piggieminder
Forum Buddy
Thought some of you may be interested in what's happening with Peanut.
He started to go down hill last autumn when he had a UTI and lost a lot muscle around his hip and back leg area. He lost weight despite being syringe fed for weeks. In January he had another UTI a week after I was celebrating getting him back to 1kg. Recently he lost 150gm in a few weeks, the vet could not find a reason, no UTI, teeth fine, etc the vet was very thorough and he was already on pain relief, but he stopped eating for himself almost completely.
I started syringe feeding him, he's on metacam for his hip/back leg arthritis, cystease for his bladder and probiotics in case. This has been difficult for me because I don't want to keep an elderly pig alive if he really wants to go to the bridge and question if I should just because I can. There is no cure for old age (7 Sept/Oct) it's not like keeping a sick piggy going until it's well again, he has seemed so tired and as if he's completely given up the last 4 days. Last night we had a little chat while he was being syringe fed, I told him we would have a nice day today and on Monday I would take him for his last trip to the vet.
This morning when I came down stairs I was greeted by a little brown nose and bright eyes looking for his morning cucumber and pellets. All food and a handfull of hay eaten very quickly to my amazement. Was it the higher dose of pain killer, the probiotics or the chat? We'll never know but fingers crossed we are over the worst of whatever it was. He must have been in the hay all night as he's up over 30gms today on yesterday, at last he's going in the right direction, fingers crossed it stays that way. I hate no knowing what I'm dealing with.
Peanut in his younger days.
He started to go down hill last autumn when he had a UTI and lost a lot muscle around his hip and back leg area. He lost weight despite being syringe fed for weeks. In January he had another UTI a week after I was celebrating getting him back to 1kg. Recently he lost 150gm in a few weeks, the vet could not find a reason, no UTI, teeth fine, etc the vet was very thorough and he was already on pain relief, but he stopped eating for himself almost completely.
I started syringe feeding him, he's on metacam for his hip/back leg arthritis, cystease for his bladder and probiotics in case. This has been difficult for me because I don't want to keep an elderly pig alive if he really wants to go to the bridge and question if I should just because I can. There is no cure for old age (7 Sept/Oct) it's not like keeping a sick piggy going until it's well again, he has seemed so tired and as if he's completely given up the last 4 days. Last night we had a little chat while he was being syringe fed, I told him we would have a nice day today and on Monday I would take him for his last trip to the vet.
This morning when I came down stairs I was greeted by a little brown nose and bright eyes looking for his morning cucumber and pellets. All food and a handfull of hay eaten very quickly to my amazement. Was it the higher dose of pain killer, the probiotics or the chat? We'll never know but fingers crossed we are over the worst of whatever it was. He must have been in the hay all night as he's up over 30gms today on yesterday, at last he's going in the right direction, fingers crossed it stays that way. I hate no knowing what I'm dealing with.
Peanut in his younger days.
I’m so pleased he’s not giving up the amazing little lad. Keep scoffing Peanut! xx
hope he stays that way for the longest time!
lots of love xx
