[Gpdd] Health: Re: Otto the Very Vocal Guinea Pig is Ailing!

[Guineapigfilms at aol.com]

I am happy to say that Otto the Very Vocal Guinea Pig is rallying. He even 
managed some feeble "wheeks" when I came downstairs this morning. He is 
drinking water from his water bottle again, and is able to eat bits of baby 
carrot and bits of apple slices.

I am still syringing him with Critical Care, although the syringe is 
getting harder and harder to operate. Otto has gnawed the tip of it so much. Also, 
the grit from the Critical Care gets trapped in the tip. I gave up in 
frustration last night and began giving the Critical Care to him from a very 
small (1/2 tsp) plastic spoon.

Otto seems to look forward to being wrapped in a towel and getting the 
Critical Care, and I am bonding with him more than ever. 

I remember how I pulled our very first guinea pig, Hazel, through pneumonia 
many years ago by syringing Critical Care, Vitamin C, acidopholus and 
antibiotics into her. It really brought me so much closer to Hazel that it made 
her death years later, especially devastating.

I'm sure you all know how helping a sick piggy makes you even more attached 
to that piggy. So please keep rooting for Otto! He is definitely taking an 
interest in things again.

And thank you so much for the individual emails about Otto and about the 
loss of my mother. I really, really appreciate them and will send individual 
replies when I'm no longer up all night syringing Critical Care into a sick 
guinea pig!   ;-)

Love and Wheeeeeeeeeps,

Nancy (and Alyssa) and Otto, the Very Vocal Guinea Pig