Healing Vibes For Bracken

Despite it all he hasn't lost his fight. This morning he escaped the box on his scales and put himself back in his carrier to go home. Don't think he wanted his recovery food this morning! In fact I know he didn't he fought the syringe and me, we were both covered in it.
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"Can I go back to Rusty now please"?.
 
How is Bracken today? I always find it amusing when I'm at the vets and it's time for the piggy to go back, they can always find the carrier.

I imagine them shouting 'see you', well running back to how they got there.
 
Thank you for asking @flintstones. The poor piggy is still bunged up and squealing when trying to poop. The recovery food is helping to keep his weight to just over 1kg. Off to the vets later so hopefully she will come up with another idea to get him going! Between trying to poop he is running around the cage with Rusty and seems quite happy.
I use a different carrier for vet visits, it has a top opening lid, when he sees that coming in the room now he dives for cover. They are such knowing little characters.
 
Aww poor Bracken!

Just a thought have you tried the slightly warm (tepid)bath method even if it's only a bum bath? Only needs to be deep enough to cover his genitals.

When I bathe any of the girls in the sink I support them with one hand in the water, their back legs on my fingers(front feet on my same forearm) and give them slops of water on their piggy botty with the other hand.
I usually find that there are piggy poo parcels left in the sink by the Dozen.

could a little bum soak soften the impacted poop and then it would be easier to gently coax the poop out, his bum muscles would also be more relaxed in the water so making it less painful to poop as well.

not sure if it would work but just a thought!

love to Bracken from the girls and I x x
speedy recovery little man and a handsome one at that :luv:
 
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The scan results finally came through today. The news is not good. The reason Bracken is blocked up is because he is full of kidney/bladder stones which would have made pooing painfull for him. He is at the vets at the moment having urine/blood tests, the scan also showed an abnormal left kidney. If the tests come back showing kidney damage we won't put him through an operation. My boars are all on filtered water, very few grainless pellets and low calcium veg, the vet says it's just very bad luck to have a second piggy with renal disease (she believes this is genetic) nothing I've done wrong. I'm beyond devastated and scared now for my other boars.
 
Aw no I am so sorry to hear this my Penfold years ago was chalked full of kidney and Bladder stones he was on palliative care as it wasn't possible to operate it's not pleasant but I do believe kidney and bladder stones may also be linked to genetics. It's strange how some pig's get stones and others don't I had 7 at the time all on the same diet and only two where affected by bladder stones.
 
Sending you loads of hugs at this difficult time. I know it's not nice but at least you know what it is now and don't need to go on wondering.
 
Poor Bracken, I do hope the vet can help. Big hugs and healing thoughts from us and the piggies. ❤️❤️
 
Sorry that Bracken is poorly and has horrible stones. Hope the vet can do something to make things better for him. Loads of healing vibes from me and my 3! xx :luv:
 
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When the vet phoned on Friday she said the blood tests showed his kidneys are working okay. She was concerned about the difficult position of some of the stones and how weak Bracken was but she was prepared to attempt an operation if I wanted to. I felt it was unfair to put him through anymore, I wanted the weekend for cuddles and to say goodbye he was to be PTS today.
This morning Spike was completely off, doing weird poos and had lost 50gms over the weekend (Friday's my normal weighing day). Spike got Bracken's appointment as the vets were booked up and Bracken is still here. Yesterday the blockage started to clear we think as we have loads more poo, he is bright and popcorning and eating and drinking for himself. Obviously he is feeling okay because of the painkillers, he still squeals when they are starting to wear off. I'm still topping him up with syringe feed to build him up if I can. Bracken is off for an op tomorrow to try to remove the stones. Spike taking his appointment felt like some kind of omen and we had to give Bracken a chance he's such a little fighter.
Spike is on gut meds, metacam and recovery food for now, but he may need a scan to see what's going on if he's not better in a few days.
I have been on such a roller coaster the last few days, worrying if I was making the right decisions for Bracken. I still don't really know but somehow I feel a bit lighter, while still worrying like mad about the two boars who bring such joy to our lives.
 
You have given Bracken a chance which is all you can do. He sounds like a real fighter and me and the piggies are sending healing thoughts for him and Spike. Big hugs for you and everything crossed that all goes well today. :hug:
 
Hope Bracken gets on ok at the vets. And hope poor Spike is better soon. They like to make us worry don’t they.
 
flintstones said:
Aw no I am so sorry to hear this my Penfold years ago was chalked full of kidney and Bladder stones he was on palliative care as it wasn't possible to operate it's not pleasant but I do believe kidney and bladder stones may also be linked to genetics. It's strange how some pig's get stones and others don't I had 7 at the time all on the same diet and only two where affected by bladder stones.
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I had 2 male guinea pigs that have now both passed away. As far as i know they were from the same litter, both abyssinian and both the same colour, had exact same diets, one ended up with 3 stones aged 6 . The other no problems atall until he reached 7 and got arthiritis then cancer. Wish you all the best with your pig x
 
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Just catching up with this.
Poor Bracken - he must be feeling rotten.

Hope the vet can deal with the stones and get him back on track
 
Bracken is out of surgery, the vet is very pleased with how things have gone, she removed a teaspoon full of stones and grit. Bracken is in recovery and the vet will phone in the morning to say if he can come home tomorrow or will need another day in the hospital. No news for the rest of today is good news, so everything crossed for my little trooper.
 
piggieminder said:
Bracken is out of surgery, the vet is very pleased with how things have gone, she removed a teaspoon full of stones and grit. Bracken is in recovery and the vet will phone in the morning to say if he can come home tomorrow or will need another day in the hospital. No news for the rest of today is good news, so everything crossed for my little trooper.
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Glad to hear he's out of surgery okay. Fingers (and piggy toes) crossed for a speedy recovery! He's such a little fighter!
 
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