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Ralfie is staying at the emergency vets.

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i've just felt his feet, they do feel a little hot but he's been sitting on them, and he didn't react when i pressed the pads?
 
Feeling warm is what I hoped you would say. If the feet start to feel cold and there is no reaction when you press them,you may need to speak to the vet.Piggies pads are very sensitive and they usually react when you touch them.I know this sounds cruel,but dig your fingernail in gently and see what happens.,or run your nail along the pad.

Are his pads light or black?,if light colour are they the normal pinky colour?.
 
yes 3 of his feet are light and they seem a normal,pinky colour i'm going to leave him settled tonight and il check his pads in the morning, he has lost a little weight so i will keep syringe feeding him until he starts gaining again x
 
I'm so pleased with ralfie this morning, he's eaten all of his veg except for some cauliflower and had a go at his dried food, he's had a drink and was eating hay when i went in. He's moved about quite a bit by the looks of it because the hay and bedding was disturbed and he shuffled away when i went in :) i know it's not much and his legs are still very weak but i'm pleased with him he seems much better than yesterday x
 
Oh,this is great news.The bruising is obviously getting less painful and stiff.

You have done a very good job in nursing him through this.
 
Thanks mary, your advise has helped a lot, I'm still going to try to get some baby food down him today and later with his metacam but i couldn't have hoped for more from him this morning, he's eaten exactly the same as the girls x
 
Now he is eating by himself,wean him off the baby food.They can get addicted to syringe feeeding.
 
well he only had 3mls and he wasnt too keen on it so il giv him less today, i dont think he'll miss it though! x
 
awwww..... sorry - didnt come on yesterday

I'm so glad you are feeling pleased with him and that his little feet are still nice and warm. You're doing a brilliant job by the sounds of it! O0

Me and my girlies are still thinking of little Ralfie :smitten:
 
so glad to hear he's doing better today. Have been thinking of you guys.
Hopefully the worst is over now and he'll make a speedy recovery :)
 
Thanks everyone, i've just been in to see him and he hasn't eaten his veg i gve him at about 11 but they were all asleep so i'll give him a few hours before i start worrying again x
 
Thanks katie, i've just had a thought, Ralfie cant reach down to get his pellets, is this a problem, does he need them? he cant clean himself either so i've bathed him underneath, he was a bit wet where he'd sat in the same place, i've put him on vetbed now. Anyone know if he needs his pellets? x
 
Yes he does need the pellets,they contain vitimin b complex. I know you are going to say yuck, but you can hand feed them to him.Either his own or from another piggy.

The things piggy people have to do!
 
Hi mary, just had a look down there, i feel quite guilty that this didnt occur to me, i've emptied him out but he wont eat them, there was a build up which i believe was probably impaction :'( how do i know if i got it all out? he cant even wash his face because his back legs wont support him, he falls over :'( i feel so sorry for him and don't know what to do to help, he's still mainly dragging his legs, moving his left one more than his right, he does pull them away when you pinch them. he wont eat the pellets, just keeps pushing them away or spitting them out, he's had 1ml of baby food and 1ml water, he's been eating lots of hay and grass and veg on his own, how else can i get his vitamins in him without giving him his pellets? x
 
Try mashing the pellets up in the baby food,they do mash up very well,I have fed them to pigs in this way.

If he still will not eata them get a vitimin B complex supplement.

The mobility should gradually improve.
 
You can buy the powder in Holland and Barratt to mix in, I have an impacted old boar who won't eat his pellets so I sprinkle the powder in with his food, ( wet food so it sticks!)
 
Thanks everyone, just got back from the vets. she thinks it is nerve damage and is ireversible :'( he has feeling but he doesn't have awareness of where his legs are hence not being able to walk but moving his legs and she doesn't think this will improve, she said the options now are to help him as best we can, clean him out everyday, bathe and dry him everyday (he's constantly wet underneath and on his legs) and rub cream into his legs, feed him vitamins. she said he will evetually develop sores because of the way he is using his legs, he walks kind of on his knees or just drags them. she doesn't think he is in pain, he doesn't squeal and he is eating and pooing fine, what it comes down to now is quality of life and wether it would be best to pts :'( i really don't know what to do, it breaks my heart seeing him like this because he falls over and cant do any normal things but at the same time i can't bear the thought of getting him pts when he isn't in pain and he doesn't know he is sick :'( my mum is blaming herself and is really upset, so am i. i just don't know what to do, the vet said to wait to see if he improves until the end of the week just incase. x
 
oh no :'( :'( :'(
what horrible news :(
Have absolutely no idea what you should do but hope you have the strength to make the right decision.

