Friday, July 29, 2011

First Visit to the Vet

Bertie lost about 100g in June over the course of several days.  The other girls had also lost a bit, so I wasn't too concerned.  Then I got sick and was too tired to be concerned.  But this week when I weighed them all, everyone had gained weight... except for Bertie.  So I called the vet and made an appointment both for Bertie and Pinniped.

Where are we going?
Willow has been to the vet so many times, she takes a very laid back attitude towards it, and is happy and inquisitive.  She flirts with everyone there.  Even when she had the bladder stone.  These guys?  Petrified.  At one point Bertie tried to hide under Pinniped.  Going to the vet was so not cool.

The vet checked out Bertie's heart and tummy and bladder and teeth.  She noticed a slight overgrowth on the left molars, said she couldn't see any evidence of abrasion.  A body x-ray showed gas and a very full bladder.  Bertie wriggled a bit from all of poking and prodding but was uncharacteristically docile.

The vet gave Pinniped an overall check and made lots of comments about Pinni's love handles (and squeezed them a lot!).  It's hard not to give Pinni lots of squeezes.  What a moose.  Pinni groused about the attention her fat was getting, but was otherwise abnormally quiet.  This was all too much to process.  The vet said she was a porky pig but in great health.

The girls were so glad to get out of that office!  Unfortunately, Bertie will be making a trip back next week, to have her molars examined carefully and the left molars filed a bit.  I'm not happy, but not surprised.  I have not had a pig with teeth problems before and I am very nervous about having her sedated.  Poor Bertie will be by herself for the day -- I don't know if she's ever been left by herself for that long.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Summertime Sacking




It has been an uneventful summer so far, mostly because I've been too sick to do much.  However, we've had several nice days and the girls have been loving getting outside whenever they can.  They've enjoyed long afternoons of just snoozing in the grass.  It's a hard moment to catch -- as soon as they hear the camera, they're up and alert or begging for something.  I managed to catch Bertie, though, zonked out.

Ah, what a life.

The last few days have been too warm to go out, which is a shame, because the grass is green and it has been dry and sunny.

Recently, I cleaned their cages while they were out.  I suspect that Pinni knew something was up, because she was totally spastic when we brought them back in.  The whole time Pinn's on the move, Bertie is just chillin' out.  I mean, how goofy is this?!?



Thursday, July 7, 2011

Start of the Summer Bounty

I split a single share at a local CSA with a co-worker.  I picked up veggies for the both of us last night and couldn't believe how full the bag was.  Zucchini and summer squash already?  Onions, the first of the beets and beans, big leafy sprig of basil and a couple of huge bunches of greens (mizuna and arugula, I think).

I see fresh baked zucchini bread in my future!  Or maybe zucchini fritters?  And if the girls are really good, they may get a green bean or two.