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“Loan piggy” looks sick - should I keep him?

fluffyguineapigs

fluffyguineapigs

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Aug 11, 2025
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My senior boar needed a new friend after his brother passed away last week, so I reached out to my local shelter and we went to see if we could bond him. One pig out of five was successful, so we agreed to foster him long term and bought him home with us. The two have been coexisting in the same pen for 2 days now.

When we got home, I noticed that the foster pig has slightly swollen, red foot pads. He also has a thin line of bulging red tissue around the top of his right eye. I told the shelter about this and they said to just put pawpaw ointment on his paws - but everything I see online says to take the pig to the vet.

I feel ashamed to say this, but I‘m tempted to go back to the shelter and ask for a new pig. I honestly just want a loss fuss piggy to keep my senior boar company. Should I tough it out, respect my senior boars choice, and take the foster boar to the vet on my own dime? Or should I ask for a new one and start the process all over again?

This whole thing is already making me feel like a terrible person, but I’m just confused and need guidance.
 
Could you take him to the vet and the shelter pay? If you're only fostering they should be covering his vet costs.
 
Yeah, that was the idea but they basically dismissed me concerns and told my to put pawpaw ointment on it and not worry anymore. I know I sound a bit dramatic, but abnormal foot pads aren’t hard to identify. They didn’t say anything about his eye. As I understand it, they won’t do anything for him.
 
The shelter should take him to their vet for these things and should have examined him and advised you about them. It depends on whether you like him enough to keep him. If you do do, then he should see as vet for these things. It is a difficult situation. A decision needs to be made so that he can get treatment sooner rather than later.
 
fluffyguineapigs said:
My senior boar needed a new friend after his brother passed away last week, so I reached out to my local shelter and we went to see if we could bond him. One pig out of five was successful, so we agreed to foster him long term and bought him home with us. The two have been coexisting in the same pen for 2 days now.

When we got home, I noticed that the foster pig has slightly swollen, red foot pads. He also has a thin line of bulging red tissue around the top of his right eye. I told the shelter about this and they said to just put pawpaw ointment on his paws - but everything I see online says to take the pig to the vet.

I feel ashamed to say this, but I‘m tempted to go back to the shelter and ask for a new pig. I honestly just want a loss fuss piggy to keep my senior boar company. Should I tough it out, respect my senior boars choice, and take the foster boar to the vet on my own dime? Or should I ask for a new one and start the process all over again?

This whole thing is already making me feel like a terrible person, but I’m just confused and need guidance.
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Hi all, just wanted to share a quick update. I took apple to the vet and he’s had his foot cleaned and is being dosed with a course antibiotics. The shelter actually was great and said they’d pay for everything but I just decided to bite the bullet and adopt him permanently. He’s a very special boy and deserves a permanent home.
 
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