Sparky: R.I.P.
Yesterday we lost Sparky the gerbil. Sometime in the afternoon it was noted that he was balled up and acting strange. Ale called me at work seeking my expert small animal medical opinion. My prognosis: not good.
Ale called again later to pronounce him deceased. She placed his body in a plastic bin with some bedding for comfort.
My main concern was for Audrey. When I came home she was enjoying a play date with her friend. Annika informed me “Sparky’s dead!” I went in to see if I could determine cause of death.
I found Sparky’s “box” and took the lid off. Poor fellow was still alive! He didn’t look good; balled up with a little blood at the mouth. He was cold so I put his box on a heating pad. I figured he ought to have a better chance of survival warm than cold.
Of course this became the evening vigil. “Is he gonna die?” I tried to break it to the kids gently: he’s either gonna live, or he’s gonna die… again.
Sparky did cross over to that big cage in the sky sometime around 8pm PDT. May he rest in peace.
Now the thing that was never quite figured out was cause of death. However, a certain four year old was last seen playing with Sparky in the AM. She just said, “Maybe he bumped his head.” I didn’t press her too much. Anyone who knows Annika knows you’d have better luck getting pigs to fly than a straight answer from her.
-m
PS- Funeral services to be held October 7th in the backyard at the Milliron Family Pet Cemetery.
