[Gpdd] RAINBOW BRIDGE: My two precious piggies

[Julie Juwles Johnson]

Hi all

This is going to be a long post........... but it is something I need to talk about, even though I can hardly see the keyboard for crying.

I have not been able to write to tell my sad news, that my Archie, my  beloved Archie whom I've been syringe feeding since end-February, passed away in my arms @ 4am on Wednesday 26 September 2007.   He fought to his dying breath.      I never loved him more than that time.......... he tried so hard to stay with me, 

I had decided that the next day I would take him to the vet to help him to the bridge, but I said lots of prayers, praying that the decision be taken out of my hands and that he pass away with his mummy holding & loving him.     My prayer was answered.  

I have been desolate, bereft, lost........ Archie was literally my life, and I was his life.     We had the most special bond that I cannot describe or believe could be felt between piggy and human.  He fought for his last breath.   I begged him to give in and finally be at peace.  I knew that night there was something going to happen, because Archie was very restless and he could not keep any syringed food in his mouth, it just constantly dribbled out.

I had noticed the serious difference in his health the Friday before his death.   On the Friday morning he was so feisty and said I don't want any more syringe feeding, I'll eat it myself!   I put his critical care/mash on a plate and he lapped it all up like a dog.   I had the stupidity to think maybe he'd be alright.   But by that afternoon he couldn't open his eyes properly, and I could see his was indeed coming close to the end.    He lost an enormous amount of weight in 2 weeks prior to his death - 300 grams.        Maybe he had something else happening in his poor, frail little body.   I recall not noticing him doing any wees for quite a while, but this was only a hindsight thought.  All my other thoughts were to keep the syringe feeding going.   He could have suffered renal failure at the end.   

The vet said his eyes would have sunken in because he lost so much weight and the fat pads weren't there to hold his eyes open properly.  He still knew me, even though I don't think he could see me anymore.   He spent hours standing on my arm that night; he didn't want food, just me.

At his death he weighed a mere 400 grams - 1/3rd of his weight when I rescued him on 2/5/06. 

Archie & I had got into the habit of sleeping together in my bed, and when he was hungry he'd jumped out of his pigloo on to my face, and I'd know it was time to feed him.   I'd be up at all hours of the night feeding my boy, just small amounts, but trying to keep him feeling sustained.

The night he died I took him to bed as usual, and he snuggled into my neck/face for most of the night, but he was restless and kept running over my pillows or on to me until I cuddled him back down.

Losing Archie was the worst thing that I could think of that could ever happen in my life, and I have lived with the fear of losing him every day since 28/2/07.    I guess I'm now exhausted, spiritually and physically, but I am grateful that my boy is out of agony.   He so much wanted to be a "normal" piggy and kept trying to eat on his own - he'd eat bits of watermelon or cucumber, but he especially loved my Mum's pumpkin scones!    That last day of his life, he had no interest in the scones, so that was another sign.

That's not where the tragedy ends.         I thought I would be able to take comfort in my other beloved piggy Dougall, when Archie passed away.  It wasn't to be.   Dougall died on 7/8/07, it was a tragic tragic accident that I'll never come to terms with.    Doogie was a happy, healthy, fat & cuddly piggy whom I adored - he was my rock, always just there, taking care of himself without much attention from me because most of my attention was centred on Archie.

The tragedy is that he died when he needn't have.     There are some extensions happening at my place and Doogs was a nervous piggy around noise.   My Mum is coming to live with me following my Dad's death 2 years ago.  Mum was staying with me in early August.    We thought the best thing would be to take Doogie and Archie for a drive down the mountain to the coast, choose some carpet, tiles, etc for the extension and get him away from the noise of heavy excavation equipment, etc..    It was freezing in the mountains when we left, so we put the piggies in a carry bag on a hot water bottle.    Twenty minutes later Mum said Doogie's acting funny.   I took one look at him and knew he was dying from heatstroke.     I stopped the car, threw water all over him, rushed to a local car yard and had them turn the hose on Doogie and then rushed him to a vet.    When we arrived the vet was doing CPR and putting oxygen mask on Doogie, then he kept throwing these drops into his mouth/nose area.

I was told Doogie would be okay but to come back in 5 hours so they could keep an eye on him.

When I went back I was not happy, it was not my Doogie.  I was told to treat him as I normally do, but I decided he needed critical care and some gatorade to replace electrolytes, etc.   He showed no interest in food or water, and me, being stupidly hopeful, thought....... this is Doogie, he just needs a good night's sleep after his near-death experience and next morning he would be himself, munching away.     When I awoke at 6am next morning, I knew he was dying.   I stupidly rushed him to a vet before opening hours ($90 the creepy vet took from me to tell me my pig was dead on arrival).    I should have just held him in his last moments, and given the comfort and love he needed.

I will never forgive that stupid homeopathic vet who thought heatstroke was treated with wonder drops!    Doogie should have been having subcutaneous fluid injections, should have been wrapped in a wet towel and had that towel constantly changed, and been syringed water.   He might have stood a chance at surviving if I had treated him myself. and not left him with some voodoo doctor.  I have also learnt a valuable lesson about guinea pigs not surviving hot days and the value of not having an overweight piggy (Archie wasn't affected by the heat because he had no body fat).

In some ways losing Doogie has been harder than losing Archie because Doogie's death was unnecessary, tragic, accidental and he was such a happy piggy.   He was the best snuggle piggy I've had.

So, within the space of 6 or 7 weeks, I found myself an orphaned slave and have been beside myself with grief.

I finally succumbed and went to the RSPCA to get another piggy, because I knew that was the only cure for my desolation.

I now am mother to Brandy Alexander Johnson, I think he is a crested/Peruvian.  He's a bit underweight, so I'm looking forward to giving him a loving home and letting him know that not all humans are stinkers and dump their animals!   The excuse of the owner dumping Brandy as well as his two other male mates was because the pig house was blown down in winds!!!!!!!

When I was at the RSPCA, there were so many people dropping off dogs, and I think only myself and one other person adopting.   I wish I could have taken all the piggies there - 2 more males and 2 females, but I don't have the area to keep them (my sister already owns two piggies and they will be coming to live with me and Mum too).   The more I see of people and their careless, uncaring, thoughtless and cruel behaviour with animals - the more I love my animals.

Sorry for the long post, but I have delayed writing long enough.

Julie (& now Brandy)
Archie, Dougall, Teddy, Muppet always in my heart & soul