Kittykat23uk
Mama Doe
As some of you will have seen, we had to say goodbye to Fizzgig today. I am devastated!
We have been through a lot with Fizzgig. We adopted her from a local rescue called PACT in Norfolk where she had been named "Duchess" . We don't know her real age or background, other than she came from a hoarder situation, an old guy who could no longer keep her. I don't know if she was ever bred or where she lived.
Fizzgig by Jo Dale, on Flickr
The best guess of her age when we adopted her was around 2yrs. When we tried to bond her with Sprocket it didn't go well. We ended up getty Cheryl to help (formerly of Sprowston rabbit and Guinea Pig rescue).
This worked and they were happily bonded for the past five years, although Fizzgig was definitely the boss. She was initially very nervous but soon gained confidence and became the cheekiest, naughtiest bun I have ever known, a trait that she shared with another grey lionhead we owned, Gasket.
Sprocket and Fizzgig by Jo Dale, on Flickr
OI000003.jpg by Jo Dale, on Flickr
20180101_092907 by Jo Dale, on Flickr
She soon emerged as a dental bunny, lionheads seem very prone to this on account of their narrower heads. She has experienced a number of dental abscesses and several operations since we have owned her, but she kept pushing through, bouncing back and never lost her cheeky spirit.
Fizzgig eats an apple by Jo Dale, on Flickr
She loved her treats and always periscoped as soon as anyone walked across the lounge in the hope of getting a fenugreek crunchie or one of Liz's oaticakes. She would frequently join me on the sofa or raid the coffee table for snacks when my back was turned.
Unfortunately, it was a respiratory infection that took her. She was taken into the vets for noisy breathing on the previous Friday, 13th only a couple of days after I'd taken her in for an ear problem when she was treated with ivermectin. The vet diagnosed an upper respiratory infection and prescribed enrocare. He also asked if I had a nebuliser, which I didn't but he didn't press me to get one because her symptoms were mild. He did say to try and put her in the bathroom after a shower, for steam therapy. But he wasn't too concerned and said to come back in 10 days. She was eating and acting normally at this time.
I had noticed some deterioration from the noisy breathing that she'd had over the past week and on the Friday I rang the vet hoping to take her in. Due to staff shortage they did not have an appointment available (first time ever! :evil: ) so as she was still eating and mostly OK, although there were short periods where she seemed to be struggling more to get her breath, I took the first appointment on Saturday at 0915.
On Saturday she really did seem to be struggling to get her breath, but she still stole some of my banana. When the vet saw her she added doxycycline and advised purchasing a nebuliser and suggested to treat her every couple of hours.
By the evening after several treatments she was elevating her head and flaring her nostrils her ability to eat was by now significantly impaired. I called the vet again, expecting to have to take her in, but the vet advised me that to keep up with the nebuliser, try and syringe feed her and come in the morning if no better and they would put her on oxygen. I stayed up all night getting more and more distressed about her declining health.
After a day of admission and oxygen she was no better. Vet called at 9am this morning advising that PTS was the kindest thing to do.
In our current situation I really don't know how I am going to cope without her.
Binky Free Fizzgig, you crazy little floofball!
Fizzgig by Jo Dale, on Flickr
Fizzgig by Jo Dale, on Flickr
Fizzgig by Jo Dale, on Flickr
We have been through a lot with Fizzgig. We adopted her from a local rescue called PACT in Norfolk where she had been named "Duchess" . We don't know her real age or background, other than she came from a hoarder situation, an old guy who could no longer keep her. I don't know if she was ever bred or where she lived.
Fizzgig by Jo Dale, on Flickr
The best guess of her age when we adopted her was around 2yrs. When we tried to bond her with Sprocket it didn't go well. We ended up getty Cheryl to help (formerly of Sprowston rabbit and Guinea Pig rescue).
This worked and they were happily bonded for the past five years, although Fizzgig was definitely the boss. She was initially very nervous but soon gained confidence and became the cheekiest, naughtiest bun I have ever known, a trait that she shared with another grey lionhead we owned, Gasket.
Sprocket and Fizzgig by Jo Dale, on Flickr
OI000003.jpg by Jo Dale, on Flickr
20180101_092907 by Jo Dale, on Flickr
She soon emerged as a dental bunny, lionheads seem very prone to this on account of their narrower heads. She has experienced a number of dental abscesses and several operations since we have owned her, but she kept pushing through, bouncing back and never lost her cheeky spirit.
Fizzgig eats an apple by Jo Dale, on Flickr
She loved her treats and always periscoped as soon as anyone walked across the lounge in the hope of getting a fenugreek crunchie or one of Liz's oaticakes. She would frequently join me on the sofa or raid the coffee table for snacks when my back was turned.
Unfortunately, it was a respiratory infection that took her. She was taken into the vets for noisy breathing on the previous Friday, 13th only a couple of days after I'd taken her in for an ear problem when she was treated with ivermectin. The vet diagnosed an upper respiratory infection and prescribed enrocare. He also asked if I had a nebuliser, which I didn't but he didn't press me to get one because her symptoms were mild. He did say to try and put her in the bathroom after a shower, for steam therapy. But he wasn't too concerned and said to come back in 10 days. She was eating and acting normally at this time.
I had noticed some deterioration from the noisy breathing that she'd had over the past week and on the Friday I rang the vet hoping to take her in. Due to staff shortage they did not have an appointment available (first time ever! :evil: ) so as she was still eating and mostly OK, although there were short periods where she seemed to be struggling more to get her breath, I took the first appointment on Saturday at 0915.
On Saturday she really did seem to be struggling to get her breath, but she still stole some of my banana. When the vet saw her she added doxycycline and advised purchasing a nebuliser and suggested to treat her every couple of hours.
By the evening after several treatments she was elevating her head and flaring her nostrils her ability to eat was by now significantly impaired. I called the vet again, expecting to have to take her in, but the vet advised me that to keep up with the nebuliser, try and syringe feed her and come in the morning if no better and they would put her on oxygen. I stayed up all night getting more and more distressed about her declining health.
After a day of admission and oxygen she was no better. Vet called at 9am this morning advising that PTS was the kindest thing to do.
In our current situation I really don't know how I am going to cope without her.
Binky Free Fizzgig, you crazy little floofball!
Fizzgig by Jo Dale, on Flickr
Fizzgig by Jo Dale, on Flickr
Fizzgig by Jo Dale, on Flickr
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