Monday, April 5, 2010

Update for Clarence!

First I'd like to wave "hi" to all The HSUS members visiting the site! SAGP was recently featured as part of The HSUS'S Off-Duty series. Please consider following us on Twitter, Blogger, or Facebook, or joining our listserve! I'd love it if you donated, or considered passing along Clarence's story.

So far we have received $357.72! WAY TO GO! WE REACHED OUR GOAL!

Remember, this month the magic number is "6.62," paying for one week's worth of care for the dear boy. We are fundraising for 40 weeks worth of care for this boy, totaling $264.80.


Remember, SAGP is also available on Twitter and Facebook!

$

Send checks payable to "Small Angels Rescue," memo line reading "SAGP-Clarence" to

Small Angels Rescue

7501 Mayfair Ct.

Mt. Airy, MD 21771

Or email sponsoraguineapig@gmail.com to donate by another method.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

April's Pig of the Month-Clarence!

Meet Clarence
from MD rescue



Clarence is an absolutely adorable piggy. He came into Small Angels in April of 2009 as part of a large group taken to a local animal shelter when their owner was moving away.

He was in a poor state on arrival, thin, weak, and dehydrated. He was thought to be an older piggie, due to his conformation, but the lady piggies who came in with him were all pregnant and in due course gave birth to babies who bore a striking resemblance to him (!)

Clarence suffered from chronic diarrhea and on and off he also had a runny eye and nostril for most of the summer. After being neutered he remained in the rescue for an assortment of treatments. In the Autumn he was found to have an abscess under his jaw and the prognosis was poor, so we had to decide if he was a good candidate for surgery or not (the alternative being euthanasia). It was a difficult decision, but throughout all these months he had remained perky and lively, in spite of still being somewhat thin. So we decided to give surgery a go.

Clarence tolerated a long course of antibiotics and then had surgery to drain the abscess and remove a rotton tooth. It was successful! Since then, he has remained on anti-biotics twice weekly and needed probiotics to address the resulting diarrhea.

Clarence is a delightful little guy, amazing us with his upbeat character and endearing manner. Recently he has gained a little weight and he gets very excited about having his veggies, hopping up on his wooden house to wait for them. Clarence also still likes to chat to the ladies :)

We are looking for a Twilight home for him within about ten miles of Mt. Airy, MD. This needs to be somewhere where he will be loved and appreciated; preferably with a lady piggie or two for company. We will continue to monitor his health and provide the necessary veterinary care for the remainder of his life.

Clarence is on three medications: Zenequin ($1.96 a week), Benebac ($4.32 per week), and Vitamin C ($0.34 per week). His total medications are just $6.62 per week! For members who normally donate $5 a month, I really encourage you to donate $6.62 (if you can), so you can pay for a whole week of Clarence's care!

We are fundraising for 40 weeks of Clarence's care, for a total of $264.80. Thank you so much to those of you who donate and/or pass along his story!



Meanwhile, I'd like to wave "Hi!" to all The HSUS readers visiting the site. Please consider forwarding the site on, or even donating! You can reach me at sponsoraguineapig@gmail.com .


SAGP is also available on Twitter and Facebook!

$

Send checks payable to "Small Angels Rescue," memo line reading "SAGP-Clarence" to

Small Angels Rescue

7501 Mayfair Ct.

Mt. Airy, MD 21771

Or email sponsoraguineapig@gmail.com to donate by another method.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Update for Ziggy and Brodie!

So far we have raised $379.66 or #254.94! We've reached our goal, way to go!

Brodie says, "Thank you!" (picture courtesy of Webs).

Monday, March 1, 2010

MARCH'S PIGS-Ziggy and Brodie!

Meet Ziggy and Brodie
from UK Rescue



This year's two pigs are Brodie (11 months) and Ziggy (around two years). You will remember Brodie from last year. He lived with Josh after Yetti died. We could not find a piggy who would accept him after Josh went to the Rainbow Bridge, and we tried many, so we decided to castrate and find him a wife.

Ziggy arrived in terrible condition, mites, lice, very thin, and terrified of all piggies due to being mercilessly bullied by her cage mates. She coud not eat for sheer fear she would be bitten, she was separated from the other piggies and enjoyed life by herself for a while being syringe fed to gain much needed weight. She was only 1 lb 3 ounces. We also discovered Ziggy had a heart problem so she is now on Fortekor and still being syringe fed to ensure she continues to gain, she is now at 1 lb 12 ounces!

We paired her with Brodie and all was well for two days. Then we noticed a small abscess on Brodie's nose, cleaned it up, but by night time he had a huge abscess below his ear. At that point they were separated, Ziggy with the resident girls and Brodie in a hospital cage.

For three weeks now we have battled with Brodie's abscesses, so far the count is 16. He has some sort of infection that is being carried around in his blood and is causing abscesses. He has had two vet visits so far costing #178.35 to lance and clean/flush out the abscesses. Two more are coming up and they will need to be lanced in the very near future.

He is on Baytil and pain relief, syringe feeds daily just to keep him topped up, as well as huge doses of probiotics. We have not managed to definitely isolate the exact bacteria causing the infection but it is thought to be pastuerella. We do not know if we will win the battle for him and have been warned it may break out again at any time in the future.

He is happy, lively, and a complete star when it comes to all the flushing, cleanimg etc. of his wounds. He sits with his head tilted up and we get on with the job, only occasionally does he flinch if we touch a particularly sensitive spot.

So meanwhile these two lonely piggies have to be separated and there is no doubt that Brodie misses Ziggy. We do all we can to keep him happy but we are not piggies! Plus there is the zoonosis side and we have been well warned about this, wearing masks, gloves, etc. We have to keep to very strict hygeine and the big pads for him to sit on while we clean him up cost $14.95 for 12 and we go through 2 a day.

Costs for Brodie per week are: Baytril #9.00, Antibiotic flushing solution #6.00, Chlorahexadine #3.15, Sundries (cotton buds/balls, syringes, probiotics) #3, Critical Care #14.95, Pain Relief #3.00.

Costs for Ziggy per week: Fortekor: #4.90, Critical Care: #14.95.

Total cost per week: #58.95 or $88.79. Total fundraising goal (a three week supply): #176.85 or $266.37

We hope that Ziggy and Brodie can live together again but Brodie does not have a quick fix illness. But as long as he is happy, lively and enjoying life we will keep him on with meds, syringe feedings, and flushings, and hope that there is a happy ending for both of these loveable pigs.


To donate in US dollars:


To donate in Sterling Pounds:

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Update for the Lab Pigs!

So far we have raised $260 out of $260, we've reached our goal!!!! Please donate or consider sharing their story.

Thank you so much to everyone who has already done so!

Their story:

The lab piggies were from the University of Arlington, we had originally been conntacted by them to rescue 31 in 2008 after they had finished their trials, they told us they were done with guinea pigs as they did not cooperate well. Unfortunately less than a year later we were called again to take 18 more.This time they were kept as pairs in those tiny tubs that you see them pictured in.We rescued 14 girls and 4 boys, these were not quite as shy as the first lot and took to eating veggies a lot quicker.

Due to their looks people don't even stop to consider them for adoption so we anticipate their stay at the rescue to be long, maybe even a lifetime. We would love to be able to raise enough money to get the 4 boys neutered ($65 each)