Some piggies are harder to say goodbye to. Pili Pala (Welsh for 'Butterfly' for her eye patch) is one of them. She's always been special for me, but going through so much together has forged an even tighter bond.
I never thought I would have this last precious year with her, but it has sadly come to a rather unexpected end! She has celebrated her 5th Gotcha Day (i.e. adoption anniversary) a month ago.
Pili Pala has survived a full-blown GI stasis pretty much a year ago, but has needed twice daily medication and support feed for her growing collection of difficult to treat chronic medical conditions - however, she adored her special sessions and was so eager for her meds that she would jump on my arm, causing me to spill the medication I was measuring out for her more than once! Not to mention her bowl chucking, syringe chewing and other quirks...
I had to wait for nearly 5 months until Pili Pala was cleared for adoption by her vet. It was a rather memorable August Bank Holiday train journey to Milhaven Guinea Pig Rescue in Keighley in West Yorkshire (via the Cavy Corner Pignic in Doncaster) involving 8 trains in 2013, but Pili Pala and her skittish tiny cousin Papi arrived well and safe, and were soon ready to join the big Tribe in its last months. When I split the large group, they went with the undersows group living first with Maelog and then his successor Pioden.
On arrival with her cousin Papi 'Poppy'
With the large Tribe in 2013
With Maelog and the Tribe undersows in 2105
With big Pioden in 2017
Considering that she was rescued from a true hellhole of a place, she has had a long and happy life with a stable group and lots of piggy and human love! Pili would have turned 6 years old in December.
Pili with her friends only a couple of weeks ago
She died in my arms from a last massive heart attack yesterday evening after unexpectedly going into acute heart failure overnight. I find it hard getting used to a life without her waiting for me to pick her up as soon as I enter the room...
I never thought I would have this last precious year with her, but it has sadly come to a rather unexpected end! She has celebrated her 5th Gotcha Day (i.e. adoption anniversary) a month ago.
Pili Pala has survived a full-blown GI stasis pretty much a year ago, but has needed twice daily medication and support feed for her growing collection of difficult to treat chronic medical conditions - however, she adored her special sessions and was so eager for her meds that she would jump on my arm, causing me to spill the medication I was measuring out for her more than once! Not to mention her bowl chucking, syringe chewing and other quirks...
I had to wait for nearly 5 months until Pili Pala was cleared for adoption by her vet. It was a rather memorable August Bank Holiday train journey to Milhaven Guinea Pig Rescue in Keighley in West Yorkshire (via the Cavy Corner Pignic in Doncaster) involving 8 trains in 2013, but Pili Pala and her skittish tiny cousin Papi arrived well and safe, and were soon ready to join the big Tribe in its last months. When I split the large group, they went with the undersows group living first with Maelog and then his successor Pioden.
On arrival with her cousin Papi 'Poppy'
With the large Tribe in 2013
With Maelog and the Tribe undersows in 2105
With big Pioden in 2017
Considering that she was rescued from a true hellhole of a place, she has had a long and happy life with a stable group and lots of piggy and human love! Pili would have turned 6 years old in December.
Pili with her friends only a couple of weeks ago
She died in my arms from a last massive heart attack yesterday evening after unexpectedly going into acute heart failure overnight. I find it hard getting used to a life without her waiting for me to pick her up as soon as I enter the room...
