Caring for a sick elderly pig

[Big Sky Piggies]

Hi all,

I’m looking for some advice for caring for my 6yr old pig who’s really quite unwell. She had a stroke around a month ago and recovered fairly well with some anti sickness medication. I did know however that it was only a matter of time before she had another one.

Due to nerve damage in her face both eyes have got quite red and puffy and she has eyedrops every day/ pain/ anti swelling medication when she needs it. This seemed to be working well at managing the symptoms. The vet checked her mouth at her last appointment and said that her teeth and everything were still ok.

She has since had another stroke (about two days ago) and this time seems to be really struggling, she’s really lost her balance and hasn’t seemed to have regained it very well. Both her eyes have taken a turn for the worse especially in the last 24hrs, and I’m not convinced she can see very well/ at all anymore. I’m still going with the eyedrops and with the pain/ swelling medication.

It’s really hard because she seems herself, in that she’s eating, drinking and getting herself around the cage (all be it very wobbly and slowly) as well as still kicking up a fuss when I pick her up to do medication and she doesn’t want to be held! It’s just her little body is giving out on her.

I’m being very careful to keep an eye on when it seems like it’s getting unfair for her, as I don’t want her to be in unnecessary pain, but she really is a trooper and is still snatching snacks from my hand, eating and drinking, it’s just really painful to watch as she looks so wobbly and frail.

How do I know if she’s hurting? I’m thinking from past piggies it’s when she stops eating and moving around? I’m just doing my best to keep her comfortable.

I’m also worrying about her cage mate who seems to have gotten far more anxious and needy since Willows second stroke, I think she’s missing having her friend to properly run around with. I’m trying to give her as much fuss as possible, but other than that I don’t know what else I can do to calm her down.

Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated thank you!

 

[Merab]

So sorry that you are dealing with this.
I don’t have the experience to help but just want to offer support

 

[Big Sky Piggies]

So sorry that you are dealing with this.
I don’t have the experience to help but just want to offer support

Thank you, much appreciated

 

[Eriathwen]

I'm sorry you're both dealing with this, first and foremost are the eyedrops lubricating, or just a liquid? If a liquid, you might want to purchase something like Optixcare eye lube plus, I use this for all my blind and/or neuro piggys for various reasons, but it really helps keep the eyes comfortable and prevents any ulcers or issues rather than just treating them when they happen due to reduced blinking and lubrication.

Secondly it sounds like you're using metacam/meloxicam which is great, but gabapentin is very worth asking ypur vet for as, as well as being a form of pain relief, can also be used to help with neurological issues, my neuro piggies receive this twice a day and they definitely showed improvement, and it may help prevent further neurological events.

Personally I've found they adapt very well to being slightly neurologically wonky, and I've not had any show any signs of being in actual pain.

You may want to have a read up on something called E.cuniculi to see if that lines up with what may have happened, they can carry it with no symptoms their entire life until a period of stress or weakness, especially into old age. In which case you may want to ask about a 28 day course of panacur for her, as this may help.

I hope that's of some help, I know it's a worry when it comes out of nowhere but I've had a good few wonky piggies now and while it isnt nice to watch them struggle to relearn how to do things and adapt, when they do, they can have just as good a quality of life as before, so try not to worry.

 

[Big Sky Piggies]

I'm sorry you're both dealing with this, first and foremost are the eyedrops lubricating, or just a liquid? If a liquid, you might want to purchase something like Optixcare eye lube plus, I use this for all my blind and/or neuro piggys for various reasons, but it really helps keep the eyes comfortable and prevents any ulcers or issues rather than just treating them when they happen due to reduced blinking and lubrication.

Secondly it sounds like you're using metacam/meloxicam which is great, but gabapentin is very worth asking ypur vet for as, as well as being a form of pain relief, can also be used to help with neurological issues, my neuro piggies receive this twice a day and they definitely showed improvement, and it may help prevent further neurological events.

Personally I've found they adapt very well to being slightly neurologically wonky, and I've not had any show any signs of being in actual pain.

You may want to have a read up on something called E.cuniculi to see if that lines up with what may have happened, they can carry it with no symptoms their entire life until a period of stress or weakness, especially into old age. In which case you may want to ask about a 28 day course of panacur for her, as this may help.

I hope that's of some help, I know it's a worry when it comes out of nowhere but I've had a good few wonky piggies now and while it isnt nice to watch them struggle to relearn how to do things and adapt, when they do, they can have just as good a quality of life as before, so try not to worry.

Thank you so much that’s very helpful indeed! Optix care is the eye gel that I’m currently using and it does seem to help. I shall look into the other medications that you mentioned thank you very much.

I’m glad to hear that they can learn to manage well, I hope that she can do the same.