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I came home this afternoon and, as I always do, took the igloo out of the guinea cage...they like to hide in there and often we remove it when we're home so they aren't hiding all the time. Well, the babies, who celebrated their one month birthday today, were scurrying around as usual, but when I lifted the igloo, sweet Ginger was laying on her side, twitching and trying desperately to get back on her feet.
I was suddenly alarmed..this was obviously not normal. Lee had run to get dog food, and I nervously picked up the phone to call his cell. As it rang in the phone, I heard a noise from the bedroom...darn it, the cell is in there charging. I tried his personal phone, but it was turned off.
I grabbed a blanket and went back to Ginger. I gently lifted her little body and placed it in the blanket...just as Lee was pulling in the driveway. I ran outside with Ginger yelling "something is wrong with her." He was puzzled as he couldn't see anything yet. I ran to him with Ginger and as he looked at her, tears welled in his eyes.
We jumped into the truck and went to the emergency vet. They rushed Ginger back with the same authoritative hustle that they would have given to a full-bred dog. A few minutes later, we were taken into an examining room. We waited and waited, trying to make small talk and not really think about what was happening.
The doctor came in with Ginge (my nick for her) and she began talking...through her gentle words and sympathetic tone, I knew what was coming. I could feel the tears and the emotion welling inside of me, wanting to burst out. She said that guineas can get a bacterial infection of their bowels due to stress, change, who knows what. The infection moves swiftly, and in Ginger's case, it overtook her even more rapidly, probably because of her small stature and the stress of having and feeding babies. She had a 5% chance to live, if that, and even then, the damage had been done to her brain, her nerves...everything that makes her Ginge.
I knew what we had to do...not fair to make her suffer. The emotion that I had been holding in...not just from Ginge, but everything...my last surgery, my next surgery, IC...everything...came out. I cried and cried and finally through the tears I nodded to the doctor to let her know that it was okay to end my baby's suffering. We said good-bye and I kissed her little head, and then the doctor took her out of the room to send her to Heaven, where there will be all the lettuce and carrots that she wants.
I continued to cry...I felt cheated. This little girl, who wasn't even 6 months old, had just given birth...she was in the middle of weaning her babies, and she had an entire life ahead of her...all cut short in an instant.
We came home and the babies were running around like nothing was wrong. I cleaned their cage out and when I placed them back in, they each let out a cry...probably wondering where Mom is...
I just want to say to my little Ginger...I love you. You will always be in my heart...I will never forget how you purred when we rubbed your sides, how you purred when you fed the babies and how you ate every little thing that was put in front of you! I will keep your babies safe, happy and healthy until the day they are ready to come be with you again.
I was suddenly alarmed..this was obviously not normal. Lee had run to get dog food, and I nervously picked up the phone to call his cell. As it rang in the phone, I heard a noise from the bedroom...darn it, the cell is in there charging. I tried his personal phone, but it was turned off.
I grabbed a blanket and went back to Ginger. I gently lifted her little body and placed it in the blanket...just as Lee was pulling in the driveway. I ran outside with Ginger yelling "something is wrong with her." He was puzzled as he couldn't see anything yet. I ran to him with Ginger and as he looked at her, tears welled in his eyes.
We jumped into the truck and went to the emergency vet. They rushed Ginger back with the same authoritative hustle that they would have given to a full-bred dog. A few minutes later, we were taken into an examining room. We waited and waited, trying to make small talk and not really think about what was happening.
The doctor came in with Ginge (my nick for her) and she began talking...through her gentle words and sympathetic tone, I knew what was coming. I could feel the tears and the emotion welling inside of me, wanting to burst out. She said that guineas can get a bacterial infection of their bowels due to stress, change, who knows what. The infection moves swiftly, and in Ginger's case, it overtook her even more rapidly, probably because of her small stature and the stress of having and feeding babies. She had a 5% chance to live, if that, and even then, the damage had been done to her brain, her nerves...everything that makes her Ginge.
I knew what we had to do...not fair to make her suffer. The emotion that I had been holding in...not just from Ginge, but everything...my last surgery, my next surgery, IC...everything...came out. I cried and cried and finally through the tears I nodded to the doctor to let her know that it was okay to end my baby's suffering. We said good-bye and I kissed her little head, and then the doctor took her out of the room to send her to Heaven, where there will be all the lettuce and carrots that she wants.
I continued to cry...I felt cheated. This little girl, who wasn't even 6 months old, had just given birth...she was in the middle of weaning her babies, and she had an entire life ahead of her...all cut short in an instant.
We came home and the babies were running around like nothing was wrong. I cleaned their cage out and when I placed them back in, they each let out a cry...probably wondering where Mom is...
I just want to say to my little Ginger...I love you. You will always be in my heart...I will never forget how you purred when we rubbed your sides, how you purred when you fed the babies and how you ate every little thing that was put in front of you! I will keep your babies safe, happy and healthy until the day they are ready to come be with you again.
It takes a lot of love to let go of a very sick pet. My heart goes out to you.
Sorry to hear about your Ginger.
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