why did he die?

Question
hey there,

I just lost my 5 year old guinea pig, and I'm not sure why.  I thought it was a resportory problem, we lost one to that a year ago, but this time it was more weird. I picked him up and he seemed a little cool, but no weight loss.  It was hard for him to breath and he just wanted to hide his face.  I put him back in the cage and he wanted to be in his corner, so i left him alone, and found him this morning.  what happend??

thanks,
Candice

Answer
It could have been a respiratory problem like pneumonia or a URI, but this time it most likely affected the middle ear also, which would explain the head tilt and movement. Middle ear infections can be brought on by URIs or pneumonia, and also affect the brain.
Brittany