SUNDAY UPDATE

Dear Friends,
Tonight we are still holding on to Raj and CocoNutPie
with feedings of organic carrot juice. Tomorrow we
will add a shot of wheatgrass, hoping they will get
more nutrition since wheatgrass is their favorite food
yet they continue to refuse hard food. CocoNutPie's
breathing can still be rapid and shallow at times,
although she is enjoying her carrot juice and being held.
So does Raj. Tomorrow I will ask the vet for Baytril,
an antibiotic used to treat pneumonia. She actually did
examine them along with Taj and MacNutPie since all
four had been housed together and exposed to other animals
but Raj and Coconut did not present symptoms until
later in the day, which saved their lives, for being at the
hospital (even the vet admitted) so stressed Taj that he 
succumbed shortly after his dear CocoNutPie.
Keeping them home, warm, cozy, held often, hydrated,
and somehow well-nourished with antibiotics appears
to be the most we can do and they are in quarantine
from YumYum and VinnieGuinea, who now have their
own, super-large play pen through which to run, play
chase, eat, drink, explore tunnels, huts, pigloos, 
cuddle-cups... and since it has no top,
petting and picking them up for frequent
snuggles is easy and fun for all of us.


It remains to be seen whether or not we will lose
two more pigs. They have a fighting chance, but
guinea pigs are funny...once they take sick,
cavies are one of the most difficult species to save.
They are unspeakably sensitive: emotionally, spiritually,
and physically. With no natural defenses, when they
still lived in the wild before being entirely domesticated, 
they would hide symptoms of illness so as not to appear
vulnerable to predators...they still do that.
Which is why we often never find out they are 
ill until it is already too late.


We love you all. Your emails mean so much,
I just can't answer them right now because once I start 
crying I can't stop and know you all understand.


Fairy, your mum's marmalade is the sweetest thing!
Second only to the fact that Raj and CocoNutPie
are still alive...with YumYum and VinnyGuinea!
love,
Chana