NOVEMBER'S GUINEA PIG OF THE MONTH-Cane and Tater!

Meet Cane & Tater

at CT Rescue

The Critter Connection

Cane and Tater are two male guinea pigs, approximately 3 to 4 years old that have a sad story to tell. When whoever owned the boys no longer wanted to take care of them they were turned loose on a vacant lot in the city to fend for themselves. Why people do this is beyond our understanding. There is no way guinea pigs or any other animals can survive when left to their own.

Both boys were severely vitamin C deficient when they arrived at the rescue. So much so that we thought that Cane (on the left) wasn't going to survive. He was extremely lethargic, was reluctant to move, had significant hair loss, etc. He was immediately given fluids and an injection of vitamin C.

The next morning there was a slight improvement so we gave him more vitamin C, fluids, and critical care. By that evening he began to eat on his own and was much brighter. The rescue began treatment of baytril and metacam, also treated for mites and continued with vitamin C supplement for both.

Both boys had bumblefoot, an infection in the pads of all 4 of their feet. Cane and Tater are receiving the medical care that they so desperately needed, good food, and tons of TLC. They will not be available for adoption until they have totally recovered.

The infection has been slow to clear out and we will be doing xrays to make sure the infection hasn't spread further into their feet.

We will be fundraising for one month of care for both of the boys, $125 each, $250 total. These costs include Baytril, Metacam, their daily vitamin C supplement, and x-rays.

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To avoid paypal fees send checks to:

The Critter Connection, Inc.
PO Box 371
Durham, CT 06422

Make checks payable to "The Critter Connection, Inc." and please specify SAGP or Cane and Tater in the Memo line.

UPDATE FOR BANDIT AND SILVERADO

So far we've raised $330 out of $275
for this adorable pair!

We reached our goal! Thank you so much everyone who donated and passed on their story!

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*To avoid Pay Pal fees send checks to:

Wee Companions
975 Iris Ave
Imperial Beach, CA 91932

Material donations are always welcome too!

OCTOBER'S GUINEA PIGS OF THE MONTH-Bandit and Silverado!

Meet Bandit and Silverado
from CA rescue
Wee Companions!

Our goal is to fundraise $275 dollars:
X-rays-$100 Food (Baby foods, Critical Care & Pedialyte) $50, Teeth/Medications-$100, Fleece-$25

Read on to see why these guys are worth it!

Bandit and Silverado came to Wee Companions through a series of fortunate events. It all started with an ad that had a picture of two sad looking guineas in a terrible living situation. A wonderful woman from LA took one look at the picture and declared that she had to rescue these boys. "Bandit looks just like one of my own guineas, so I just couldn't get them off my mind." So, she quickly began to ask if there were any rescues that would be willing to help her in this. Wee Companions of San Diego gladly stepped up to the challenge and agreed to help with whatever these boys might need.

She, wisely, took a fellow guinea friend with her, and off they went to save the boys. "There was nothing in their cage to stand on except wire and nothing to eat but an old carrot and cheapy cat food! Plus, they were outside in the heat and smog! We wouldn't have left them there for anything!" But they were free! And yet that is only the beginning.

Once Bandit and Silverado were out of the cage, they went with their rescuers to spend the night before coming down to Wee Companions. The ladies had a long vigil that night, watching over the boys, "Silverado just kept falling asleep, as if he was crashing! So, we actually called him Crash to start with! We were so concerned that he wouldn't make the night." But he did! And he and Bandit took the long road down in San Diego, where they met up with Wee Companions and a volunteer named Julie.

"I didn't know what to expect. Those boys were such a mess even after everything the ladies had done for them." After close observation, one could see that their digestion tracts were severely hampered. Bandit had fleas, mites, and fungus, broken toes, and trouble eating. Silverado had mites, fungus, and was very weak and thin. But they loved each other and Bandit kept crawling over to sit over Silverado's little body to help keep him warm.

Thus began the long road of true recovery for these special boys. But, the story doesn't end there either. The boys began to heal and gain strength. Bandit's hair began to grow out and Silverado seemed to have more strength, but other things seemed to be amiss. "I came into the sick room one morning to pass out veggies. As I rounded the corner, I happened to drop the vegetable bag and make a huge ruckus! Bandit ran for his life, but Silverado just sat there, as if nothing had happened. When I walked up clapping my hands he still didn't move. Even when I reached my hand out toward him, he didn't respond. Only after I touched him, did he move, and boy did he jump!" observed Julie.

Sadly, not only was Silverado deaf, he was also blind. After closer inspection and conferring with a variety of guinea experts, it was realized that Silverado had more medical issues, and is considered a very rare Lethal white guinea. A rep. from OOCH describes a Lethal white as, "Having no pigment in their skin. They are missing a specific gene, so that makes them much weaker and smaller than other guinea pig. Also, Lethal whites are often blind, deaf, and have continued dental and health issues the rest of their lives."

Julie smiles as she remembers, "Poor Silverado. With all of the needed blood work and X-rays we didn't know how we were/are going to cover all of his expenses. Now, they have special housing for Bandit's sore feet and so that Silverado doesn't get lost. But, it's okay because they are so worth it!"

Now, Bandit the long haired peruvian and Silverado his Lethal white side kick really did ride into the west and hopefully, it will be a long, glorious ride into a beautiful Californina sunset.

Read more about Bandit and Silverado here.

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*To avoid Pay Pal fees send checks to:

Wee Companions
975 Iris Ave
Imperial Beach, CA 91932

Material donations are always welcome too!

UPDATE FOR TAGG

So far we've raised $424.96 out of $300!

We've met our goal with time to spare! Thanks so much everyone! We've paid for two of Tagg's surgeries and part of a third!!

SEPTEMBER'S PIG OF THE MONTH-Tagg!

Meet Tagg

from Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue!

Tagg is an adorable, handsome, beautiful, indescribable! guinea guy. He is currently suffering from Myxosarcoma tumors on his nose (painful, but not cancerous). They have to be surgically removed every few months, causing both Tagg and the rescue great distress. Financial contributions toward Tagg will be greatly appreciated.

His story is told in two parts:

From Tagg's first and final foster mom: "Carroll County called us to come get guinea pigs. They already had too many rabbits and pigs then York PA contacted them to take pigs they were going to have to euth. So there was no room at York. Then there was no room at Carroll. Then we were called and we had no room for boys. I went and picked up the females and left Tagg behind. All day I couldn't get Tagg off my mind. The next Morning I was at Carroll before they opened. He had cast his spell and I had to have him so I set up an emergency cage. Having said that it certainly was never on my mind that Tagg would end up moving around a bit within MGPR and then finding his way back to me to spend the rest of his life.Tagg is shy of humans but VERY interested in EVERYTHING going on around him. He is always looking at everything and has the most adorable way of moving his head. He seems more like an animated toy than an animal. He prances and scampers rather than walks. When you pick him up he kind of melts in your arms in a rubbery kind of way and he smells wonderful."

From Tagg's second foster mom: "He is a sweetie pie! He loves his floor time. Even with the ugly "thing" on his face, he just got on with life as if nothing were wrong. He is a popcorning fool. He loves other pigs and is always trying to see my sick pig Ernie. He is a little shy with people. He eats his Vit C tab every day. He climbed my stairs once. He took his meds no problem until the end, when he decided enough was enough and refused the last couple of days, but I "persuaded" him to take them. I have never heard him chatter his teeth and he purrs every time he sees pigs."

Each surgery costs $150-we are hoping to raise enough money for two surgeries-$300. Will you help with a $1 donation today?