[Gpdd] [ANNOUNCEMENTS] Introducing Batman. Also, a sad story about Robin.

[Janna Willard]

Yesterday (Sunday, July 31, 2011), I went to the SPCA and picked up Batman
and Robin. They had been at the shelter since they were just over one month
old (intake papers said they were surrendered because the owner had "too
many"); they are now eight and a half months old.

I brought them in the cat crate, together; they rumbled and snuggled and
chattered all the way home (it was a long drive, too; we live on an acreage
half an hour outside of Saskatoon now, and the SPCA is about 15 minutes
outside of Saskatoon, on the other side of the city from where we are). They
didn't fight at all, though.

When we arrived home, I put them on the lawn in the front yard to snack on
grass while I finished prepping their cages. I put the cage tops over them
and added a blanket over one end to provide shade. I washed out a couple of
water bottles and added those so they could stay hydrated. The cage tops
were right next to each other.

I got the cages all ready (I have three of the large "rabbit" cages they
sell at the pet store, and am housing them in those until I am able to build
a proper cage) and added the piglets. Everything (cages, igloos, etc.) was
wiped down with vinegar and water, then rinsed with water, dried by hand,
and allowed to finish drying in the sun. I put in a couple of inches of
fresh aspen bedding.

Here are some pigtures (there are a few of Guido there, too):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/karalianne/sets/72157627301802676

And here is a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBg7jnKj38M

This morning, I went to give the Dynamic Duo some floor time, and Batman was
all over running around, exploring, terrorizing the cat, and eating carrot.

Robin was listless and just lying in his igloo (on its side, as you'll see
in the video). He wouldn't touch the carrot I offered him, and barely made
any sound in response to Batman's overtures. His right eye had white
discharge collected in the front corner. His breathing was laboured, as
well.

I removed him from the big cage and placed him in a smaller cage (I have two
small cages for this exact reason) with a towel instead of shavings, just in
case he was allergic to the aspen bedding, and put the cage in my bedroom.

Unfortunately, based on my reading, it looks like he may have had an upper
respiratory infection, which really should have had immediate treatment with
antibiotics. Today was a holiday, so while I have the name of a vet who has
experience treating exotics, I couldn't take Robin in today. And with
Saskatoon being so far away (half an hour plus travel time to get to the
vet's location), a trip in would have been really stressful for him.

I fed him some Critical Care - as much as I could get him to swallow (and it
wasn't much; he just spat it out, really; I wound up covered in the stuff).
Then Juniper (husband) and I headed into town to meet a friend and go
see *Cowboys
& Aliens*.

When we got home several hours later, Robin was gone.

I had left him in the small cage, lying on the floor of it, with his igloo
set over top of him and his head sticking out. When we returned, he had
actually gone all the way into the igloo, curled up, closed his eyes... and
he just never woke up. There's no evidence that he had the death tremors,
for which I am grateful. Going peacefully is so much better, I think.

Tomorrow I am going to call the SPCA to let them know, as they will want to
dose any other piggies they have with antibiotics, just in case. I'm also
going to call the exotics vet and see about making arrangements such as
those listed on the Guinea Lynx page about rural emergency care. In
addition, I am hoping to get the go-ahead to dose the remaining pigs with
antibiotics, just in case.

The one thing I am certain of is that nothing could have saved Robin. Even
immediate dosing with antibiotics wouldn't have helped, he was just that far
gone.

Robin weighed nearly 1100g; his brother weighs nearly 1200g. (Guido is
getting close to 1000g!)

In a couple of weeks, I will hopefully have happy news to share about Guido
and Batman meeting for the first time. I have high hopes that the two of
them will hit it off and become good friends.

-Janna, Guido, Batman, Juniper (the husband), and Roy (the cat)

"Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be
normal." Albert Camus
"I want to remake the world; anything less is not worth the trouble." Karen
Cushman