[Gpdd] Bridge: the passing of Obi

[Chizeck, Susan P]

Obi Wan Kenobi  (~Nov. 15, 1999 - July 8, 2005)

We found Obi at Petsmart in January 2000 and built a home for our "male"
guinea pig, our very first pet.  Obi was highly territorial and every
time we cleaned the cage, "he" walked around the cage leaving poos in a
line around the edge to define the territory.   As a pet store pig, "he"
needed to define his space.  In April we adopted Mattimeo, a baby male
pig to be a companion for Obi.   It took a while for Obi and Mattie to
sort out their dominance, with Mattie always trying to mount Obi, who
bore it stoically.  At some point we all realized that Obi was indeed a
girl, and a rather pregnant one at that.  

Obi gave birth to 4 babies, all now deceased.  She was a wonderful
mother, letting everyone nurse, with a patient look in her eyes.  We
adopted out the boys, Martin, Rodney, and Sam and kept the little girl
runt, Panda.  Panda was our beautiful tiny singing pig who died at age 3
of congestive heart failure.  After Mattie was neutered, the three of
them lived together quite happily, and then just the two of them these
last years.  In the last year, Obi developed kidney problems, not
concentrating her urine well, but stayed healthy by drinking a lot, then
peeing a lot.  She always had a healthy appetite.  In the last few
months, I noticed she had abdominal pain when I massaged her sides and
was found by ultrasound to have a greatly swollen ovary.  She had her
hormone shots and soon was to have another ultrasound to see if it had
shrunk.  The last day or so, she ate a small amount, but refused to
drink and when I syringed water into her, she started to choke.  She
kept munching hay, but she became very frail and Friday I was taking her
to the vet after work to get subcutaneous fluids.  But she had passed
away in the few hours I was away, looking placid and relaxed in her
corner.  I couldn't believe her little furriness, the cute ears, the
sweet feet, the tiny teeth and lips, all still.  Obi's autopsy revealed
hugely swollen ovaries, but the cause of death was gall bladder
problems, stones blocking the bile duct.

Obi was rather feisty and kept her own counsel.  She always wheeked
enthusiastically when I came in the back door, hoping for a treat.  She
loved a lap sit, with petting and carrots, and always tried to hold off
peeing until I put her back into her house.  She was a good wife to
Mattie, holding long discussions when they ate dinner together.  She was
not above trying to get his lettuce leaves, never realizing he just went
and nibbled on hers instead.  She always chatted with me as we sat,
telling me the news of the day and giving her opinions on the world.  Of
our piggies, Mattie purrs, Panda sang, and Obi chortled away, always so
talkative.  

The vet let me sit with her for an hour, crying away and holding her for
the last time.  She will forever be my Obi Wan, a no-nonsense warrior
woman, good mother and wife, a most excellent pig.

Susan P. Chizeck,