EPT![[image loading]](http://sofia-vets.net/jtr/imgs/spikey.jpg)
Now that's an edit of my favorite photo of this amazing animal - Spikey the African hedgehog. After a short illness it died a few days ago, all my efforts to contribute to his health were useless. For some time I questioned everything I know, I mean why did I become a veterinarian if I could not relief the condition of my own pet? It all seemed pretty stupid at the time - the futility of my efforts was rather disgusting.
The day of his death, my grief was surprisingly vivid and strong. But I thought about it all, I even wrote a few lines for my personal consolation and now the grief has transformed into some kind of weird but sweet sensation. When I think about Spikey it all brings me joy now, I remember the times we had fun together, not a pang of emotional pain anymore.
This is also how I think the animal would have wanted it. I am well aware Spikey didn't care for such things but he was affectionate even if hard to approach, being a ball of surprisingly sharp spikes.
So this is the course of things - he is dead, I am still alive. Which is better, none can surely tell. But this being so - farewell, my beloved ball of Spikes! As my daughter said, we hope you're playing now with all the rest of the dead hedgehogs, waiting for us to join you at some time!
