Qualcast&Flymo
Forum Donator 2025/26
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- Solihull, West Midlands
A week ago I unexpectedly had to say goodbye to my sow Rosemary, and have her helped to Rainbow Bridge 
when she suddenly developed serious bloat and couldn't be pulled through.
I adopted Rosemary, along with her bonded friend Winifred, from Neville's Nest rescue in August 2018, to be Squeaks' wives. They were bonded at the rescue so I don't know how much Rosemary had to put an excitable Squeaks in his place - but I do remember the only time I've seen pee-spraying was shortly after they came home and R felt the need to fend off Squeaks' amorous advances
R and W were called Susan and Sarah at the rescue, names which didn't seem to suit and I didn't really like. I was unable to come up with a theme and names to rename them, in the end I decided to name them after my late mother (Winifred) and late mother in law (Rosemary).Like them, they both seemed quite matronly and unexciteable, even though they were only about 2 years old!
In the 3.5 years Rosemary was part of my little group, she never had any real medical issues. Around last Christmas she started slowly losing a bit of weight but had then stabilised , and last month she had a dose of hay mites. Then of course it had to be the only weekend when I was out all day both days, I checked the piggies as soon as I returned home, and Rosemary was refusing food and staying in her cosy. I got her to the emergency vet, who diagnosed bloat. I decided to have her looked after in the hospital as I don't have the skills for emergency feeding etc. Sadly she didn't respond to the treatment and I had to agree to helping her over the Bridge on Sunday morning. If I hadn't been out on Sunday, I think I'd rather have let her stay at home with her friends; I still wonder if I could have saved her had I been at home on Saturday and noticed earlier ...
I buried her on Tuesday in a pot I bought specially, with some spring flowers and a sprig of Rosemary.
As well as being her name, in the language of flowers, Rosemary signifies remembrance, to quote Shakespeare, "There's Rosemary, that's for remembrance." And our gentle Rosemary won't be forgotten. She is resting outside the piggie room, close to her friends Winifred and Squeaks.
Popcorn free Rosemary xx
when she suddenly developed serious bloat and couldn't be pulled through.I adopted Rosemary, along with her bonded friend Winifred, from Neville's Nest rescue in August 2018, to be Squeaks' wives. They were bonded at the rescue so I don't know how much Rosemary had to put an excitable Squeaks in his place - but I do remember the only time I've seen pee-spraying was shortly after they came home and R felt the need to fend off Squeaks' amorous advances
R and W were called Susan and Sarah at the rescue, names which didn't seem to suit and I didn't really like. I was unable to come up with a theme and names to rename them, in the end I decided to name them after my late mother (Winifred) and late mother in law (Rosemary).
Like them, they both seemed quite matronly and unexciteable, even though they were only about 2 years old!In the 3.5 years Rosemary was part of my little group, she never had any real medical issues. Around last Christmas she started slowly losing a bit of weight but had then stabilised , and last month she had a dose of hay mites. Then of course it had to be the only weekend when I was out all day both days, I checked the piggies as soon as I returned home, and Rosemary was refusing food and staying in her cosy. I got her to the emergency vet, who diagnosed bloat. I decided to have her looked after in the hospital as I don't have the skills for emergency feeding etc. Sadly she didn't respond to the treatment and I had to agree to helping her over the Bridge on Sunday morning. If I hadn't been out on Sunday, I think I'd rather have let her stay at home with her friends; I still wonder if I could have saved her had I been at home on Saturday and noticed earlier ...
I buried her on Tuesday in a pot I bought specially, with some spring flowers and a sprig of Rosemary.
As well as being her name, in the language of flowers, Rosemary signifies remembrance, to quote Shakespeare, "There's Rosemary, that's for remembrance." And our gentle Rosemary won't be forgotten. She is resting outside the piggie room, close to her friends Winifred and Squeaks.
Popcorn free Rosemary xx