huge huggles coming your way

Fay
 
Oh no I am so sorry to hear this...it was sounding like good news. Perhaps the vet is mistaken, please dont make a decision just yet..see how he goes for a few more days? If he isnt in pain, his quality of life should be fine really and you are doing such a wonderful job of looking after him :)
See what others have to say....hugs and more hugs.
Fiona x
 
Thanks everyone, we are going to give him this week at least, it's so sad to watch him though. he was licking my mum's tears before :'( he's been such a trusting and loving piggie right from the start and it's horrible to see him like this. he went to walk off my mums knee before which wouldn't have been a problem for him before but he just toppled over onto his back, he didn't hurt himself, it's just pitiful to watch :'( i have a horrible feeling that the vet is right, she did a few tests on him and he didnt react the way he should, but i'm not giving him up until i know i've done everything i can for him and it's completely the right decision. if he doesn't improve i will have to think about it properly and not be sefish, it's likely he'll develop sores and skin irritation from sitting in wee. he is on vetbed and we bathe the area everyday but he sits on his right leg so it gets wee'd on and because he's long haired it gets all underneath him. i wish he'd just be ok :( x
 
Ohhh sweetheart :'( ((((((hugs)))))) That little guy is so lucky to have you and your mum :smitten:

I can totally appreciate what you are saying, I wouldnt want to give up either...

Is there no way you can make something that means he doesnt have to walk? Is it all 4 legs that are bad?

Before you agree to PTS, you should def get an opinion from another vet, as some vets dont seem to realise the lengths us piggy lovers will go to for our babies. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:

Sending you lots of hugs and hope.x
 
I don't know what to say to you, so instead can I send you all a huge hug each ralfie , you and your mummy x
 
I think if you are in any doubt then you need to sit back and look at all the options. Can you keep him on Vetbed for the rest of his life to minimse sores? Pigs don't know they are disabled, they either get on with life or give up, sounds like your boy is still getting on with life. You don't know that he won't get better. There may be a good chance he recovers quite a bit more to make a difference to his life, or maybe he will adjust- pigs do adjust :) I think Mary has mentioned swimming therapy to strengthen/tone muscles.

Does he have a friend that can be with him to do the grooming?

I wouldn't rush into anything yet especially as he's happy :)
 
I think Karen has hit on a good point..that being is Ralfie happy? I know you and your mum are dreadfully upset, but he wont know that his life is any different! If he is eating, being nosey and all the other wonderful things that piggies do, then he must be happy...he just cant walk well but maybe he will get stronger and if you are prepared to give him the extra care he needs...which of course I know you are, you have been there for him big time since this happened :)
 
Thanks for all the advice and support everyone, we have tried the swimming therapy tonight but he didn't react to it at all and didn't try to dry himself afterwards. it is as if he just doesn't know there's anything wrong with him but he does give up trying to get somewhere or do something when it gets too hard :( i can keep him on vet bed forever but he puts his right leg underneath him and wees directly on it, so he still gets wet. he doesn't have a friend at the moment, the plan was to put him in with the girls but he was still in quarantine and he stil has a week or two before we know he is definately neutered, we were giving it the recommended 6 weeks just to be safe. can anyone think of anything we could do to help him in any way? we're prepared to do anything to get him better enough to live a happy life. i wish there was some sort of op or medication, i'd pay anything! any suggestions would be greatly appreciated because we just don't know what to do with him :( i would say in general though Ralfie is a happy piggie, he was never very active and prefered to stay in his corner anyway. he's eating, drinking and trying to move about, his poo's are mostly normal but we're having to clear him out everyday because he can't get down to take his pellets, he has started eating them today though when we put them in front of him. he is still weeing fine, we know this becaus it's all over him! i don't know wether he could be happy forever though if he stays like this, i don't know wether his front legs would be strong enough to drag him round for the rest of his life and he cant turn round very easily. we're not giving up on him though as i've said, he's too gorgeous! x
 
I put my boars in with sows after 2 wheeks and haven't had any resulting pups, this is also the CCTs recommendation. If he were mine I think I would give him a gentle nursey type sow as a friend (providing 2 wheeks is up).

They do adapt, I have a sow that broke/cracked her shoulder at some time in her life before she came here, she used to walk funny, and then she used to hop but now walks on all fours but has very overdeveloped muscles in some places. She definitely holds her own with her 5 pen mates and sees off any unwelcome attention.

I would wait and see how things develop- one day at a time. Put some barrier cream on his leg now- not when he gets sores.

Even well pigs have to be cleaned out sometimes because they are impacted, thats no handicap you'll get used to it :) Keep offering him his soft pellets and in time he may take them :)

Glad you're positive. :)
 
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