[Gpdd] RE: HEALTH... Chloe's cyst on vaginal wall & Maggie's passing...

Michelle Melaragno doc141melaragno at adelphia.net
Thu Oct 21 20:31:28 EDT 2004


Hi to all,
	It's rare that I post here, but am always absorbing information
from everyone's posts!  I truly enjoy the digest!  
	First, I want to send along my condolences to all who have
recently lost a guinea pig friend.  It is hard to explain in words the
friendship these wonderful little creatures offer us, and I am so
grateful to have them in my life.  It is equally difficult to explain
the sorrow and pain we all endure when that sad day comes when our
friend must go.  Since starting my rescue about 2 years ago, I have only
lost one very unhealthy and very old boar who I had euthanized. (I have
taken in 83 pigs to this point, and have found wonderful adoptive homes
for more than 50!) Peppe was the only one I've lost, that is, until
Wednesday morning. 
	Maggie, one of the girls that I rescued from the Concord, NH
SPCA crew of 45 brought in this past July, died unexpectedly.  I
discovered her when I got home after a DR’s appointment.  Doesn’t look
like she suffered
she was lying peacefully in her pigloo and her eyes
were closed.  I am going to have the vet do a necropsy to see if there
are any contagious issues I should be concerned about with the two other
girls she was with.  My gut tells me that with the poor care, mites,
dirty conditions and number of times she was pregnant, as well as the
fact that I have no idea how old she was, were all contributing factors
to why she died. Two weeks after she arrived, she gave birth to 3 very
large pups...2 sows that have been adopted, and Lucas who will forever
be with me and his friend Solo.  I returned from CT Tuesday night, and
she greeted me with her paws up on the side of the cage.  I’m really
stumped as to why she died so suddenly. I’ve known all along that this
is part of the package, and every morning I do a “head check” to make
sure no one has died.  There are a couple who would not surprise me if
they were dead one morning.  I did not expect Maggie to go so soon.  I’m
so glad I still have her son Lucas (the one with the ear deformities,
eye issue and funny voice!)  When they came in, she was less than 2
pounds, even while pregnant!  When I weighed her recently, she was about
2 ¾ pounds!  I wonder if her heart gave out with all the good food
you
know, the Karen Carpenter syndrome.  I’m so sad to lose her

	On a completely different road, I'll tell Chloe's story.  Chloe
arrived in my rescue about 6-7 weeks ago.  She had been neglected by her
young owner, and I attributed her low weight to be a result of poor and
infrequent feeding.  Chloe is a 3 1/2 - 4 year old Abyssinian.  After a
few weeks of no real weight gain, a trip to my vet put us on a course of
extra Vit C first, then if no results, start with Bactrim to take care
of any underlying infection.  Two days after I started her on Bactrim,
Chloe had what I first thought was a uterine prolapse.  The next day at
the vet (not my regular one) I was told it was a vaginal prolapse.
Chloe was anesthetized and the vet put it back in and put a stitch
across her vulva to hold it in.  That night, she again pushed the mass
(about the size of a marble) out underneath the stitch.  I spent another
night awake and holding it inside her every time she tried to pee and
poop.  THANKFULLY, my vet was in the next day.  She discovered that is
was not a vaginal prolapse.  It was a tumor attached by a very tiny vein
to the vaginal wall.  She snipped it off, put a small suture in, and
Chloe came home.  Through this all, Chloe was quiet, but not restful.
She was eating VERY LITTLE.  I picked fresh kale from my garden and
grass from my long, un-mowed lawn and started her on Critical Care,
which she ate well most of the time.  She has gained back a couple of
ounces slowly, but most significant has been her demeanor!  She is
obviously feeling better, demanding food and attention, and really
snapping at me (but not breaking the skin!) when I reach in for her!
I'm sure she's about done with all the "treatment" for her illness!  She
is now off antibiotics and eating better, but not as much as I would
like her to. 
	The results of the biopsy of the mass was that it was a benign
tumor!!!  Chloe has not yet reached 2 pounds, but she is eating well.
  
*****I wrote most of this yesterday after Maggie had died.  Today, my
vet examined her and found nothing significant to indicate why she had
died.  She does not suspect anything contagious or congenital.  She said
she actually looked very healthy inside.  I'm confused and bummed, but
we'll all carry on here!  Maggie's new journey will erase all the
terrible memories of an unfortunate life, and leave her only with the
memories of kindness, friendship, good food and fun!  (Sorry so long on
this one, too!!!)
	
	
Michelle Melaragno
Whistle Ridge Cavy Rescue
576 Trapp Road
Auburn, ME 04210
207-783-0742






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