My guinea pig's eyes opened after she passed. Is this normal?

Thank you for your question about Rosie. From your description, there are a few possibilities for what this may be. Guinea pigs can develop cataracts as they age, and this makes the lenses of their eyes look white. The lens is in the center of the eye, where the pupil is. These can be irritating and can also be painful if the pressure in the eye increases as a result of the cataracts being present. Another condition that can occur in guinea pigs is osseous metaplasia. This occurs on the rim of the iris, which is the colored part of the eye. What occurs with this process is that bone is put down around the eye, making it look white. This process isn't typically painful unless it gets severe. I would recommend having Rosie evaluated by a veterinarian who is familiar with guinea pigs (and some veterinary ophthalmologists are as well, depending on your area). They can help to determine what portion of the eye is looking weird/white, and if the condition is painful or not. Depending on what they find, they may have medications that they prescribe to Rosie, including pain relievers. Please do not give Rosie any human medications, as many of them are harmful to our furry friends. I hope that gives you a place to start, and I wish you and Rosie the best!

I'm very sorry for the loss of your pet. Without a post mortem exam, it is difficult to say what could have caused such a sudden death. It may have been a genetic condition, infection or something in the environment. These little critters are very adept at concealing illness or injury even from experienced owners. You should take some solace in knowing she likely did not suffer. Monitor your remaining pig for any unusual symptoms or behaviors. Gradually reacclimate her to you. This can be done by introducing your hand into the cage for short periods of time and slowly increasing the length as she progresses. Provide small treats each time you interact with her. Once she has accepted your hand IN the cage, try petting her gently for increasing periods of time. Talk softly and move slowly. If she allows you to hold her, start off again with short periods of time until she accepts handling. It may take some time but be patient and be consistent.

I am sorry to hear about Toffee. I agree that the eye looks very painful and not salvageable. While a veterinarian may have not done this procedure on a guinea pig before it is likely that they have done it on a different species. We are trained in comparative anatomy, and very commonly do things on a specific type of animal that we haven’t worked on before. Such is the nature of veterinary medicine. You are also in a tough situation because if you leave the eye it is likely to become more infected and possibly cause your pig to become septic. I think having a very open discussion with your daughter that the guinea pig could die if you don’t do surgery, but has the chance to do well if you do try the surgery is a good idea. That way she feels like she has a voice in the decision. If you do not remove this source of pain then I think euthanasia should be considered and would be a very humane alternative to surgery. There is no right answer, but the more you discuss with your daughter and take questions back to your veterinarian the easier I think it will be to make a decision. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Try using a warm, moist cloth to remove any discharge and/or crusts from the eye so she can try and open her eye. You may also want to try and flush the eye with some saline/artificial tears. You may also need to hand feed her if she is not able to see what/where her food is. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

I am so sorry. If Brownie doesn't take a couple of breaths in 1 minute, he may have already passed away. If he is still breathing, even if very slowly, make sure he stays warm, you can try to rub some honey on his gums to prevent hypoglycemia. If he can swallow, you can syringe some water or pedialyte very, very slowly so that it doesn't accidentally go into his lungs. He should see a vet as soon as one opens.

I’m so sorry for your loss. It’s not unusual for their mouth to be in a variety of different positions at death, and depending on their skin type and breed, some dogs will appear to have their eyes closed. So the way you found her isn’t terribly out of the ordinary. I am so sorry for your sudden loss. Let us know if there’s anything else we can help you with.

I am so sorry to hear about Coco passing away so unexpectedly. Blue lips, mouth and nose is indicative of a respiratory or cardiac problem. The bluish color tells me that circulation was compromised. Based on this I would think Coco either had some sort of heart condition or pneumonia, which is very common in guinea pigs and often fatal. I'm so sorry. I hope this can give you some closure. Best of luck.