Guinea Attacked By Cat Being Rejected By Her Mate

[Yogamum]

Sadly the neighbours cat attacked one of our guinea pigs, Coco, on the weekend. I thought she should have been euthanised, but the vet didn't agree. She is now on antibiotics and is eating, but she is not herself (and I assume never will be). She has a few scratches and puncture wounds that look fine but I think there is more serious 'structural' damage to her body. One eye is staying slightly closed, her skull bone seems to be a slightly different shape and one of her front legs is definitely positioned further back than the other leg. Poor little girl, I haven't told my children yet and don't really know what to do with her. I am keeping her inside in a snuggle sack for now.

But the bigger concern is that her sister, Sparkles, is rejecting her. They are both around 3 years old or so and have always been a pair. Sparkles is normally the bigger and more dominant of the two. When I put them together now Sparkles seems to want to attack her and is making clicky chattering sounds with her teeth, which I read is a sign of agitation or aggression. Coco looks scared and starts making crying sounds when they are together.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Gia]

I don't know anything about this, but good luck and I hope Coco will be alright!

 

[Pound Shilling & Pig]

So sorry this has happened. I would keep them separate for the time being as Coco does not need the stress of being bullied while unwell and wont be feeling able to stand up for herself. Were the piggies together when the attack happened? Sparkles will have been frightened by it too, so showing signs of aggression to her companion will, in part, be her way of dealing with the stress it has caused.

Was coco xrayed? Is she on pain relief as well as antibiotics? Is your vet piggy savvy? Puncture wounds are very dangerous and not all antibiotics are effective against the bacteria so a specialist vet will have a better idea how to treat her.

Where are you located?

 

[Lady Kelly]

I'm so sorry you are going through this. Perhaps a visit to another vet for a second opinion? Or did your vet seem to think that you needed swelling to go down to be able to see exactly what damage has been done to make an informed decision on the best way to proceed?

 

[Yogamum]

So sorry this has happened. I would keep them separate for the time being as Coco does not need the stress of being bullied while unwell and wont be feeling able to stand up for herself. Were the piggies together when the attack happened? Sparkles will have been frightened by it too, so showing signs of aggression to her companion will, in part, be her way of dealing with the stress it has caused.

Was coco xrayed? Is she on pain relief as well as antibiotics? Is your vet piggy savvy? Puncture wounds are very dangerous and not all antibiotics are effective against the bacteria so a specialist vet will have a better idea how to treat her.

Where are you located?

Thank you for this advice. I have been keeping them separate and will continue to do so and see if she gets her strength (and fur) back. Sparkles was there and had a stressful time being chased around the yard by our neighbours to get her back in the hutch. No doubt she was also traumatised, but she has always been the dominant sister and is much bigger than Coco. Coco has not been xrayed and is taking Baytril in liquid form after having an initial injection of antibiotics and painkillers. I hope she will be OK. I cannot afford another vet visit. If she did have an X-ray and there is a problem I can't imagine there is much that can be done other than surgery, and thats not something I can afford. She is walking, but not well and seems disoriented. I hope she is feeling better tomorrow.

 

[Yogamum]

I'm so sorry you are going through this. Perhaps a visit to another vet for a second opinion? Or did your vet seem to think that you needed swelling to go down to be able to see exactly what damage has been done to make an informed decision on the best way to proceed?

It was a late night emergency vet service. Unfortunately another visit to the vet is not possible and I will see how she goes. She doesn't seem to cry when I touch her leg, but she isn't herself and no doubt never will be the same. I am so cross with myself for not checking the hutch...

 

[Pound Shilling & Pig]

I would ask your vet for some liquid pain relief/anti-inflamatory too to give her daily

 

[Rainah]

How did the piggys get out the hutch?

 

[RosieMaia]

I would ask your vet for some liquid pain relief/anti-inflamatory too to give her daily

Ditto! Being pain-free surely will help with her quality of life, and it will have the added benefit of reducing any inflammation that may be causing the problems.

I imagine she's not eating much, so you can offer her some mushed pellets/critical care mix with a syringe, and keep her hay and water within easy access. I'd fix a small cage/enclosure for the piggy, in a quiet, secluded area, where she will feel safe and will be able to recover.

 

[Yogamum]

Thank you all for your words of encouragement. She seems a lot stronger today and her leg seems to be normal. She is more mobile and eating well too. What an amazing animal! We will take day at a time on the road to recovery and when she gets her strength back I will reintroduce her to her sister.