Tessie

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Nancy

Hooked on Hogs
Joined
Jan 28, 2009
Messages
1,620
Location
Kingston, Ontario
2006,08,19 - 2009,02,24

On Tuesday we said goodbye to our first loss of 2009. Tessie and her mom Ellie came to me as rehomes. Ellie was bought from a petstore and a few weeks later delivered 3 babies, one of whom was Tessie. Their original mom was going off to university and could not keep them where she was staying so she brought them to me. I could easily have adopted out this pair of sweet gentle girls but I fell in love so here they stayed.

The girls were identical in personality but mom Ellie is over 600g and little Tessie barely 320. They are dolls.

Less than a week ago I found a small lump above Tessie's one front paw and assumed it was a mammary tumour. Over 3 days it grew to the size of a large marble and was almost dragging on the ground. I'd never seen a mammary tumour grow that quickly and the speed it was growing made me decide that surgery was probably not going to be an option.

Our vet didn't think the tumour was mammary and upon futher examination and huge oral tumour was found on the inside of her lower jaw, under her tongue. Our vet felt the lump was secondary to the oral tumour. Poor little Tessie. The oral tumour was not at all noticeable from the outside. Despite her still being so bright eyed and active, she passed very quickly after the injection was given. I feel she was ready.

Tessie was such a wonderful little girl and a perfect hedgehog. She didn't know how to ball up or raise her quills. She and mom Ellie loved each other so much. I've been trying to introduce Ellie to some other girls in hopes she will find someone else to snuggle with. Hopefully it will work out for her.

Little Tessie will not be our last loss. Four year old Muffin has a tumour on her side and 4.5 year old Abby had a tooth pulled a month ago but her jaw continues to swell. Although there are no signs of an oral tumour, we suspect there is one that hasn't reached the surface yet.

I realized when gathering pictures that every picture we have of Tessie and Ellie are on the same piece of fabric.

20081205Tessie.jpg


20081205Tessie4.jpg


20081205EllieTessie2.jpg


20081205EllieTessie3.jpg
 
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I'm sorry for your loss, Nancy. As always she had a wonderful life under your care. What a beautiful picture with her birth mom! Quills crossed of course for both Abby and Muffin.
 
I'm sorry to hear about little Tessie; she was such a beautiful little girl.

If only you were a little closer... I have a perfect friend for Ellie to cuddle with. Kismet would love a friend.

Rest in peace, little one. I bet you were greeted by lots of new friends.
 
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