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Poor guinea pig died under very unusual circumstances

Buzz_N_Oreo

Buzz_N_Oreo

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Hello.
We have been guinea pig owners for many years. Sadly, time comes when they pass away, which of course is very sad but it’s always the average lifespan of above and they have lived a very happy and fulfilling life. We have also came to understand the typical characteristics of a dying guinea pig and what they look like when they are dead.

this morning we found our poor 11 month old guinea pig had passed away very suddenly. What shocked us even more was the state of her poor body. It was unrecognisable. Her face was a skeleton with blood everywhere, she had no fur and skin and bones. Where as under 24 hours before, she was a very healthy, very loud looking guinea pig. We are just very confused! You would not have known it was her. She lived with one other guinea pig who is very placid and they got on very well. I know the first thought may be some kind of attack but this would be so out of character and wouldn’t really explain why she was in such a bad state after such a short time.

it’s all a little too late now but if anyone does have any feedback or experience of this, it would help a very upset family at the moment.
 
I'm so sorry for your loss and to find her in such an awful state.

Do they live inside or outside?
it is unlikely she was attacked by the other piggy
 
Piggies&buns said:
I'm so sorry for your loss and to find her in such an awful state.

Do they live inside or outside?
it is unlikely she was attacked by the other piggy
Click to expand...
Piggies&buns said:
I'm so sorry for your loss and to find her in such an awful state.

Do they live inside or outside?
it is unlikely she was attacked by the other piggy
Click to expand...

thank you for your reply 🙏.
They lived outside but now cold weather we moved them to conservatory. It’s reassuring to know it’s unlikely she was attacked. It was the poor 11 month old who was always ‘boss’ so it did seem unlikely and not a scratch or any sign of anything unusual on our lovely guinea pig left behind.
 
Buzz_N_Oreo said:
Hello.
We have been guinea pig owners for many years. Sadly, time comes when they pass away, which of course is very sad but it’s always the average lifespan of above and they have lived a very happy and fulfilling life. We have also came to understand the typical characteristics of a dying guinea pig and what they look like when they are dead.

this morning we found our poor 11 month old guinea pig had passed away very suddenly. What shocked us even more was the state of her poor body. It was unrecognisable. Her face was a skeleton with blood everywhere, she had no fur and skin and bones. Where as under 24 hours before, she was a very healthy, very loud looking guinea pig. We are just very confused! You would not have known it was her. She lived with one other guinea pig who is very placid and they got on very well. I know the first thought may be some kind of attack but this would be so out of character and wouldn’t really explain why she was in such a bad state after such a short time.

it’s all a little too late now but if anyone does have any feedback or experience of this, it would help a very upset family at the moment.
Click to expand...

Hi!

Companions of piggies that have died very suddenly without warning (stroke or heart attack) can bite deeply into the face of their departed mate in an increasingly desperate attempt to revive and wake up a beloved friend. It is not very common, but we are contaced about around a handful of cases every year by upset owners trying to make sense of what has happened. However, yours seems to have gone a bit beyond what is normally reported as wounds only tend to go as far as the bone.

Do you have indoors or outdoors piggies?
 
Thank you so much for your reply.
They are inside the conservatory at night but put outside in the day time.
 
I'm so sorry I haven't heard of anything like that atall. Do you have any other pets in the house? X
 
Buzz_N_Oreo said:
Thank you so much for your reply.
They are inside the conservatory at night but put outside in the day time.
Click to expand...

Have you made sure that the conservatory could not be accessed by a rat? They can get through amazingly small gaps.

Anyway, piggies don't kill their companions in vicious attacks like that, so please concentrate on caring for the very upset companion.
Looking After A Bereaved Guinea Pig
 
Oh how upsetting, I am sorry this has happened to your young guinea. You might not be able to figure it out right away or at all but if it was me I'd bring the other into the house or move it out of the conservatory. I wouldn't consider it a safe place.
 
I’m so sorry, it must be very upsetting to find your piggie in such a poor state.
Sleep tight little one 🌈
I do remember a member of the forum finding a piggie had died and was wanting to put it’s partner up for adoption. He said he could not feel the same way again about the surviving piggie. Once someone had explained that this dear surviving piggie had desperately tried to revive its partner by biting its face, he felt relieved and realised it had not been a vicious attack. He kept the surviving piggie and was planning on finding a new companion. I hope this helps x
 
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