Alas, Poor Humphrey

Well, our second guinea pig passed away yesterday, six months to the day after our first guinea pig died.  For Charlotte, this was definitely not a banner day.

Humphrey has been sickly for about a week, and, on Monday, Charlotte told me that she was no longer eating her hay or very interested in the carrots that Charlotte was offering her.  She also wasn’t drinking any water.  As these are Humphrey’s very favorite things, I told Charlotte that we would take her to the vet the next day.

So, an hour, a shot, and $97 later, we were back home with the diagnosis of an upper respiratory infection and an antibiotic.  The vet did tell us that the symptoms of this infection and the signs of scurvy are the same in a guinea pig but that he would treat it as if it were the former and that we needed to get more vitamin C into Humphrey.

I explained to the doctor that we had gotten Humphrey when she was four years old and that she was pretty set in her ways as far what she would and wouldn’t eat and drink.  She refused to drink water with vitamin C drops in it, and she also turned up her nose at green peppers, oranges, and strawberries.  What do you do?

Anyway, we got her out of her cage yesterday to give her the medicine, and I also took the opportunity to clip her nails.  However, when Charlotte returned her to her cage, Humphrey squeaked twice and keeled over.

Poor Charlotte.  As she tearily informed me, Humphrey lived exactly six months longer than Spotty (and a very happy six months they were—we think Humphrey liked being an only guinea pig).  We also got them just about a year ago, shortly before the baby was born.

And now, poor Humphrey is in a shoebox in the freezer, awaiting a proper burial.  The kids had a tae kwon do board breaking seminar last night, but we could tell they were both a bit off.  Usually, they love those seminars, as they get to do board breaks that are normally not allowed, but not so much last night.

Sigh. 

Of course, Humphrey was hardly in her casket when Charlotte starting asking about a replacement.  I think this may be more about really liking guinea pigs than about not grieving Humphrey.  We are still a bit on the fence about replacing Charlotte’s pet so soon, but we shall see.

Hope things are well with you!