Potterpig
Junior Guinea Pig
Hi there. I apologise in advance... This is a long one. I need some genuine advice and support. Let me start from the beginning.
Back in Feb 2019 I rescued 2 boars aged 10 months. Two months later we rescued two further boars aged 5 months (wasn't planned but we were more than happy to), they were going to live as two pairs. Two weeks after we got the second pair, one of those boars got a uri. I fought day and night for about 5 days before he declined, fitted, and very traumatically had to be rushed to the vet and pts. I was absolutely devastated and traumatised. After around a week his cage mate wasn't coping very well, so we took him to a rescue and he picked himself a young boar and he was blissfully happy. I breathed a sigh of relief.
The same weekend we brought now pig no5 home I found a huge lump on one of the first pigs. By huge I mean like a golf ball in his neck. Back to the vet again who diagnosed an abscess. We had a long six weeks of daily vet trips for flushing, before it was clear he needed the surgery. He had the surgery, all the lymph nodes removed and eventually healed up nicely. By this point I'd owned pigs around 3.5 months and had spent around £650 at the vets.
All was fine for a year. No further vet care needed, everyone was happy, healthy and doted on. Then Wednesday night having spent all day physically with the pigs (I genuinely enjoy their company) I went to watch a TV programme and return to find my favourite pig (one of the first set but not the abscess pig) almost collapsed. I rushed him to the emergency vet who cared for him all night (suspected bloat) and I was then to collect him and take him to my usual vet at 7.30am. By 2pm the vet had said we weren't winning this and she felt that continuing was futile. Heartbroken we collected his companion from the vet alone (he went for moral support). £332 down again. His companion again very very withdrawn.
I feel so dispondent. I adore my pigs. Absolutely adore them. They're kept indoors in 5x2 c&c cages, fleece liners, natures own hay. If they go in the garden (very seldom) I sit next to the run til they come in. I just feel like I can't keep picking myself up. They seem so fragile. In a year I've spent £1000 ish in vet fees. I have a cat who hasn't cost me that in 8 years. This isn't about the money. It's about almost being fearful of owning them. I feel useless, like I can't handle this. Please don't lecture me or make comments about how this is what piggy ownership looks like. It'll just make me feel worse. Id love some advice about my now single piggy, he is very withdrawn and although I know he will likely rally in a few days I need to think longterm how to handle this. I thought if I neutered him and he had a girl all would be fine because if someone passed then I could mix both cages at that point. But of course I can't, I've still got too many boys. I love them too much, I almost can't detach myself from them to rationalise how awful this is. Has anyone ever felt this way after a bad run? Would probably help if I also told you my elderly cats have both passed away during lockdown.
Thank you for reading.
Back in Feb 2019 I rescued 2 boars aged 10 months. Two months later we rescued two further boars aged 5 months (wasn't planned but we were more than happy to), they were going to live as two pairs. Two weeks after we got the second pair, one of those boars got a uri. I fought day and night for about 5 days before he declined, fitted, and very traumatically had to be rushed to the vet and pts. I was absolutely devastated and traumatised. After around a week his cage mate wasn't coping very well, so we took him to a rescue and he picked himself a young boar and he was blissfully happy. I breathed a sigh of relief.
The same weekend we brought now pig no5 home I found a huge lump on one of the first pigs. By huge I mean like a golf ball in his neck. Back to the vet again who diagnosed an abscess. We had a long six weeks of daily vet trips for flushing, before it was clear he needed the surgery. He had the surgery, all the lymph nodes removed and eventually healed up nicely. By this point I'd owned pigs around 3.5 months and had spent around £650 at the vets.
All was fine for a year. No further vet care needed, everyone was happy, healthy and doted on. Then Wednesday night having spent all day physically with the pigs (I genuinely enjoy their company) I went to watch a TV programme and return to find my favourite pig (one of the first set but not the abscess pig) almost collapsed. I rushed him to the emergency vet who cared for him all night (suspected bloat) and I was then to collect him and take him to my usual vet at 7.30am. By 2pm the vet had said we weren't winning this and she felt that continuing was futile. Heartbroken we collected his companion from the vet alone (he went for moral support). £332 down again. His companion again very very withdrawn.
I feel so dispondent. I adore my pigs. Absolutely adore them. They're kept indoors in 5x2 c&c cages, fleece liners, natures own hay. If they go in the garden (very seldom) I sit next to the run til they come in. I just feel like I can't keep picking myself up. They seem so fragile. In a year I've spent £1000 ish in vet fees. I have a cat who hasn't cost me that in 8 years. This isn't about the money. It's about almost being fearful of owning them. I feel useless, like I can't handle this. Please don't lecture me or make comments about how this is what piggy ownership looks like. It'll just make me feel worse. Id love some advice about my now single piggy, he is very withdrawn and although I know he will likely rally in a few days I need to think longterm how to handle this. I thought if I neutered him and he had a girl all would be fine because if someone passed then I could mix both cages at that point. But of course I can't, I've still got too many boys. I love them too much, I almost can't detach myself from them to rationalise how awful this is. Has anyone ever felt this way after a bad run? Would probably help if I also told you my elderly cats have both passed away during lockdown.
Thank you for reading.
he used to gnaw a box if he could hear my voice or footsteps knowing I would come and see him. He loved a scratch in his cage. Loved queuing up for his pea flake treat and often give me stress as he liked to climb (I know pigs supposedly can't climb, trust me this pig was taking lessons from a chimpanzee). I often used to think in those special moments how on earth would I cope with losing you. And I have. And I'm numb. I haven't cried. I just feel like there is so much racing around my head I am absolutely numb. I know I couldn't have done more, I spent all day with him and he went to the vets in minutes and I paid for the overnight care. I just keep looking at the others thinking so who's next 
the bereaved pig has eaten some hay I saw him and I've made an extra hay box next to where he's taken to hiding. He also had a tiny bit of red pepper but overnight last night all the food had been eaten. I will weigh him tomorrow (and no doubt panic). The vet did say on the phone this pig is healthy but she was worried about how terrified he was and suggested putting him in with the other two 
I can tell you now that would end in a bloodbath in less than five seconds. X
I love him so much 
x
I can't be selfish when he would be unhappy because I'm afraid of getting upset, and I don't want to rehome him because we are now besties.... 
So I'm going to see what happens and I'll let you know. My dominant pig in the other cage is a bar biter 
since all this I found lice on the bar biter but nothing on the other two. More drama 