My Dog Ate My Guinea Pig

The Short Answer is:

Guinea pigs are prey for most dogs, which means that if you’re not careful, your guinea pig may be eaten by your dog. You can get sick from eating guinea pigs with diseases like ringworm, pneumonia, and other ailments. If the animal is sick, guinea pig poop can also be harmful.

In this article you will know the answer to the query “My Dog Ate My Guinea Pig“.

The United States and the United Kingdom have almost no argument that cats and dogs are the most popular pets. Guinea pigs on the other hand are another pet thats becoming quite popular with families. 

Approximately 400 thousand guinea pigs live in the United Kingdom according to statistics. According to the last count there were about 1.3 million guinea pigs in the United States.

Many U.S. and U.K. families have both dogs and guinea pigs as guinea pigs are becoming more and more popular as domestic pets. 

We will answer all your questions about dogs eating guinea pigs and their effects in this article.

Is eating a guinea pig dangerous for my dog?

A guinea pig is not dangerous to your dog because they are like rodents and other animals your dog hunts containing skin and bones. If however the guinea pig was sick and infected your dog might catch a disease. It is possible for guinea pigs to suffer from several diseases without any symptoms. Your dog is at risk of contracting such diseases if they are communicable.

Alternatively eating the whole guinea pig poses a choking hazard to your dog which can be fatal if the situation is not treated immediately. If this happens make sure your dog gets to the vet right away.

Can guinea pigs poison a dog?

In this article we will cover two diseases that your dog may contract from guinea pigs but guinea pigs tend to suffer from a variety of diseases. 

It is possible for Guinea pigs to carry Salmonella bacteria without showing any symptoms. Even if you think your guinea pig is in perfect health if your dog eats them it will become clear that they had the disease in the first place.

Salmonella infection in dogs is most easily detected by symptoms such as nausea fever anorexia diarrhea vomiting and abdominal pain. In no time your dog would lose weight and a serious or untreated infection can cause shock and death.

Dogs can also contract a campylobacter infection from guinea pigs with symptoms that last for a week or more. Watery diarrhea fever lethargy and abdominal cramps are common symptoms you will experience. Sometimes the dogs health condition fades without any medical intervention but if it does not you can take him to the vet who can run tests and offer treatment.

How to deal with the grief when your guinea pig dies?

When a pet dies it is always heartbreaking but if it dies at the hands of another pet it is even more painful.

Children in particular can be upset when their dog eats their guinea pig. They may have nightmares if they watched it happen. Other people resent their dogs and blame them for the incident. 

Grief and guilt are two of the most common feelings associated with the loss of a pet.

The fact that you did not protect it better or keep it away from your dog might make you feel guilty. Grief will likely be a part of your life after your guinea pig passes away. 

The first thing to remember is that you did not cause the death on purpose and you could not have prevented it. Make sure you do better to protect other animals in the future.

A journey to forgiveness may take several stages including grieving your pet talking to other family members and friends about the experience writing a tribute and taking action to prevent it from happening again.

As you talk to your children about this help them love their dog once more knowing that he did not know better or he wouldnot have killed their guinea pig. 

Will my dog kill my guinea pig?

It is an instinctive part of dogs to hunt small animals and many dogs will go after them until they catch and kill them. Due to their natural inclinations several dog breeds were trained to be hunters and they will not hesitate to attack your pig.

Breeds that are most likely to kill guinea pigs and other household pets include Bloodhounds Pit bulls Golden retrievers Beagles Foxhounds Labrador retrievers Jack Russel terriers and Pointers. 

In general hunting dogs pose a significant risk to your guinea pigs.

Supervising every interaction between your dog and your child will prevent the unfortunate from occurring regardless of the breed.

Help! My dog is obsessed with my guinea pig!

There are two possible reasons why your dog is obsessed with your guinea pig: either it finds your pet interesting to watch or it just can not wait to grab ahold of it. In most cases it is the latter.

The obsession with your guinea pigs is not only unhealthy for your dog but also dangerous for the smaller animal. 

The following behaviors indicate that your guinea pigs are in danger from your dog.

