by So, you got a dead guinea pig and are worried about any health hazards? First of all, sorry for your loss because dealing with a dead guinea pig isn’t that easy.
If your friend died of some disease, you should remove the corpse carefully. You have the option of burying or cremating it but do that as soon as possible.
If it just died a natural death, you should show it to your other pets (if any). Or you can show it to its other companion guinea pigs.
But wait, there’s more, and we will discuss all that in today’s post. So, scroll down to read further.
What Are Some Symptoms Of A Guinea Pig Dying?
There are a few signs you should look for if you think your guinea pig is dying. The first major change in your guinea pig’s behavior is a sudden loss of appetite. If your guinea pig is sick, it will refuse to eat anything, which results in weight loss.
You should look for any bad feces or urine. If you see blood in their urine or stool, your friend might have developed kidney disease. In case your guinea pig has a fever, it is sick. The little animal is in need of immediate medical assistance, or it will die.
Your piggie might be dealing with respiratory issues, which is another sign that your guinea pig is dying. You might notice frequent panting, wheezing, coughing, or sneezing.
Another way to discover its sickness is that it might have developed a crusty substance around its eyes. This crusty substance at times tends to develop around its nasal passages.
What Are The Main Causes Of Sudden Death In Guinea Pigs?
You might not notice anything unusual with your little friend. But there is a chance your guinea pig can suddenly die. Following are some of the most probable reasons why this happens.
- Vitamin C deficiency can cause sudden death in guinea pigs. They need foods rich in Vitamin C as they need 20mg to 30 mg of it daily.
- They might die because they have been bred by an unethical guinea pig breeder who has bred for lab animals or reptiles. These piggies don’t stay alive very long.
- Stress can also cause sudden death in guinea pigs as they get irritable bowel syndrome that may cause them to stop eating altogether.
- They might die suddenly if their digestive system has stopped working (gut stasis).
- Salmonella can also cause sudden death in guinea pigs, and so does any dental issue.
- Your piggie might have a heart attack or pneumonia, leading to sudden death.
What Do I Do If My Guinea Pig Dies?
You can place the dead body of your deceased little friend in the cage and give it a few minutes. Others will either ignore it or look from a distance or nudge the body to wake it up. You need to remove the dead body from the cage as quickly as possible to prevent any disease transmission.
But make sure you throw away the corpse into the trash. The decaying body doesn’t smell good, and it becomes home to many dangerous bacteria that might cause a health hazard to you and your loved ones.
What Does A Guinea Pig Seizure Look Like?
There are observed autonomic signs of guinea pig seizure by scientists. Your little friend might start chewing motions and will develop foamy salivation along with dribbling. Its ears will get rigid, and an eye might start blinking, and you will also see your little friend panting heavily.
When Does The Body Of A Guinea Pig Start To Go Stiff?
A dead guinea pig develops rigor mortis, and as a result, its body muscles become stiff. It happens within a few minutes or almost an hour after its death. This condition will last for up to 72 hours. But if its eyes are still shiny and it doesn’t have stiff muscles, and you also notice heavy breathing, it is in shock.
How Long Does It Take For A Dead Guinea Pig To Decompose?
The body of a dead guinea pig might start developing odor in the next three days. This is the time when its body starts decomposing. But technically, the decomposing process begins as soon as the death occurs.
How Long Can You Keep A Dead Guinea Pig At Home?
You only have 3 days to keep your dead guinea pig. After that, this body begins to develop a very pungent smell. You shouldn’t wait for long to bury or cremate the body of your dead pet.
Do These Piggies Shut Their Eyes After Death?
No, guinea pigs do not shut their eyes after their death. They limp and fall while their eyes stay open. When your little friend is close to death, its body slowly shuts down.
My Guinea Pig Is Breathing But Not Moving. Why?
In this scenario, your little friend may lie on one side and doesn’t want to move because of sickness. You might be able to see other symptoms of illness as well.
It’s time to take your little buddy to the vet. Cavy guinea pigs might also be playing dead if you don’t see any other symptoms. They do so to evade predators out in the wild, but they might have gotten frightened if that happened to a domestic piggie.
FAQs
Why would a guinea pig die suddenly?
Your guinea pig might be old or sick. First, you need to check for any symptoms of illness. These include weeping eyes, runny nose, diarrhea, panting, heavy breathing, lethargy, and vomiting. It might have been dealing with Vitamin C deficiencies, heart attack, or sudden pneumonia.
How do you bring a dead guinea pig back to life?
Unfortunately, there is no way to bring back your little furball. If your pet has died, this situation is irreversible.
How can I tell if my little piggie is hibernating or dead?
When a guinea pig hibernates, it is sluggish as they have a very low heart rate. This is a pretty unusual situation for these piggies because they are usually very active animals. But if their body and muscles seem stiff, this is a sure sign that they are dead. If more than 24 hours have passed, their body begins to appear loose and floppy.
What do you do with a dead guinea pig?
There are two options here. You can either bury it in the ground or in a pet cemetery or cremate it. Just give its companions a little time for bereavement before taking it away.
Can you cremate a guinea pig?
Yes, you can cremate a guinea pig, and it is totally up to you what you want to do with the ashes of the deceased animal.
Will a dead guinea pig smell?
The body will decompose after 72 hours and produce a nasty smell.
Should I bury my guinea pig?
Yes, you can bury a guinea pig in your backyard or in a pet cemetery.
Can you throw away a dead guinea pig?
You cannot throw it into the trash, or the smell of its rotten corpse will spread. It begins to develop bacteria that are harmful to humans. Therefore, it is better to bury or cremate your little friend as soon as possible.
Final Word
It is important to take care of your little pet and visit your vet for a regular check-up to keep it healthy and safe. There are times when they might seem dead, but they are just in shock or are hibernating.
A dead guinea pig goes through rigor mortis for 24 hours right after its death, and after that, its body becomes loose and floppy.
If you have got a dead guinea pig, you need to arrange burial or cremation for your little friend. You can’t throw it away into the trash, or it will cause serious health hazards. If your piggies have been sick for some while, they might not have much time on their hands. You should start preparing for their final abode.
