goodbye Gretchen

Today my mouse Gretchen died. She had been ill for a while so it was not a big surprise. When I got back from my trip she was sick and had a lot of problems breathing. I tried a lot of things – antibiotics, probiotics, different bedding, etc but she still was always gasping to breathe. This affected her ability to excercise and eat and when I was holding her tonight (about half an hour before she died) she felt really skinny and there were two small sores on her head. While we were eating supper I heard a loud banging sound and came over to see her on her side kicking the cage with her hind leg and gasping for breath and then it was all over.

Keiko is hiding in the tea box – I think she knows Gretchen is gone. Well, I am glad in a way, because I knew she was really sick. I just wish I knew why she got sick.