[Gpdd] RAINBOW BRIDGE Truffle Piggyfriend

[Penny Charlesworth]

We have had a very sad week here at Piggyfriends as our beloved senior piggy, Truffle, made the trip to the Rainbow Bridge.

When I visited Cavies Castle ( my Rodentologists ) about two years ago, there were five piggies in baskets in the sitting room. I assumed that they were holiday boarders arriving or awaiting collection or waiting for shampoos but Chris told me that they belonged to one of her clients who, because of illness in the family and other domestic problems, could no longer look after them. Two of the sows had already been offered a home.

A little golden agouti head popped up out of a basket. This was Truffle. I love all piggies but have a soft spot for golden agoutis as I have been owned by several real characters of this colour. I had recently lost two of my elderly golden agoutis, Poppy and Juniper, so, of course, I offered him a home, together with the remaining two sows, Ping and Satin.

All three piggies came with "baggage". Satin, not only her name but her coat type, was at risk of developing Osteo Dystrophy as many of you, not only Janneke, will know. Ping, her companion, had only three legs and Truffle had laboured breathing, although he had no infection or congestion and his heart was sound, but his heart rate was unnaturally slow for a piggy.

These piggies had been known to the Rodentologists at Cavies Castle for at least three years and Ping had only ever had three legs, presumably having been born that way. She ran around as fast as any four legged piggy and her disability was hidden by her long coat, as she was a Sheltie ( do you call them Silkies in the US? ). Sadly, she developed bone cancer and passed away last year. Satin is still free of OD.

Every morning, all the Piggyfriends have a chunk of carrot to munch, during which time I check that they are all eating well. Truffle always ran over the front of his pen to grab his carrot but that morning he stayed at the back of his home. I put his carrot in front of him and he tried to reach out for it but his back right leg would not work. He seemed to be laying slightly to one side.

Suspecting a stroke, I rushed him over to Cavies Castle, where my fears were confirmed. I stayed with him all morning while he was treated and I helped clean out some hospital cages. I then had to go to work so Chris and Titch said that they would keep him in the hospital. I usually take sick piggies to work with me so that they can have their meds or syringe feeds but I thought that it would be better for Truffle to stay there in peace and quiet.

The following day he seemed to have recovered a little but the next night Chris again took his cage into her bedroom so that she would be there if he needed her in the night. She was watching him sleep when suddenly he stopped breathing and he was gone before she could do any more than give him a final cuddle. She phoned me in the morning and we both had a good cry about him.

I went to fetch him home and found that Chris had wrapped him up beautifully in blue tissue paper. I have buried him next to his friend, Ping, in my lavender bed.

He is very much missed as are all the Piggyfriends past. He was a wonderful cuddle pig, who loved visitors, and I am glad that he was able to feature in the Piggy Olympigs. He was such a jolly fellow, he would have loved all the attention. As he had previously lived alone and because of his breathing, I never tried to pair him up with another boar but he had a pen placed between two groups of piggies and would spend hours chatting to them all through the wire.

I have moved some of my boars around and his pen now contains two boars with whom the others can chat.

Birdie, will you please amend the Roll Call. Including the new babes, Lilac and Lavender, who are becoming braver day by day, there are now 25 Piggyfriends.

Unless they are born here, I never know the true age of my little ones but believe that either Pansy or Satin is now the senior piggy.

R.I.P dear little man Truffle.

Penny and the sad Piggyfriends, with a host of Piggyfriends past waiting at the Rainbow Bridge.