Old Age

[Lady Kelly]

My poor Willow has been to the vets this morning. When we first got her around April time we estimated her at being 2-3 years old and just a bit neglected as she was skinny and bony with overgrown nails.

Now it turns out she is a lot older than we thought. Given she has gained some weight but its only gone to her waist and she has remained bony with a pointy bum I had increased my estimate to 4 years minimum.

We went to the vets with a cloudy eye as you could see a scratch/poke mark on the eye so I knew it needed treating. While we were there the vet confirmed that she has the start of cataracts as well and that her sight is very poor. This also explains the occasional teeth chattering at Lily when shes zooming around the hutch.

I'm now thinking that Willow is perhaps 5-6 years old at least. She's coping very well with the hutch and is up and down the ramp A LOT! We added high sides to the ramp anyway so that isn't a concern for me. Is there anything I should be thinking of to make things easier for her? I can separate the hutch into two living compartments and have them in two pairs if it comes to that in the future (I'm not sure how I would do the pairings as Donald dotes on Willow and Daisy but Daisy is the next oldest and less likely to annoy Willow)

 

[Janice C]

My poor Willow has been to the vets this morning. When we first got her around April time we estimated her at being 2-3 years old and just a bit neglected as she was skinny and bony with overgrown nails.

Now it turns out she is a lot older than we thought. Given she has gained some weight but its only gone to her waist and she has remained bony with a pointy bum I had increased my estimate to 4 years minimum.

We went to the vets with a cloudy eye as you could see a scratch/poke mark on the eye so I knew it needed treating. While we were there the vet confirmed that she has the start of cataracts as well and that her sight is very poor. This also explains the occasional teeth chattering at Lily when shes zooming around the hutch.

I'm now thinking that Willow is perhaps 5-6 years old at least. She's coping very well with the hutch and is up and down the ramp A LOT! We added high sides to the ramp anyway so that isn't a concern for me. Is there anything I should be thinking of to make things easier for her? I can separate the hutch into two living compartments and have them in two pairs if it comes to that in the future (I'm not sure how I would do the pairings as Donald dotes on Willow and Daisy but Daisy is the next oldest and less likely to annoy Willow)

I'd just leave things how they are! As long as the others aren't stressing her out she'll probably be quite content living with her friends. Two of my recently rescued girls are probably ancient in piggy terms as Tansy rarely toddles very far, has dreadful squint claws and a fatty eye with a full blown cataract! Maisie was 7 when I took her and now enjoying the company of the babies!
Your care is excellent so I know you will look out for any changes in her and the others behaviour towards her! Hope her eyes ok too.

 

[Lady Kelly]

I'd just leave things how they are! As long as the others aren't stressing her out she'll probably be quite content living with her friends. Two of my recently rescued girls are probably ancient in piggy terms as Tansy rarely toddles very far, has dreadful squint claws and a fatty eye with a full blown cataract! Maisie was 7 when I took her and now enjoying the company of the babies!
Your care is excellent so I know you will look out for any changes in her and the others behaviour towards her! Hope her eyes ok too.

Thanks, I'm not too concerned about the eye. It was cloudier last night than it was this morning so I think it was healing on its own but I like to get things checked out to be sure. It could have been like that for a couple of days if I'm honest as we haven't handled them unless necessary as we have both been full of the lurgy so far.

 

[Janice C]

Thanks, I'm not too concerned about the eye. It was cloudier last night than it was this morning so I think it was healing on its own but I like to get things checked out to be sure. It could have been like that for a couple of days if I'm honest as we haven't handled them unless necessary as we have both been full of the lurgy so far.

Oh goodness! Have you also had the a Virus that's going round?
It's difficult trying to care for your furry family if worrying about passing any of our bugs onto them. Hope you're better soon. X

 

[Wiebke]

My poor Willow has been to the vets this morning. When we first got her around April time we estimated her at being 2-3 years old and just a bit neglected as she was skinny and bony with overgrown nails.

Now it turns out she is a lot older than we thought. Given she has gained some weight but its only gone to her waist and she has remained bony with a pointy bum I had increased my estimate to 4 years minimum.

We went to the vets with a cloudy eye as you could see a scratch/poke mark on the eye so I knew it needed treating. While we were there the vet confirmed that she has the start of cataracts as well and that her sight is very poor. This also explains the occasional teeth chattering at Lily when shes zooming around the hutch.

