Re-bonding after hormonal fighting

[JLB455]

Please can I have your advice. Our girls started fighting - PB suddenly becoming very intolerant of her sister Jupiter. We checked them out and thought PB was bloated and walking a little strangely. After subsequent trips to the vets we have found out that PB has ovarian cysts and in in to be spayed today. We have sadly had to separate them over the past week to stop further injuries to each other, but have been ensuring that they have daily supervised meetings during cuddle time.
When PB is home and up to it, we are hoping that they can be reintroduced and live together again - poor Jupiter is very lonely and sulking, the radio and being around us humans is not cutting it for her!
Please can you advise on how best we reintroduce them to each other....?
Thanks in advance

 

[Wiebke]

Please can I have your advice. Our girls started fighting - PB suddenly becoming very intolerant of her sister Jupiter. We checked them out and thought PB was bloated and walking a little strangely. After subsequent trips to the vets we have found out that PB has ovarian cysts and in in to be spayed today. We have sadly had to separate them over the past week to stop further injuries to each other, but have been ensuring that they have daily supervised meetings during cuddle time.
When PB is home and up to it, we are hoping that they can be reintroduced and live together again - poor Jupiter is very lonely and sulking, the radio and being around us humans is not cutting it for her!
Please can you advise on how best we reintroduce them to each other....?
Thanks in advance

Hi

You need to conduct a formal re-intro on neutral ground but brace yourself for the fact that the bond may have broken and they will have to live with interaction through a divider but each their own territory. Once sows (irrespective of how long they have been bonded or whether they are realted or not) have made up their mind that they don't suit anymore and don't want to be with the other, then they are not going to change their mind again for the rest of their lives. There is no magic wand measure for that case but acceptance of the facts. Ovarian cysts can be the cause of a permanent fall-out in adult sows.

Here is more information:
For pair problems and formal re-intros:
Bonds In Trouble
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

For ovarian cysts and post-op care:
Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)
Tips For Post-operative Care
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment (for bookmarking in the unlikely case that something is going really wrong; it's just a good link to always have handy in case something suddenly happens with a piggy of yours and you are in a panic)

 

[JLB455]

Hi

You need to conduct a formal re-intro on neutral ground but brace yourself for the fact that the bond may have broken and they will have to live with interaction through a divider but each their own territory. Once sows (irrespective of how long they have been bonded or whether they are realted or not) have made up their mind that they don't suit anymore and don't want to be with the other, then they are not going to change their mind again for the rest of their lives. There is no magic wand measure for that case but acceptance of the facts. Ovarian cysts can be the cause of a permanent fall-out in adult sows.

Here is more information:
For pair problems and formal re-intros:
Bonds In Trouble
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

For ovarian cysts and post-op care:
Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)
Tips For Post-operative Care
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment (for bookmarking in the unlikely case that something is going really wrong; it's just a good link to always have handy in case something suddenly happens with a piggy of yours and you are in a panic)

Thank you for the sound advice. I will let you know how we get on ... just hoping she recovers from the op at the moment.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you for the sound advice. I will let you know how we get on ... just hoping she recovers from the op at the moment.

All the best! I have had a number of successful spays with sows of mine over the years.
I just find it useful to have the information handy in the case it does go well; it's one for Murphy's law - if you are well prepared for the worst case scenario, you won't need it.