[Gpdd] (Bridge) Oscar

Stacy Harvey ckrtsqrl2000 at yahoo.com
Mon Oct 15 17:47:23 EDT 2007


All,
  It is with a heavy heart that I must announce the passing of yet another member of the Squee Squad. Today I had to help Oscar across the bridge; he developed some serious edema in his abdomen and neck over the weekend, and the doctor thought it might have been kidney or heart failure. I decided against trying to test for whatever it was, because, at 6.5 years and with possible organ failure, the doctor and I didn't feel like he was a good candidate for anesthesia to even draw the blood needed for the tests. He wasn't in any pain and I wanted to keep it that way; no sense in him spending his last days being poked and prodded and overstressed. His passing was peaceful and I was able to call my husband and get him to the vet's office so he could say his goodbyes (when the last two passed, Teddy and Jerry, he was in Afghanistan.) The vet spent a lot of time with me and told me that she rarely sees guinea pigs of that age so I was doing a good job taking care of them. Still,
 it always hurts when we have to let one go; no matter how old they are, it's never "old enough" is it?.
   
  Oscar was one of 6 pigs that I brought with me all the way from Hawaii. His younger brother died suddenly of unknown causes in the care of a good friend before they were flown to Maryland.There is only one of the six left now and that is Maxine. She is well over 6.5 years old herself. But, knock on wood, she seems to be doing fine for now.
   
  I believe Oscar's cagemate, Pinkerton, knew what was going on because he spent all of yesterday and most of today lying right up next to Oscar, which is something he'd never done before. I was touched by his trying to be a comfort to Oscar. The two never fought or anything like that, but they were two boar's boars so they never did anything unmanly like sleep snuggled together before. Sigh. Now I hope one of my other boars can get along with Pinky. He doesn't like living alone.
   
  Stacy and the saddened Squee Squad (Maxine, Tigger, Willie, Pinky, Scooter, Pip and Lulu Belle--who has not been announced on the Digest yet.)

       
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