[Gpdd] HEALTH: What's best for a blind piggy?

[Guineapigfilms at aol.com]

Nearly all our piggies were "rescues," including the ones who starred in 
Alyssa's guinea pig movies. If you own a copy of CARROT WARS (spoof of STAR 
WARS, starring guinea pigs), you will fall in love with the little white piggy 
who plays "Hokey One Spumoni." This was our Onion Ring, who was almost 
totally blind when we got him. You wouldn't be able to tell he was blind, as he 
was such a character, both onscreen and off.

By the time we got him, Alyssa had become a celebrity for her guinea pig 
movies in our town, and the Humane Society (and other animal rescues) would 
always call us when they had a guinea pig that needed placing. A locally-owned 
pet shop had received Onion Ring (of course, that was not then his name) 
and the owner called us, saying she could not sell him, as he was blind. Of 
course, Alyssa begged for him, and we ended up taking him. (Although, by this 
point, we had 23 guinea pigs--enough for Cecil B. DeMille crowd scenes--and 
I remember telling her, "I don't care if the next pig that needs rescuing is 
wearing an eye patch or walking with a little cane--enough is enough!")

Onion Ring got along famously with a couple of our other guinea pigs. The 
vet said he had a severe eye infection in one eye, and we cleared that up 
with ointment and drops. Once the infection was cleared, we think he could see 
a little tiny bit.

Anyway, he was a terrificly gorgeous guinea pig, and didn't seem to warrant 
any special treatment, as he was just as boisterous and happy as his 
"brothers."

I have had a blind Yorkshire terrier (from diabetes) and have another one 
right now (from old age--he is 15 and also partially deaf). We did not even 
realize the first Yorkie was blind until we moved. He did such a great job of 
remembering where everything was. 

Animals--except for maybe human animals--are so smart!   ;-)

Love and WHEEEEEPS,

Nancy
carrotwars.com