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| Our perfect little guinea pig, Snickers, in brighter times |
It’s a veterinarian’s song
About animal diseases
Wherever you go
You see that animals are love
We do everything we can
To keep them alive
But I have a good reason. We lost our beloved guinea pig, Snickers, last night, and literally the only thing that made the whole situation bearable was the vet that we saw when we went to the hospital. She was so awesome. She patiently explained all of our options, wrote them down on a whiteboard with prices attached, and let us consider our options.
Which, by the time we brought her in, were to do a bunch of expensive tests and try to figure out what was wrong with her or put her to sleep. (She was too skinny and sick to just bring her back home.)
Many tears were shed, many of them mine, and we decided that at the age of 4, Snickers might have a few more good years in her (average life expectancy is 5-8 years), so we elected to let her stay overnight and have the tests.
When I awoke, bright and early this morning, there was a message from the vet saying that poor little Snickers had passed away sometime between 10 pm and midnight. The message was SO sweet. She called Snickers a perfect little guinea pig, and said she was so so sorry they couldn't save her.
I just adored this woman. So good, so earnest, so lovely. Kinda like the vet dude who wrote this sweetly hilarious song:
But I have a good reason. We lost our beloved guinea pig, Snickers, last night, and literally the only thing that made the whole situation bearable was the vet that we saw when we went to the hospital. She was so awesome. She patiently explained all of our options, wrote them down on a whiteboard with prices attached, and let us consider our options.
Which, by the time we brought her in, were to do a bunch of expensive tests and try to figure out what was wrong with her or put her to sleep. (She was too skinny and sick to just bring her back home.)
Many tears were shed, many of them mine, and we decided that at the age of 4, Snickers might have a few more good years in her (average life expectancy is 5-8 years), so we elected to let her stay overnight and have the tests.
When I awoke, bright and early this morning, there was a message from the vet saying that poor little Snickers had passed away sometime between 10 pm and midnight. The message was SO sweet. She called Snickers a perfect little guinea pig, and said she was so so sorry they couldn't save her.
I just adored this woman. So good, so earnest, so lovely. Kinda like the vet dude who wrote this sweetly hilarious song:
Animals should be loved
I’m a fan
My profession is my life
My profession is my life
I have a dog
three cats and an understanding wife
The good relationship
between animal and vet
is a good reason to be glad
Veterinarian
Animals should be loved
Veterinarian
Please help again
He may be a bit of an odd duck, but he is right on with these lyrics:
Different people
With their pets
Some leave happy
Some leave sad
Animals with a long life
Are good for our soul
and our lives
Animals should be loved
The children grow up
And we get older too
The neverending friendship
Between pets and ourselves is priceless
The oldest don't want to lose their best friend
They don't want to accept that it could be the end
It's true. We didn't want to accept it. But we didn't really have a choice. It was just her time. We never even figured out what was wrong with her -- what made her get sick and lose all that weight in the first place.
My kids were sad that she died in the hospital, and they didn't get to say goodbye, but I felt like we did. We wrapped her little body up, covered her with the beautiful red maple leaves that are just starting to turn in our backyard, and took turns talking about what a wonderful addition to our family this little lady was for all of us.
three cats and an understanding wife
The good relationship
between animal and vet
is a good reason to be glad
Veterinarian
Animals should be loved
Veterinarian
Please help again
He may be a bit of an odd duck, but he is right on with these lyrics:
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| May she rest in peace (in our backyard) |
With their pets
Some leave happy
Some leave sad
Animals with a long life
Are good for our soul
and our lives
Animals should be loved
The children grow up
And we get older too
The neverending friendship
Between pets and ourselves is priceless
The oldest don't want to lose their best friend
They don't want to accept that it could be the end
It's true. We didn't want to accept it. But we didn't really have a choice. It was just her time. We never even figured out what was wrong with her -- what made her get sick and lose all that weight in the first place.
My kids were sad that she died in the hospital, and they didn't get to say goodbye, but I felt like we did. We wrapped her little body up, covered her with the beautiful red maple leaves that are just starting to turn in our backyard, and took turns talking about what a wonderful addition to our family this little lady was for all of us.
After the funeral, I was giving my son a ride to his Dad's house, and he was lamenting the fact that he'd now lost both of the pets he was closest to -- Snickers at my house and his cat Gracie at his Dad's -- who died last summer. I felt for him.
Then he mentioned that he was sad that he was starting to forget what Gracie looked like, outside of pictures, and what she felt like.
"I know exactly what you mean, honey, " I said, tears rolling down my face for what felt like the 40th time that day, "I feel the same way about the New Englander (except I used his name), except he's not dead, just gone from my life."
I guess that's just something you go through when you love and lose someone, we decided. And it hurts like crazy, but there's no way around it...
Then he mentioned that he was sad that he was starting to forget what Gracie looked like, outside of pictures, and what she felt like.
"I know exactly what you mean, honey, " I said, tears rolling down my face for what felt like the 40th time that day, "I feel the same way about the New Englander (except I used his name), except he's not dead, just gone from my life."
I guess that's just something you go through when you love and lose someone, we decided. And it hurts like crazy, but there's no way around it...
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