Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa's dog Zinna's cause of death has been revealed.
The 12-year-old kelpie mix was found dead alongside Gene and Betsy in their $3.8 million Santa Fe home on February 26.
Zinna had been left locked in his crate while recovering from a big surgery after being picked up from a veterinary hospital on February 9.
According to a report obtained by The Associated Press from the state Department of Agriculture's veterinary lab, Zinna likely died from dehydration and starvation.
The report detailed partial mummification of the dog and noted that while the severe decomposition could have obscured changes in the organs, there was no evidence of infectious disease, trauma or poisoning that could have resulted in Zinna's death.
It was also noted that Zinna's stomach was mostly empty except for small quantities of hair and bile.
© Animal Rescue Inc/ FacebookGene and Betsy were discovered last month by a security officer who was called by the couple's maintenance worker. The employee became suspicious after the pair failed to answer the door.
Betsy's body was found decomposed with bloating on her face and mummification in her hands and feet. Gene's body was discovered with the same signs of decomposition as his wife.
© Getty ImagesAlmost two weeks after they were found dead, their causes of death were revealed by Dr Heather Jarrell, the chief medical examiner for New Mexico.
She told a press conference that it was "reasonable to conclude" that Betsy, 64, died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome on February 11; Hantavirus can be fatal and is spread by rodents' body fluids and excrement, and produces flu-like symptoms.
© Getty ImagesGene died six days later on February 17, and an autopsy revealed the 95-year-old had a history of cardiovascular disease, along with advanced Alzheimer's.
The Oscar-winning actor had a history of heart attacks and high blood pressure, and officials said that "hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease" was the cause of death, "with Alzheimer’s disease as a significant contributory factor".
Both deaths were ruled as natural, and no signs of internal or external trauma were found.
© Getty ImagesIn a recent interview, Santa Fe Police Chief Brian Moya revealed that first responders were searching for Gene for around 30 minutes before the couple's two surviving dogs, German Shepherd Bear and Akita-shepherd mix Nikita, guided them to his body.
Authorities had quickly found Betsy "splayed on the bathroom floor" with the couple's third dog, Zinna, who was dead in a locked crate in the bathroom closet, after she was seen lying on the floor by the maintenance worker who dialled 911.
© Getty ImagesSeveral sheriff's deputies, paramedics and Santa Fe firefighters soon began to search for Gene, meticulously checking other rooms in the sprawling house without any luck.
During the search, one of Gene and Betsy's dogs kept barking at them and running off in different locations. At first, paramedics thought the dog wanted to play. Then, they realized it wanted them to follow.
© Getty Images"They realized (the dog) was trying to say, 'Hey, come over here! Come over here!'" Brian told USA Today.
The dog led first responders to Gene's body in a mudroom in the far end of the home.
