Research Resources If your guinea pig is approaching its end, there are many things you can do to help it live its final moments as comfortably as possible.
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