Subdued but stressful times

[Deleted member 131797]

My 4 year old neutered boar is a little subdued at the moment and I always find it difficult to deal with the “is he” or “is he not” ill decisions.

I’ve learned over the years that I’m usually not paranoid when I think I may be being paranoid. However, it’s been a strange time as I lost my oldest sow first week of January, (he still has a companion, Arya, sow, who is 3). I attempted to bond in two new ladies but it didn’t go well with Arya fighting one of the other girls, so they are all now in 2x4 per pair attached but split between the pairs (so 2x8 but split) and they chatter and get along.

He’s not as interested in his veggies but there is less competition. He’s behaving normally, rumblestrutting and playing with Arya as always. He doesn’t sit in his old spot but then the whole dynamic has changed with my other sow passing. So there is so much going on that it’s hard to tell. He had major surgery when he was about 9 months old (whilst being neutered they found his intestines had dropped into the hole where the testicles drop from and they had started to be starved, then a bad reaction to the stitching glue) but had lived a normal life in the last 2,5 years. A more factual clue is a weight fluctuation from 1150 to 1110 grams over two weeks which I don’t think it’s huge given the dynamic changes but again - paranoia or not?

Anyway, I’ve booked him in for a non urgent vet trip on Sunday (full on Saturday unfortunately) and will start daily weighting and some fibreplex to get him a bit more hungry. Wondering it could be his teeth but he is eating, just with less enthusiasm.

Poo etc all normal, no physical signs at all apart from my instinct. I say he’s subdued because he lets me stroke him all the time where previously he only let me stroke him occasionally (whilst in the cage that is, he’s always been fine on lap). I know it’s a bit weird that I get paranoid because a pig is enjoying me stroking them - but ... gut instinct. Perhaps he’s subdued as he used to be top pig over my old sow but now Arya is fully fledged no-prisoners top pig over him. Or because I rearranged the whole cage on Saturday. Or or or...

I guess I’m not really asking a question but I hate it when I’m not sure whether I’m making it up or not. It’s possibly more a behaviour thread topic than health but we shall see what the vet says.

Ragnar and Arya at lap time.

 

[Wiebke]

My 4 year old neutered boar is a little subdued at the moment and I always find it difficult to deal with the “is he” or “is he not” ill decisions.

I’ve learned over the years that I’m usually not paranoid when I think I may be being paranoid. However, it’s been a strange time as I lost my oldest sow first week of January, (he still has a companion, Arya, sow, who is 3). I attempted to bond in two new ladies but it didn’t go well with Arya fighting one of the other girls, so they are all now in 2x4 per pair attached but split between the pairs (so 2x8 but split) and they chatter and get along.

He’s not as interested in his veggies but there is less competition. He’s behaving normally, rumblestrutting and playing with Arya as always. He doesn’t sit in his old spot but then the whole dynamic has changed with my other sow passing. So there is so much going on that it’s hard to tell. He had major surgery when he was about 9 months old (whilst being neutered they found his intestines had dropped into the hole where the testicles drop from and they had started to be starved, then a bad reaction to the stitching glue) but had lived a normal life in the last 2,5 years. A more factual clue is a weight fluctuation from 1150 to 1110 grams over two weeks which I don’t think it’s huge given the dynamic changes but again - paranoia or not?

Anyway, I’ve booked him in for a non urgent vet trip on Sunday (full on Saturday unfortunately) and will start daily weighting and some fibreplex to get him a bit more hungry. Wondering it could be his teeth but he is eating, just with less enthusiasm.

Poo etc all normal, no physical signs at all apart from my instinct. I say he’s subdued because he lets me stroke him all the time where previously he only let me stroke him occasionally (whilst in the cage that is, he’s always been fine on lap). I know it’s a bit weird that I get paranoid because a pig is enjoying me stroking them - but ... gut instinct. Perhaps he’s subdued as he used to be top pig over my old sow but now Arya is fully fledged no-prisoners top pig over him.

