[Gpdd] Announcement: Panda passing

[Chizeck, Susan P]

I am very sad to announce the death of our sweet little guinea pig Panda.

Princess Panda Piggie 
 August 3, 2000 to September 15, 2003

My little singing piggie.  How she flirted and her ears flapped when she got excited.  She loved flirting with the boys.  She was the tiny runt, always hiding from her three big rowdy brothers.  She loved hiding under the bridge, well into adulthood.  Always small in size, she never minded being picked up and probably had weak eyesight, as she never ran away and sometimes lost her food if it fell.  She was always the strongest wheeker and our only singing piggie.  Many times we went looking for an escaped bird to find Panda singing her heart out, ears aflap.  She had very sharp ears, and could hear me coming from the garage, wheeking loudly for me to come and feed them.

This spring she seemed to be breathing hard and vibrating a lot.  The vet found she had fluid around the heart and an enlarged heart, congestive heart failure.  He started her on lasix and she immediately improved, living four more months than expected.  She loved her coconut flavored lasix and eagerly took it when offered.  Such a sweet and loving disposition, always ready to nestle her tiny furry self in your arms.

She seemed fluffed up and weak tonight, wouldn't eat, so I held her for awhile after their exercise time.  She suddenly got agitated and tried to jump off my lap, so I put her back in her house.  But she couldn't stand up and laid on her side.  So I took her back to my lap and stroked her.  She had a few little seizures, I think, breathed through her mouth, then was quiet.  She went peacefully, finally stopping breathing.  Such soft fur, white with a black bottom half, and a little rosette of golden fur above her forehead.  I can't quite believe she is gone, our sweetie little piggie girl.

Panda is survived by her mother Obi, father Mattimeo, brothers Sam and Martin (and his wife Ginger).  Brother Rodney predeceased her last year.  And of course her family of slaves.

On another note we hear that Martin and Ginger must find a new home in the Dallas area, so if anyone knows of a piggieless home, get in touch.

Sue