I'm now thinking that Willow is perhaps 5-6 years old at least. She's coping very well with the hutch and is up and down the ramp A LOT! We added high sides to the ramp anyway so that isn't a concern for me. Is there anything I should be thinking of to make things easier for her? I can separate the hutch into two living compartments and have them in two pairs if it comes to that in the future (I'm not sure how I would do the pairings as Donald dotes on Willow and Daisy but Daisy is the next oldest and less likely to annoy Willow)

Just keep Willow as she is right now; she is obviously still mobile and happy in herself, and has prospered. Lily will learn to not annow Willow and the others will care for her whenever she needs it. She may eventually like a bit more warmth from a snugglesafe, especially during colder nights, but considering how active she is, there is nothing wrong with her joints (arthritis) or her circulation.

She will adjust to her developing cataracts, and her other senses will gradually compensate.
This was my 7 year old Mali (I adopted her at 5 years old with cataracts). By the time I took this video, she was nearly totally blind and used her nose to follow her scent spoor for her zoomies. Arthritis kept her down to waddling, but she'd happily loop around - at times up to 60 loops and be perfectly happy, especially when she intentionally crashed into Iola at the end of it. She never lost her zest for life or stopped trying to play like 6 months old until 2 days before her sudden death from acute heart failure at 8 years old - only two days before she'd worked out a new loop.

 

[Flutterby]

Bless her! She sounds like she isn't going to let it stop her being a Diva!

 

[Lady Kelly]

Just keep Willow as she is right now; she is obviously still mobile and happy in herself, and has prospered. Lily will learn to not annow Willow and the others will care for her whenever she needs it. She may eventually like a bit more warmth from a snugglesafe, especially during colder nights, but considering how active she is, there is nothing wrong with her joints (arthritis) or her circulation.

She will adjust to her developing cataracts, and her other senses will gradually compensate.
This was my 7 year old Mali (I adopted her at 5 years old with cataracts). By the time I took this video, she was nearly totally blind and used her nose to follow her scent spoor for her zoomies. Arthritis kept her down to waddling, but she'd happily loop around - at times up to 60 loops and be perfectly happy, especially when she intentionally crashed into Iola at the end of it. She never lost her zest for life or stopped trying to play like 6 months old until 2 days before her sudden death from acute heart failure at 8 years old - only two days before she'd worked out a new loop.

Thank you Wiebke, as always you are very reassuring. She showed a particular fondness for the fleece cosies yesterday so I am thinking about getting some fleece tunnels etc for them this year. I have two snugglesafes and the OH is building some new wooden "hay" boxes for extra snuggly warmth. I'm sure we can keep her happy and healthy

 

[Lady Kelly]

Oh goodness! Have you also had the a Virus that's going round?
It's difficult trying to care for your furry family if worrying about passing any of our bugs onto them. Hope you're better soon. X

Oh yes, I'm not surprised with the OH bringing it back with him when he has been working away and being surrounded by people with germs at work (the girl I sit next to got sent home on Wednesday and hasn't been back since eeks). Still its going the right direction and hopefully I can feel more human again soon

 

[Reenie]

Just keep Willow as she is right now; she is obviously still mobile and happy in herself, and has prospered. Lily will learn to not annow Willow and the others will care for her whenever she needs it. She may eventually like a bit more warmth from a snugglesafe, especially during colder nights, but considering how active she is, there is nothing wrong with her joints (arthritis) or her circulation.

She will adjust to her developing cataracts, and her other senses will gradually compensate.
This was my 7 year old Mali (I adopted her at 5 years old with cataracts). By the time I took this video, she was nearly totally blind and used her nose to follow her scent spoor for her zoomies. Arthritis kept her down to waddling, but she'd happily loop around - at times up to 60 loops and be perfectly happy, especially when she intentionally crashed into Iola at the end of it. She never lost her zest for life or stopped trying to play like 6 months old until 2 days before her sudden death from acute heart failure at 8 years old - only two days before she'd worked out a new loop.

Aw, what a little sweetie. I know that wiggle was probably down to her arthritis, but it is sooo cute.

 

[DM030819]

I'd definitely leave her as is, until you see any signs from her.

The one thing I noticed with Anselmo was related to his eye sight. He didn't have cataracts but his eyes were starting to cloud over. He started to snap at the other boys and after watching him I realised that it was because they sometimes sneaked up on his cloudy side.

He was okay for a while but I eventually had to take him out and bond him with another pig.

 

[Freela]

My elderly pigs (including the one pretty much blind from cataracts) did well in their regular environment with their regular companion right up until they passed away. I would keep an eye on how she's coping, but my pigs adjusted well to cataracts and to being in their usual environment, so hopefully you can just keep on as is.

 

[Reenie]

Piggies do really well even without their eyesight. I suppose it's a bit harder if they go blind rather than born blind. I fostered these two little honeys and they were both completely blind from birth and had never been handled. They never did take to being handled, but watching them run around you would never have known they couldn't see. (They were the result of inbreeding).