I guess I’m not really asking a question but I hate it when I’m not sure whether I’m making it up or not. It’s possibly more a behaviour thread topic than health but we shall see what the vet says.

Ragnar and Arya at lap time.

Hi!

I am very sorry for your loss!

You are a very good owner, so it is normal to worry in the wake of a loss; some piggies take it harder than others.

30-40g is the daily weight swing band between a full/empty bladder/belly so it is only significant if it is part of a gradual long term weight loss trend. Otherwise we are not talking about weight loss unless your piggy has lost 50g/2 oz or more. Whenever you switch from weighing weekly to weighing daily, you have to either weigh at the same time in the feeding cycle (like before or just after feeding dinner or breakfast) in order to eliminate this swing or you have to make allowance for it and establish the bandwidth of the swings and just weight gain or loss only when the weight is outside the normal weight band.

A vet check won't come amiss as the stress of losing a friend can allow some underlying problem to come to the fore. It is however very difficult to diagnose without any obviousl symptoms when you only have your intuition to go on, as I know myself only too well! All you can usually do is just to keep an eye on him for the time being.

 

[Deleted member 131797]

Hi!

I am very sorry for your loss!

You are a very good owner, so it is normal to worry in the wake of a loss; some piggies take it harder than others.

30-40g is the daily weight swing band between a full/empty bladder/belly so it is only significant if it is part of a gradual long term weight loss trend. Otherwise we are not talking about weight loss unless your piggy has lost 50g/2 oz or more. Whenever you switch from weighing weekly to weighing daily, you have to either weigh at the same time in the feeding cycle (like before or just after feeding dinner or breakfast) in order to eliminate this swing or you have to make allowance for it and establish the bandwidth of the swings and just weight gain or loss only when the weight is outside the normal weight band.

A vet check won't come amiss as the stress of losing a friend can allow some underlying problem to come to the fore. It is however very difficult to diagnose without any obviousl symptoms when you only have your intuition to go on, as I know myself only too well! All you can usually do is just to keep an eye on him for the time being.

Thanks Wiebke! You are the sound of reason. I was wondering what the normal weight fluctuation band is - it’s been a while since I’ve had pigs with ongoing issues. I do always weigh before breakfast.

I like being a decisive person that’s why this stuff is so hard for me when it’s debatable as to what’s going on. It was quite clear something was very wrong when I eventually lost another piggy in the summer with kidney failure as she suddenly ballooned with oedema. Or when my old sow’s heart went earlier this month (I still can’t say her name without tearing up!) But this: “my pig is acting a bit out of sorts” is much harder to be clear on.

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks Wiebke! You are the sound of reason. I was wondering what the normal weight fluctuation band is - it’s been a while since I’ve had pigs with ongoing issues. I do always weigh before breakfast.

I like being a decisive person that’s why this stuff is so hard for me when it’s debatable as to what’s going on. It was quite clear something was very wrong when I eventually lost another piggy in the summer with kidney failure as she suddenly ballooned with oedema. Or when my old sow’s heart went earlier this month (I still can’t say her name without tearing up!) But this: “my pig is acting a bit out of sorts” is much harder to be clear on.

I know - 'mystery weight loss' is my personal pet hate, but it is often the first symptom of unfortunately a very wide range of problems...

 

[Bill & Ted]

Aw, so sorry for your recent losses x
You are not paranoid, you are a caring and tuned in owner and it’s awful when you know your piggie is not quite right and you can’t just put your finger on it. I wish all pet owners were the same, the world would be a much nicer place x

 

[Deleted member 131797]

Aw, so sorry for your recent losses x
You are not paranoid, you are a caring and tuned in owner and it’s awful when you know your piggie is not quite right and you can’t just put your finger on it. I wish all pet owners were the same, the world would be a much nicer place x

Thank you, that’s a lovely unexpected surprising message! I always feel like the worst pig owner in the world when deciding to PTS any pigs. I could write essays for human emotions on the “should I have done more” feelings!