[Gpdd] Health: WHAT HAPPENED TO WHEEKY

[Julie Juwles Johnson]

Hello everyone,

Firstly, I want to say a huge and sincere thank you to you all for your emails of condolence and for caring so much after I lost Wheeky on 12 March.      I will say I am not "over" his passing - I think it was so sudden, no warning, just death, that's made it harder for me to accept than any of my other babies.      

I'm going to try to write a very clinical email, trying to keep emotion out of it, because I can't think of Wheeky without crying many tears of sadness.       However, I believe that all your wonderful GPDD members have a right to know what happened to Wheeky, you all have a share in loving my piggies, and in loving me, and your all deserve to know the story.

So........ here I go:.........................................

I slept late (haven't been very well lately), and when I woke at 10am, I was prompted by something to go straight out to the piggy's room and uncover them and get them all out for their daytime floor time.      (Usually I'd eat some cereal then get them out).

When I was starting the task, I heard 3 squeaks of pain.   I uncovered Wheeky's cage to find him lying prostrate on his belly, feet in front, making those noises.     I picked him, and knew immediately he was dying and didn't have long to go.

As I picked him up and held him, the screams got louder.      He must have screamed about a dozen times - and I really mean screamed.   Mum held him whilst I rushed to get dressed (naturally in the panic I put my dress on inside out), and rushed him to the vet.    In the car, my sister held Wheeky in his padded bed, trying to comfort & console him.   I drove about 1,000klms over the speed limit, bawling my eyes out........... but just before we made the vet surgery he died.    The vet was outside waiting for me, he said yes, he had definitely passed away.

My heart exploded into thousands of pieces, and I was totally bereft.   My dearest Wheeky, who never had anything wrong with him, was dead.    

I didn't know what had happened (of course, I kept blaming myself, for what I don't know, but that's what we all do don't we - maybe if I'd done this, or gotten up earlier, etc. etc).      Not knowing what caused his death, I asked the vet to do an autopsy.

I sat with Wheeky in my arms until the vet was ready for the autopsy, then went and did some shopping (my eyes were so swollen with crying I couldn't see out of them to drive properly, let alone shop - thank goodness I had my sister with me).

An hour later I went back, and I just knew what the vet was going to say.      Wheeky had died of twisted gut.    I know he had died a very painful death, and there had been no comfort I could give him.   I don't even know if he knew I was holding him when I first discovered him, he was so limp and near death.   I'm pretty experienced now at recognising how it feels to hold a dying pet. 

This is the 2nd piggy I have lost to twisted gut.      In 2005, 3 months after my Dad died, it was Christmas and I came to my mountain escape because I was avoiding the first Christmas without Dad.  I left Teddy with my Mother as I didn't like to be constantly transporting he and Toby backwards and forwards - I thought it might be too stressful.     Well, I had a phone call on Boxing Day @ 8.20pm from the small animal emergency clinic at the Uni of Queensland asking for permission to put Teddy to sleep.     He was at that time lying on the operating table, gut opened wide, and the vet said she could close him up and bring him out of the anaesthetic, but he would die a painful death because of the twisted gut.   So I naturally gave my permission.     I wasn't there to see any symptoms, but Mum had noticed Teddy looking and acting very sick, and she said his tummy was swollen which is why she rushed him to the clinic immediately she noticed.

With Wheeky - there were no such symptoms.    No warning, just death.   I am grateful that only 2 nights earlier I'd given him lots of cuddle time and brushed and brushed his hair (which came out in huge clumps, so maybe that was a warning sign?).

I am getting too emotional now....... crying again, damn it.......... I miss that little soul soooo much.   I just can't seem to come to terms with his passing - I want him back!

And........ that's the end of my very unemotional email (LOL!).

Thank you all again for "being there" when I've needed you.

Love Julie & "The Magnificent 7"
Missing all my piggies gone to the Bridge (too many to name now).



"I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me"