Eriathwen
Adult Guinea Pig
I cant believe I'm back in this section, 4th post in 10 weeks.. 
Finding Mabel looking for a home just over 2 years ago was very much a "there you are!" Moment. She has always felt like one of my piggies, like she belonged here, and seeing her sad face looking at me through the screen felt like a call to bring her back home.
She had her paws firmly under the table from the moment she arrived, she spent her first 4 years with her 2 sisters, in a hutch, in a shed with no windows.. bought for a child who, at the loss of 2 of the 3, and at just 6 years old "lost interest" in his pets that should never have been his responsibility in the first place.
She went from a life in the dark, alone, into the light. Mabel immediately adored the TV! Although initially she wasn't particularly thrilled to know me
not 6 hours after her arrival home, she accompanied Pearl to the vet as I was almost certain she had smuggled some ovarian cysts in with her, and goodness didn't she half! 2 golf ball sized cysts were found, surgery was booked for 2 weeks later to give me a chance to get her settled and eating.
Her first poops were filled with woodshavings, bedding she had eaten to stay alive due to a lack of hay. The hutch had obviously been cleaned to not look bad when I collected her, and a small handful of hay thrown in as an afterthought.
Poor Mabel had quite a rocky recovery from her surgery, and we spent a great deal of time and effort trying to figure out what on earth was causing her digestive issues and plummeting weight. Xrays, bloodwork, ultrasounds, endless syringe feedings etc.. no wonder she was skeptical about offering friendship in return. However, one evening as we st watching TV, she nudged herself closer to me and promptly fell asleep against my leg..success
I like to think deep down she knew I was trying to help, she certainly enjoyed her life as best as she could. Enjoying "The 1% club" the most, I dont think we will ever be able to watch it again without tears..but anything woth bright or flashing lights went down well, including the Eurovision song contest which she sat and watched with our geriatric Tilly, both enjoying their syringe feeds and time on the sofa.
Mabel had a long list of health issues, I often joked she didn't have a single function that actually worked properly, but she did stabilise eventually. From spine deformities and nerve issues in her guts, inflammation in her bones due to vitamin C deficiency in her old home, some odd hormonal issue, a heart arrhythmia, edema, endless soft poos, blocked anal glands and who knows what else at this point..she battled on stoicly until the very end.
In spite of her initial dislike of me, she quickly decided that if she wasn't well, the only place for her was glued to my hip, watching TV or bumbling around the house wherever I was.
When she had to be hospitalised today with severe gut inflammation and stasis, it hurt knowing she wouldn't have the comfort of my presence, but now feel better knowing one of the nurses held her in a papoose the entire day, offering her the chance to see all that was going on. She commented on how friendly, cooperative and a little fighter she was, character very much nailed. Although I will never forget the headbutting that would often appear if you were doing something she disliked
Mabel heads off to meet many friends loved and lost, from her beloved Gus and Ebony, to Delilah and no doubt her first sisters she lost a long time ago.
I am sorry we couldn't make this better Mabel, thankyou for packing a whole lifetime of love and fun into the last 2 years. You were the most expensive free pet I've ever known
and I wouldn't charge a second of it. I hope you are now enjoying a completely healthy body, no more pain or discomfort, no more medications or procedures. Sleep well little friend 
Finding Mabel looking for a home just over 2 years ago was very much a "there you are!" Moment. She has always felt like one of my piggies, like she belonged here, and seeing her sad face looking at me through the screen felt like a call to bring her back home.
She had her paws firmly under the table from the moment she arrived, she spent her first 4 years with her 2 sisters, in a hutch, in a shed with no windows.. bought for a child who, at the loss of 2 of the 3, and at just 6 years old "lost interest" in his pets that should never have been his responsibility in the first place.
She went from a life in the dark, alone, into the light. Mabel immediately adored the TV! Although initially she wasn't particularly thrilled to know me
not 6 hours after her arrival home, she accompanied Pearl to the vet as I was almost certain she had smuggled some ovarian cysts in with her, and goodness didn't she half! 2 golf ball sized cysts were found, surgery was booked for 2 weeks later to give me a chance to get her settled and eating.Her first poops were filled with woodshavings, bedding she had eaten to stay alive due to a lack of hay. The hutch had obviously been cleaned to not look bad when I collected her, and a small handful of hay thrown in as an afterthought.
Poor Mabel had quite a rocky recovery from her surgery, and we spent a great deal of time and effort trying to figure out what on earth was causing her digestive issues and plummeting weight. Xrays, bloodwork, ultrasounds, endless syringe feedings etc.. no wonder she was skeptical about offering friendship in return. However, one evening as we st watching TV, she nudged herself closer to me and promptly fell asleep against my leg..success
I like to think deep down she knew I was trying to help, she certainly enjoyed her life as best as she could. Enjoying "The 1% club" the most, I dont think we will ever be able to watch it again without tears..but anything woth bright or flashing lights went down well, including the Eurovision song contest which she sat and watched with our geriatric Tilly, both enjoying their syringe feeds and time on the sofa.
Mabel had a long list of health issues, I often joked she didn't have a single function that actually worked properly, but she did stabilise eventually. From spine deformities and nerve issues in her guts, inflammation in her bones due to vitamin C deficiency in her old home, some odd hormonal issue, a heart arrhythmia, edema, endless soft poos, blocked anal glands and who knows what else at this point..she battled on stoicly until the very end.
In spite of her initial dislike of me, she quickly decided that if she wasn't well, the only place for her was glued to my hip, watching TV or bumbling around the house wherever I was.
When she had to be hospitalised today with severe gut inflammation and stasis, it hurt knowing she wouldn't have the comfort of my presence, but now feel better knowing one of the nurses held her in a papoose the entire day, offering her the chance to see all that was going on. She commented on how friendly, cooperative and a little fighter she was, character very much nailed. Although I will never forget the headbutting that would often appear if you were doing something she disliked
Mabel heads off to meet many friends loved and lost, from her beloved Gus and Ebony, to Delilah and no doubt her first sisters she lost a long time ago.
I am sorry we couldn't make this better Mabel, thankyou for packing a whole lifetime of love and fun into the last 2 years. You were the most expensive free pet I've ever known
and I wouldn't charge a second of it. I hope you are now enjoying a completely healthy body, no more pain or discomfort, no more medications or procedures. Sleep well little friend 
She had a lovely life with you and her friends 
