Nibbles…

That was the pig that was Nibbles…
Nibbles wouldn’t have arrived here if it hadn’t been for a very determined RSPCA Inspector. I received a phone call one evening from my local Inspector asking me to take in 7 guineas, I was full and apologised because I couldn’t do it, to which he replied:  “I’m not leaving this house without them, I’ve seen too many die this week and now they’ve decided to sign them over I’m going to take them, I just need somewhere to put them tonight. Tomorrow they may change their minds and not want to sign them over.”
The day after they arrived I went to see James, our local vet, he stated the obvious- she was severely underweight, and also gave her a thorough healthcheck. Being a victim of neglct can often mean lots of issues are present- not always major, but treated wrongly or not treated at all things can get worse. I was advised that a Gorgeous Guineas bath would be a good start for her and the others and to obviously include administering Otodex ear drops too in case of any ear problems, despite there being no evidence of any. Ear “problems” is not something I come across very often at all on Planet Guinea, all my own guinea pigs are bathed (and that includes the routine of ear cleaning and administering Otodex ear drops. The rescue guinea pigs receive the same treatment which “nips everything in the bud” so to speak. James, being the walking encyclopaedia that he is, proceeded to tell me that if Nibbles were a dog there is a wider range of products, however they contain steroids whichare abused by many vets to treat the symptoms but not the disease, there is no place for them when treating guinea pigs be it ears or otherwise. Nibbles also had treatment for mites as her rump had a bald patch- quite possibly a post pregnancy hairloss as there were boars brought in with the group.

Nibbles did well, she responded to the treatment for mites and her hair grew back lovely, she put on a pound in weight (she weighed just over a pound on arrival) and began to appreciate that there would always be another meal she didn’t have to eat everything all  at once.

When I felt a mass in her abdomen I checked the dates to see if we were about to welcome some mini pigs but the dates said that was impossible, so it was another visit to see James and see what he could make of it. Nibbles had an internal abdominal abscess that stretched across her abdomen. It was a case of do or die- so we did. James is an excellent surgeon and I had every faith in him. Nibbles came through the op well much to James’ delight too, but half an hour after coming round she had a cardiac arrest, fortunately James was on hand and brought her back, all was well.

Nibbles was in the local and national papers and visited some local schools doing fundraising before retiring to a life of luxury here on Planet Guinea. If the ages given were correct, Nibbles died when she was six. If there was ever an undervalued little soul it was Nibbles, some guineas are special, extra special and Nibs was one of them.