With a Sad Heart

It was only a month ago that my wife was at SuperSuris in Green Bluff, WA and everyone was surprised by the birth of a new cria to Camilla, an old girl from Peru that everyone thought was beyond having babies.  My wife was attending a workshop at the time, just getting ready to leave for the day, when someone spotted one of the female suris on the hill, laying down and clearly laboring.  No one knew this old girl was pregnant, not even the vet who gave her an ultrasound and declared her so. 

After a very difficult time and much shifting of the cria to put him in the right position, a little boy was born to the world in a jumble of legs and hair – a pink, wet, and weak little premie cria with a twisted neck from the odd position he was in in the womb.  My wife helped them wrap his neck and support him while momma looked on with concern.  It was a few hours before my wife could pull herself away to come home to her own children.

We have spent the past month popping in on the little guy, checking his progress.  The kids even named him, with the Walker’s blessing.  SuperSuris Special Surprise.  And a special surprise he is.

It is with a sad heart that we announce that the little guy who stole all our hearts is not doing well.  He’s having trouble eating and he’s very very weak.  Yesterday he could barely lift his head to nurse, getting a few sips before his head would droop down – after which he would rest a bit before trying again.

We’re hoping that a night in the warm vet room and some tender loving care from the Walkers at SuperSuris will see him improve.  Unfortunately, this often isn’t the case in situations like this.  The little guy has had a hard life, even before he was born, and he’s a feisty little man – but he’s also very young and very weak.

We’re pulling for you Special Surprise.