A Guest Blogger: Meri

As my loyal readers already know, aside from Pa, Ma, and Sister, I also share my house with a little dwarf hamster named Meri.  Over the last couple of months, Meri has been asking me if she could write a post on my blog, you know, as a guest blogger.  At first, I must admit, I was a bit skeptical.  I'm a highly evolved and exceedingly clever (not to mention devilishly handsome) dog so of course I can have my own blog.  But a dwarf hamster?  I explore the world, I go on adventures.  She spends her days eating sunflower seeds and running on a wheel--what could she possibly have to say?  Not to mention, does she even have the body mass to type?

Anyway, I discovered today that Meri's life isn't all that boring and I thought "hey, let's give the little rat a chance."  So, without further ado, here is Meri the Hamster.

Meri's Day Out

by Meri 

Let me introduce myself.  My name is Meri.  I am a dwarf hamster.  I love to burrow under my bedding.  I like to climb mountains made out of my bedding.  I enjoy playing 'stuff the cheeks' with my Mom (A note from Rigby:  Meri's Mom is my Sister.  My Ma is Meri's Grams).  I also like to run in my wheel.  Mom and Grams chose me out of a litter of all my Sisters almost two years ago.  I don't remember how many of us there were.  We all enjoyed burrowing under our bedding.  We rarely saw each other in the light of day.  Oh, and I'm also nocturnal.

A couple of days ago I noticed something was wrong.  The food I stored in my cheek pouch wouldn't come out.  It was very uncomfortable.  Mom noticed the bulge in my cheek too.  She didn't realize it was stuck.  She thought I had just stuffed food there.  Yesterday, Mom realized that the bulge hadn't gone away.  She was afraid it was a tumor.  Grams suggested taking me to the vet.  Grams took me to the vet this morning.

First Grams needed to fill out some paper work for me.  I have my own folder now!  At first there was some confusion.  The receptionist thought I was a cat.  Grams corrected her.  Then I got to meet the vet.

The vet seemed really nice.  She reached into my cage and picked me up.  She held me by the scruff of my neck.  I was a little shocked.  Mom and Grams rub my back, but never pick me up.  I nibbled on the vet a little.  She didn't seem to mind.

The vet checked my heart with a stethoscope.  It was bigger than me!  Then she felt my tummy.  Next, she took a little flash light and shone it in my mouth.  She said she saw something.  She put me down on the exam table.  It was very big.  It was very shiny.  I stayed still and looked around.  The vet turned to Grams.  She said that she didn't think it was a tumor.  Then the vet scooped me up.  I sat in her cupped hands.  The vet said she'd take me in the back.  She said she'd look in my cheek then.

Someone else held me by the scruff of my neck.  The vet stuck a tiny tool in my mouth.  She removed all the stuff in my cheeks.  Then she brought me back to Grams.  She put me back in my cage.  The vet showed Grams all the stuff she removed.  It was my food.  There was a giant corn kernel.   There was also a half digested red kibble.  Grams was amazed.  The vet said my cheek was a little red.  She said it was irritated.  She thought about giving me medicine.  She decided not to.  She said that if Mom and Grams though I needed it they could call her.  She also said I wasn't allowed to have corn kernels anymore.  Then it was time to go home.

Grams carried me through the waiting room.  She saw a furry dog that looked like Rigby.  Her name was Gracie.  Gracie came running over to Grams.  Grams put me down.  She rubbed Gracie's belly.  She talked with Gracie's family.  Then we drove home.

Mom bought me new food.  All the pieces are chopped up.  I checked it out when Mom put it in my bowl.  It smelled good.  I stuffed my cheeks.  Then I ran on my wheel.  I am very sleepy now.  I've had a long day.