When Samantha Mesher bought two guinea pigs for her daughters, they immediately fell in love and were in the clouds – until the tragedy struck only weeks later.
The mother of two found the pets dead on the bottom of their cage, with blood from one of their mouths, making the family 'traumatized'.
Mrs. Mesher, from Taunton, Somerset, had bought the guinea pigs from pets at home.
They died abruptly of suspicious Streptococcus, generally known as Strep.
The pet store has since been forced to stop selling the animal due to an outbreak of illness.
She bought the pets from a Taunton branch and her daughters, four and 11 years old, “immediately loved them,” she told MailOnline.
Within a few weeks, the guinea pigs, called Coco and Fudge, fell to death and the children left behind.
“It was meant as a nice thing with guinea pigs, but it really infected it for them,” said Mrs. Mesher.
Fudge the guinea pig (depicted) suddenly died. She was found in her cage with blood and mucus foaming by the mouth and nose
Samantha Mesher bought two guinea pigs from pets at home in Taunton, Somerset who died abruptly of suspicious Streptococcus, generally known as Strep
Mrs. Mesher bought Fudge as a replacement for their previous guinea pig -coco, who also died within a few weeks
The mother of two bought the pets from a Taunton branch and her daughters, four and 11 years old, 'she immediately loved them'
'Animals are intended to teach children at a young age of life and death, and it can be a good thing, but not within the space of a week, and then another week with two guinea pigs who die.
“It has been really traumatic for them as children, you expect that they have at least a few years to love an animal and take care of an animal, not to see someone dying constantly.”
Coco, who was bought as a couple, used to be 'dominant' with her other hairy friend, before she suddenly became 'really skinny'.
“She stopped eating. She refused quickly and we saw that she couldn't breathe. So he just craved air. She had mucus and things that came out of her mouth and nose.
“My daughters absolutely cried.”
After she took her home to a pets vet, the mother was told that her guinea pig was a 'run of the nest' and that some are born with circumstances that can only be noticeable weeks later.
Later she was told that the animal had possible bronchitis or anorexia.
However, Mrs. Mesher remains doubtful.
“I didn't know that a guinea pig could have a mental health status,” she said. “Strep is definitely what she had.”
She was then advised to buy another guinea pig, so that Coco's partner was not left alone.
'We were told to buy a guinea pig there and then, and then get home, to completely clean the cage, with all the sprays and everything I had bought at home, had done the cage again and then introduced a new guinea pig.
“So we did. I cleaned the cage from top to bottom, so it would have none of the old guinea pig odors.
“But the original guinea pig would not go near Fudge anywhere. She was almost baked in the cage.
'A week later we stroked the guinea pigs in the morning and we noticed that the new guinea pig had bleed a nose. So we thought that is really strange.
“The girls went to school. An hour later I went to check and she was dead in her cage with blood and mucus foaming at the mouth and nose.
“It was absolutely terrible. I was just so shocked and angry.
'My youngest daughter is four and I did not tell her that the second had died because she was in floods of tears. But my oldest daughter is 11 and she has been absolutely distraught. '
The mother anxiously waited for the advice of pets at home, who said they had contacted customers who bought guinea pigs with 'detailed advice and guidance'
The children were in 'floods of tears' when their beloved pets died
After the death of her two guinea pigs, the mother was told to buy another pet as a replacement. “I felt it was almost like it was like a broken t-shirt,” she said
The mother returned to the pet store and asked for an autopsy, but was told that the animals are susceptible to breathing problems.
“In the next breath I was told:” Do you want to take the guinea pig home and bury it? ” What I was irritated, “said Mrs. Mesher.
She was also told that she had to buy another pet as a replacement, and she soon bought pepper.
'I felt that it was almost as if I would return a broken T-shirt. It just started to choose and choose another. And that's all. They were just like £ 30 raw materials for them. '
The mother remains concerned about the health of pepper and her other guinea pig -denoreo.
Pets at home, which has more than 471 stores throughout the country, stopped selling the pets after Strep was found at the animals.
A spokesperson for pets at home told MailOnline that they are 'confident' that the outbreak is isolated and fully managed 'and that they will' resume the sales and adoption of guinea pigs, very soon '.
Despite the heartache of losing their second guinea pigs, the family soon bought another one, called Pepper
The report of a veterinarian suggested that Coco suffered from potential bronchitis or anorexia. But Mrs. Mesher is sure it was strep
Strep can cause life -threatening pneumonia in guinea pigs and dangerous infections in other animals.
Symptoms can cough, vomiting, extreme weakness, stiffness, muscle vibrations, attacks, intense pain and possibly bleeding from the nose or bloody diarrhea.
Human cases of the disease are rare, although it can be spread from animals to people.
Some customers who have purchased guinea pigs from the chain have been contacted by the chain with 'detailed advice and guidance'.
Pets at home said earlier that they had identified a small percentage of the cases of infections in their population of the guinea pig resulting from Streptococcus Equi Zoepidemus.
“Pet Welfare is always our top priority and as a precautionary measure we have taken rapid and immediate action to temporarily pause the sale or adoption of guinea pigs,” said a spokesperson.
'We will contact customers who have recently bought a guinea pig with detailed advice and guidance.
'If you are worried immediately, contact your local pets at home or veterinary provider for more advice.
“Strep is 100% what they both had,” Mesher added.
“But we were never asked to return the two guinea pigs that we had.
'When I asked pets at home why they didn't tell me to give them back, they asked for proof of purchasing and vet notes.
“I noticed that it was almost as if I rubbed salt in the wounds by being preached that I had bought these guinea pigs.”
A spokesperson for pets said: 'We know how difficult it is to lose a beloved pet and be in contact with Mrs. Mesher.
'Unfortunately, it is not possible to determine afterwards whether their specific diseases were connected to Streptococcus Equi Zoepidemicus.
“However, a reimbursement has been provided to cover the costs for Coco and Fudge, and we have also offered to offer a free consultation and to check Oreo and Pepper to ensure that they are both happy and healthy.”
