Betsy
Anniversary Herd
This morning I had to help my lovely Velvet over the Rainbow Bridge. She had not been well for a couple of weeks but over the weekend took a turn for the worse. Yesterday she refused all syringe food and Metacam and this morning her breathing was all squeaky and she was using her whole abdomen to breathe. The vet we saw yesterday took one look at her and said that it was time for Velvet to go, took her round the back and came back with her all snuggled up in a towel. The vet said that when the needle went it lots of pus came out so it was definitely the correct thing to do. She was only 3 years and 9 months old.
Velvet and her friend Betsy came to live with us on April 1st 2016. They came from Pets at Home. I only signed up for 2 piggies but 35 days later I had 5 cos Velvet had reproduced she had Christian, Dennis and Meg. She was a brilliant Mum and she wouldn't let her best buddy Betsy anywhere near her precious babies. The boys were separated and lived in the bottom of the hutch with the girls at the top and when the boys had been neutered, I bonded all 5 of them and they lived happily like that for over 3 years only because Velvet was DA BOSS (Cue music from the Shower Scene of Psycho) and what she said went and nopig dared to go against. In April this year for some reason Christian decided to challenge Velvet's roll as DA BOSSand in a surprise coup took over from her as Top Pig. He decided he didn't like Dennis being around 'his' girls and I had to split them into 2 separate herds so now Dennis and Betsy lived together and Velvet, Christian and Meg lived together. Velvet wasn't happy at relinquishing her roll as Top Pig but she was still second in command and finally came to accept that.
Velvet loved her cuddles and was a very licky piggy. Any bit of exposed skin she would find and lick. She will be missed terribly not just by me but by Christian and Meg too. I put her in the hutch when I got back from the Vets so that Christian and Meg could understand what had happened to their Mum/Friend/Wivelet. I decided against putting in the hutch with Dennis and Betsy because they hadn't been with her since April and would probably be confused as to why there was a piggy in her forever sleep suddenly in their territory.
One of Velvet's favourite things to do was be in a paper bag with hay to snuffle around in so I have buried her in her own paper bag with a bit of hay in in a lovely pot in the garden with a plant with velvety leaves called Angel Wings on the top. I couldn't bury her in the garden as we are moving soon and I didn't want her to be lonely on her own when we have gone and to be possibly dug up and chucked out.
Goodnight my lovely Velvet. You are out of pain and your suffering has ended. It was the last thing I could do for you. The last thing I said to you was "Go and be DA BOSS at the Rainbow Bridge". I hope you enjoy yourself there keeping everypig in line. Guinea pigs live for today and I know I gave you 3 and a half years of happy todays that's all anypig can ask for. Sleep tight Velvet.
Velvet and her friend Betsy came to live with us on April 1st 2016. They came from Pets at Home. I only signed up for 2 piggies but 35 days later I had 5 cos Velvet had reproduced she had Christian, Dennis and Meg. She was a brilliant Mum and she wouldn't let her best buddy Betsy anywhere near her precious babies. The boys were separated and lived in the bottom of the hutch with the girls at the top and when the boys had been neutered, I bonded all 5 of them and they lived happily like that for over 3 years only because Velvet was DA BOSS (Cue music from the Shower Scene of Psycho) and what she said went and nopig dared to go against. In April this year for some reason Christian decided to challenge Velvet's roll as DA BOSSand in a surprise coup took over from her as Top Pig. He decided he didn't like Dennis being around 'his' girls and I had to split them into 2 separate herds so now Dennis and Betsy lived together and Velvet, Christian and Meg lived together. Velvet wasn't happy at relinquishing her roll as Top Pig but she was still second in command and finally came to accept that.
Velvet loved her cuddles and was a very licky piggy. Any bit of exposed skin she would find and lick. She will be missed terribly not just by me but by Christian and Meg too. I put her in the hutch when I got back from the Vets so that Christian and Meg could understand what had happened to their Mum/Friend/Wivelet. I decided against putting in the hutch with Dennis and Betsy because they hadn't been with her since April and would probably be confused as to why there was a piggy in her forever sleep suddenly in their territory.
One of Velvet's favourite things to do was be in a paper bag with hay to snuffle around in so I have buried her in her own paper bag with a bit of hay in in a lovely pot in the garden with a plant with velvety leaves called Angel Wings on the top. I couldn't bury her in the garden as we are moving soon and I didn't want her to be lonely on her own when we have gone and to be possibly dug up and chucked out.
Goodnight my lovely Velvet. You are out of pain and your suffering has ended. It was the last thing I could do for you. The last thing I said to you was "Go and be DA BOSS at the Rainbow Bridge". I hope you enjoy yourself there keeping everypig in line. Guinea pigs live for today and I know I gave you 3 and a half years of happy todays that's all anypig can ask for. Sleep tight Velvet.
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