Snickerspants Vol. 7: A New Day
- AldenM1
- Supporter in '21
I hate that it feels like I'm just checking in to report deaths, but... we lost VickieWhiskers last night.
VW was diagnosed with pulmonary edema and heart disease in February of 2016. She has been on three meds and painkillers since. She has lived alone in the swank hospice cage since Cookie died last year, and she absolutely did not mind. I'm extravagant with my dying pets, so she's been subsisting on a diet mostly of organic baby food for that entire time too. She lost over 500g in that time, but never lost her sass -- bar-chewing and even wheeking until just a month or so ago. And even as I contemplated how much more weight she could lose before she just vanished entirely, she was eating and bright-eyed and moving around. Just four days ago she chided me for taking too long to clean her cage, and then did the normal inspection routine to make sure I'd put everything back properly. I kept telling her to let me know when she was ready to go; it just took her 28 months to do so.
She stopped eating, basically, two days ago. A half-hearted nibble here and there but nothing else. I did get about 5ml of Critical Care into her last night, and 5ml of water, just because I know how dehydration can feel crappy. But I wasn't going to fight her to get more in there because there just so obviously wasn't going to be a point. So I quit after that last syringe of water, told her we were done, and told her that she could choose how she wanted to leave, and that if she was still around in the morning I'd help out. She wasn't. She always, always did her own thing, and I'm grateful to her for doing this one too.
VW was diagnosed with pulmonary edema and heart disease in February of 2016. She has been on three meds and painkillers since. She has lived alone in the swank hospice cage since Cookie died last year, and she absolutely did not mind. I'm extravagant with my dying pets, so she's been subsisting on a diet mostly of organic baby food for that entire time too. She lost over 500g in that time, but never lost her sass -- bar-chewing and even wheeking until just a month or so ago. And even as I contemplated how much more weight she could lose before she just vanished entirely, she was eating and bright-eyed and moving around. Just four days ago she chided me for taking too long to clean her cage, and then did the normal inspection routine to make sure I'd put everything back properly. I kept telling her to let me know when she was ready to go; it just took her 28 months to do so.
She stopped eating, basically, two days ago. A half-hearted nibble here and there but nothing else. I did get about 5ml of Critical Care into her last night, and 5ml of water, just because I know how dehydration can feel crappy. But I wasn't going to fight her to get more in there because there just so obviously wasn't going to be a point. So I quit after that last syringe of water, told her we were done, and told her that she could choose how she wanted to leave, and that if she was still around in the morning I'd help out. She wasn't. She always, always did her own thing, and I'm grateful to her for doing this one too.
- AldenM1
- Supporter in '21
Back for record-keeping purposes to note that we lost Clairee Claudia "Cici" this weekend. She was a bit off her feed Friday and then died Saturday, so I have no idea what happened, but I'm grateful that it was quick. She was the little mama who gave us such joy by giving birth on webcam in 2014. I will miss her a lot. <3
One of the few negative things about these pets is when we lose them. We find comfort in knowing that we gave them a great home and a happy life and that they added happiness to ours. Alden, it's obvious from your postings that your guinea pigs are very lucky to have you as their hooman. I'm very sorry for the loss of your piggies.