Conjoined Twins in Guinea Pigs (Cavia porcellus): Case Report

This study reports a case of conjoined twins in guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) from the Peru breed, in the Cajamarca region, Peru. A one-year-old female gave birth to normal offspring and a pair of conjoined twins born dead; The latter were carried out with morphological, radiographic and echographic evaluations, and the blood count and serum biochemical profile of the dam were analyzed. The twins presented cephalothoraco-omphalopagus fusion, characterized by a single skull with cyclopia, arhinia and astomy, ventral thoracoabdominal fusion, the pelvis separated and four extremities (four pairs) completely dislocated. Radiographic and ultrasound evaluations identified two hearts and two pairs of kidneys, with preserved gross sonographic morphology and no evident major structural abnormalities. The maternal blood count showed mild hypochromic macrocytosis and mild thrombocytopenia, with the rest of the hematological and biochemical parameters within normal ranges. It was concluded that the hallmarks are compatible with an early developmental disturbance affecting midline structures, although the precise timing and etiology could not be definitively established, which selectively affected the structures of the medial line. This report expands the scarcity of evidence available on serious congenital malformations in guinea pigs.