Ramblings From Justin Penney

Madeline had an upper respiratory infection that spread to pneumonia extremely quickly. She passed away on March 20th, exactly one year after she came into our lives. Her is a picture of Daniel and Madeline and Lily holding Madeline on the first day we had her.

Fiona, who just came to live with us, had her eyes crust up last week and we took her to the vet. We got her on antibiotics and the Dr. gave her some fluids and she started on her road to recovery. Madeline was 100% fine at this point. The next day her eyes were crusted over and we got the same medicine for her as for Fiona. This was Tuesday. Madeline had some discharge on Friday and had lost a little weight so Jacey took her to see the vet. She wasn't dehydrated and the vet recommended just keeping with the antibiotics. Satuday the discharge had gotten much worse and Madeline was too weak to hold herself up to drink. I rushed her back to the vet and he was very concerened he kept her for a few hours. He called around noon to tell me that he didn't think she would make it but there were some things we could try. He had given her injectable antibiotics and fluids as well as performed an x-ray. The Respiratory infection had spread to pneumonia and her lungs very very cloudy on the x-ray. She was not holding her body temperature and was still to weak to hold her self up.

He gave us some moist food to mix with water and feed to her via a syringe and told us to try to keep her warm. We went out that night and got home around 11:00 p.m. Jacey reheated her towel and held her for about an hour. Madeline was very alert and responsive. When you would pet her head she would nudge at you like she always did. It was definitely not strong but it was solid and I was hopeful. We went to bed around 12:30. At 6:00 Jacey came and got me and told me that she though Madeline was dead. We buried her in front of our rose garden that afternoon.

When we first got Madeline we didnt' think much of guinea pigs. We had no idea the personality that they had and the way they would giggle their way into your heart. Madeline was a total sweetheart. She would scream at you if you weren't paying her enough attention and would nuzzle up in your neck and giggle when you did. She'd play games when we would get her out of her cage and would calmly sit on your lap while you were working. She was never afraid of the cats and they never wanted her for a tasty snack. They would play wonderfully with each other. Lily would hold her and show her off to her friends and try to take her everywhere. She would rpetend she was a guinea pig and hide and squeak. Lily was also pretty responsible for her doing a pretty darn good job of checking her water and food and playing with her.

Madeline you are missed dearly.

# posted by Justin @ 9:52 PM