• If your dog growls continuously at your guinea pig he will likely attack it the first chance he gets.
• It is a sign of danger when your dog barks excessively when it comes across the guinea pig.
• Also you might find your dog freezing and staring at your guinea pig which is a stance of attack that explains the danger simply by its position.
• Your dog has marked prey and has put your guinea pig in danger if it lunges at them when they are in your arms or cage.
• Clenching your teeth is also a sign of an upcoming attack which you should never allow to occur. 

You should keep your guinea pig away from your dog at all times if you see any of these aggressive or obsessive behaviors 

How to stop a dog from eating a guinea pig

There are several veterinarians who believe that dogs and guinea pigs can get along with the proper introduction. However you must do a lot of things correctly.

Introduce your guinea pig and dog in small steps. Make sure your dog sees the cage of the guinea pigs but not the animal during setup. Additionally you can share scents with both animals using a washcloth.

Once your dog is familiar with the piggys scent let it spend some time in the room where the guinea pig lives. As soon as your dog gets aggressive at the smell distract itt him until he calms down.

You should allow the animals to meet after a few days and make sure you have control over the dog and someone else handles the guinea pig. Watch your dogs aggression level offer a treat for good behavior and encourage your dog to calm down.

Increase your contact with your dog over time and do not scold it for being nervous; its just instinctual. Your dog should be able to associate good behavior and reinforcements with your guinea pig.

Keep your dog on a leash during all encounters and do not leave them alone to prevent accidents.

How to dog-proof your guinea pig’s cage and run

• Consider buying a guinea pig cage that is tough and dog-proof in case your dog tries to break in.
• Make your guinea pigs cage more secure with a large nesting box.
• Your dog should not be able to reach the cage so place it on a high solid surface out of its reach.
• Keep the door to your guinea pig cage closed at all times and lock the piggys cage.

What are some of the most guinea pig-friendly dog breeds?

Dog breeds differ in their training and personalities so it is difficult to predict with absolute certainty what breed of dog will be friendly to your guinea pig.

Breeds that have low prey drives or those that were raised as livestock guardians are the most suitable. Breeds such as Border Collies German Shepherds Great Pyrenees and Newfoundlands are good for guinea pigs. 

You should always seek advice before getting a dog if you plan on it being friendly with your guinea pig.

Will guinea pig poop poison my dog?

Poop from guinea pigs is mostly harmless to dogs and would have few adverse effects. 

We cannot however exclude the possibility that some guinea pigs may be infected and excrete contaminated poop.

The guinea pig may have Salmonella in its poop which is a bacterium that infects the intestines and causes vomiting fever and stomach pain.

The lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus can be transmitted from guinea pig to guinea pig through their feces.

Your pet may eat guinea pig poop if you watch him closely. It is okay for your dog to eat the food if it shows no side effects. 

Will guinea pig food harm my dog?

The food for guinea pigs mostly consists of dried vegetables like carrots corn and other seeds all of which are not harmful to them.

 However your dog will have trouble digesting these foods and they often lack the vitamins your dog needs. Your dog might also have trouble digesting the excessive amounts of fiber they contain.

The best option for your dog is to feed him food that meets his specific nutritional requirements.

Veterinary care should be sought if your dog eats guinea pig food and suffers vomiting or diarrhea.

Conclusion

By now we have established several facts about dogs and guinea pigs beginning with the fact that guinea pigs are prey for most dogs which means that if you’re not careful your guinea pig may be eaten by your dog.

You can get sick from eating guinea pigs with diseases like ringworm pneumonia and other ailments. If the animal is sick guinea pig poop can also be harmful.

Last but not least if you want to own both guinea pigs and dogs you should look for guinea pig-friendly breeds like Border Collies and Great Pyrenees. Train your dog to accept your guinea pig early on and accept the fact that they may not become best friends.

Amanda (Author)

With over a decade of experience, Amanda is a distinguished dog trainer. Her expertise in canine behavior has transformed countless lives, fostering harmonious human-canine connections. Through compassionate and personalized approaches, she empowers owners to understand and connect with their furry companions, creating a legacy of joyful tails and transformed lives.

Osvaldo Maciel (Content Reviewer)

Osvaldo Maciel, a stalwart in the field with 14 years of experience, is a revered dog trainer. His journey is defined by a profound understanding of canine behavior, shaping unbreakable human-canine bonds. Osvaldo guides owners to connect with their beloved pets, leaving an indelible mark of happiness and transformation. His legacy shines through the countless lives he has touched.