Liz Buchanan BVSc MRCVS
Keymaster
Oh Im so sorry - that sounds utterly miserable. Of course, I cannot tell you at this point why or how that happened and it may be bad luck and nothing that you have done. However, we kept guinea-pigs very differently when I was a child to what is reccommended now because it has been repeatedly shown that the longevity of guinea-pigs may be strongly related to husbandry. It is known for example, that guinea-pigs are social aninals; that they are less stressed and happier when kept with friends. That they should have a run, yes, but are most secure if they have cover, for example if they can run through hay or tunnels (it is stressful for guinea-pigs being exposed to the open grassland). That they thrive on hay for food with only small amounts of sweeter food (and that 'guinea-pig mix' should be seen as optional pudding, rather than the main meal). That guinea-pig teeth easily overgrow, making it harder for them to eat, if they don't chew enough fibre. That guinea-pigs need to consume sufficient vitamin C. If any of this is new to you, reading about guinea-pig husbandry may be extremely important. There is a great blog on our blog-page called 'How to keep your guinea pig happy and healthy,' which may help. There is also something called guinea-pig awareness week, aimed at publicising the essentials of guinea-pig care. You can probably read about this, or ask your vet for more information. I hope that something there is useful to you.
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