Glide Free, Virga

Virga

Yesterday was our usual weekly weigh-in for our gliders. When it was Virga's turn I placed her into the pouch we use for weighing and headed for the scale. She had been slowing down the last week and was continuing to decline. Virga looked at me from the pouch with her big eyes, and it was clear it was time for her to be free. Weighing her only confirmed it for me - she had lost 6 grams in the past five days. Last night the tremors she has experienced on awakening lasted off and on through most of play time. She spent most of the time in my hand where I rubbed her tummy, which seemed to relax her and ease the tremors. I told M that I agreed that it was time to make the call and let Virga go.

I got up this morning to give them all their morning licks of yogurt, Virga included. I made the call to the clinic and left a message. Shortly after 8:30 I received a call back - we had a 10:00 a.m. appointment.

Cirrus, Foehn, and CB accompanied Virga to the clinic with us. Dr. W came out soon after and let us know there would be a bit of a delay.  When it was time Dr. W came out to get us and brought us to the examining room.  There was a blue fleece blanket on the steel examining table - that was surprisingly somewhat comforting.  Dr. W explained to us what would occur, and Virga was put under anesthesia.  M helped by keeping the anesthesia cone over Virga's face while she was injected with the euthanizing drug, and I kept the other gliders calm (I am not good with needles). We had elected to go with a catheter into her knee bone, but the small needle would not allow the relatively thick fluid to get into her system. So, it was directly injected into her heart. When Virga had passed we placed her in the pouch with Cirrus, Foehn, and CB so they could say their goodbyes.  We were both able to hold her and say our goodbyes.  There were tears in everybody's eyes: ours, Dr. W. the vet tech, and the student helping out. Dr. W. said she would make a clay paw print for us.

Virga was nine and a half years old, but only with us for the last two and a half years (she and her sister were re-homed with us). She quickly won our hearts. We'll miss Virga being the first one up and out at night, her climbing on our arms for the ride to the play room (office), her enthusiasm for mealworms, her long runs on the wheel, and her gentle nature. We are happy she came into our lives, and know she had a happy life with Cirrus, Foehn, and CB. She had grown to be my favorite, and I think M's too.

A necropsy is being done, and we should have the results in a few weeks. What they learn from Virga and Cirrus will eventually be published in the exotic animal veterinary journal so perhaps other gliders can be helped. As Dr. W. was briefly examining Virga she found new tumors, one of which appeared to be in her lymph nodes.

We can't say enough about the staff at the University of Illinois Vet Med Exotics Dept. for their efforts and care the last six months. Everyone from the receptionist who checked us in today (she knew why we were there and quietly offered to escort us back early), to Dr. W., Kim, and the vet med students we met were caring, compassionate, and professional.  We feel very fortunate to have access to the level of care and caring our gliders have received.