Hannah_xx
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On Friday, last week I decided it was time to help Lion cross the rainbow bridge.
It was an extremely hard decision as I’ve never met a pig who was holding on to life as much as Lion. He was brave and stoic to the very end.
Lionheart developed incisor teeth problems almost 2 years ago, for the first 6 months or so he had to have 8 week checkups and tooth trims. He coped well, but he’s dodgy tooth continued to thicken and grow ugly. After a while his appointments had to be every 6 weeks. He slowly lost weight but remained happy and content. On and off pain relief and critical care.
Up until the last few months where he had to be seen every 4 weeks. His weight rapidly decreased, He developed a tooth abscess recently which antibiotics and cleaning healed up very well but his teeth were really getting in the way of him picking up hay. I had been giving him critical care 3 time a day for the past few weeks, he lived for it. And became ever so friendly waiting to be picked up and given special treatment. He still participated in dinner excitement, standing up at the bars and pacing around the cage, He still jumped in and out the hay trays and still continued to poo normally. But on Thursday, while waiting for salad dinner (which he struggled to eat). He must have fell on his side and he couldn’t right himself, he got stuck. When I saw him I was shocked as I thought he was suddenly dying despite him standing up at the hammock moments before waiting for dinner.. I suddenly realised he wasn’t dying, just trying to get back up, I quickly helped him and immediately he continued on his way wheeking and circling around for his dinner. Bless him heart. Thursday night he weighed a measly 500grams. A far cry from the 1000g he used to weigh before his problems. He felt like skin and bone, me and the vet don’t know how he was still so active.
He already had an appointment booked for a tooth trim the next day, Friday.
I decided we couldn’t keep going on like this.
I’m so sorry Lion.
At a wonderful age of roughly 6 or 7 Lionheart lived a full life. He came to me in 2021 from a friend who had a few too many pigs, and he’d been fighting and arguing with other males.
Lionheart immediately became friends with the beautiful Lottie and Emily. The three made a great team and got along perfectly. We sadly lost Lottie to and unknown and sudden death, Lion helped Emily whom was grieving for her best friend. The two stayed as a sweet quiet couple for some time until we welcomed the outgoing and very fluffy Buttons. As much as Emily loved Lion she was very happy to have a girlfriend again and the three of them all became the best of friends. Lion was a devoted, kind and fuss-free husboar to his girls. We sadly lost Emily quite a while back and ever since then Buttons and Lion continued to be a great couple. Buttons cared for Lion during his ill health, letting him snuggle into her thick fur when he felt frustrated at not being able to eat hay.
Lion never let in that he was struggling, he was stoic and bravehearted and ever so sweet. He just kept going, he never gave up. He sweet little face on his last day still breaks my heart.
I’m sorry Lion.
I’m glad I let him go while he was still happy. It’s better a day too soon than a day too late.
But my gosh, it still hurts. The guilt still twangs.
Aaron, my vet said it was remarkable for a piggie to live 2 years like this with bad dental disease. We all did well.
Sleep well Lion.
say hi to Lottie and Emily.
Henry is looking after Buttons now, don’t worry about her. We love you.
It was an extremely hard decision as I’ve never met a pig who was holding on to life as much as Lion. He was brave and stoic to the very end.
Lionheart developed incisor teeth problems almost 2 years ago, for the first 6 months or so he had to have 8 week checkups and tooth trims. He coped well, but he’s dodgy tooth continued to thicken and grow ugly. After a while his appointments had to be every 6 weeks. He slowly lost weight but remained happy and content. On and off pain relief and critical care.
Up until the last few months where he had to be seen every 4 weeks. His weight rapidly decreased, He developed a tooth abscess recently which antibiotics and cleaning healed up very well but his teeth were really getting in the way of him picking up hay. I had been giving him critical care 3 time a day for the past few weeks, he lived for it. And became ever so friendly waiting to be picked up and given special treatment. He still participated in dinner excitement, standing up at the bars and pacing around the cage, He still jumped in and out the hay trays and still continued to poo normally. But on Thursday, while waiting for salad dinner (which he struggled to eat). He must have fell on his side and he couldn’t right himself, he got stuck. When I saw him I was shocked as I thought he was suddenly dying despite him standing up at the hammock moments before waiting for dinner.. I suddenly realised he wasn’t dying, just trying to get back up, I quickly helped him and immediately he continued on his way wheeking and circling around for his dinner. Bless him heart. Thursday night he weighed a measly 500grams. A far cry from the 1000g he used to weigh before his problems. He felt like skin and bone, me and the vet don’t know how he was still so active.
He already had an appointment booked for a tooth trim the next day, Friday.
I decided we couldn’t keep going on like this.
I’m so sorry Lion.
At a wonderful age of roughly 6 or 7 Lionheart lived a full life. He came to me in 2021 from a friend who had a few too many pigs, and he’d been fighting and arguing with other males.
Lionheart immediately became friends with the beautiful Lottie and Emily. The three made a great team and got along perfectly. We sadly lost Lottie to and unknown and sudden death, Lion helped Emily whom was grieving for her best friend. The two stayed as a sweet quiet couple for some time until we welcomed the outgoing and very fluffy Buttons. As much as Emily loved Lion she was very happy to have a girlfriend again and the three of them all became the best of friends. Lion was a devoted, kind and fuss-free husboar to his girls. We sadly lost Emily quite a while back and ever since then Buttons and Lion continued to be a great couple. Buttons cared for Lion during his ill health, letting him snuggle into her thick fur when he felt frustrated at not being able to eat hay.
Lion never let in that he was struggling, he was stoic and bravehearted and ever so sweet. He just kept going, he never gave up. He sweet little face on his last day still breaks my heart.
I’m sorry Lion.
I’m glad I let him go while he was still happy. It’s better a day too soon than a day too late.
But my gosh, it still hurts. The guilt still twangs.
Aaron, my vet said it was remarkable for a piggie to live 2 years like this with bad dental disease. We all did well.
Sleep well Lion.
say hi to Lottie and Emily.Henry is looking after Buttons now, don’t worry about her. We love you.
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He was in great hands and he had lived a lovely life with you. 
(((hugs))) a lovely tribute for him x