The kindest option in this situation?

[HouseOfPigs22]

I have 3 pigs (2 neutered boars and a sow). One of the boars (B2) is the son of the sow and the other boar (B1). The sow arrived with us mis sexed and pregnant 5 and a half years ago .

B1 and the sow live together in a c&c. B2 had a cage mate (his sister) who sadly was put to sleep last year with a tumour. B2 was then moved to live side by side next to B1 and the sow. This has worked well so far.

B2 has now gone completely blind due to cataracts and in the last week or two, is not quite himself. He’s quiet and sleeps more and hides more, but seems generally ok, just slower. I picked him up to trim his nails and he feels lighter than normal but is eating and drinking ok.

My worry is that he’s lonely and now being blind, this is exacerbated. He doesn’t seem to spend as much time at the ‘meeting point’ with the other two pigs as he used to.
Getting him another cage mate is not an option as we are definitely finished with having pets due to other factors.

He’s 5 years old and clearly has some genetic issues due to inbreeding (his mother and father are brother and sister due to accidental mis sexing by the breeder). He has clear facial abnormalities (such as elongated jaw) compared to the others. I’m worried there may be unseen health issues due to this too.

I’m taking him to the vet next week for a check up and to be weighed, but I’m wondering what the kindest thing to do in this situation is?

I don’t want him to be lonely and miserable, but I also can not get him a cage mate at this stage.

I don’t want to rush to put him to sleep, but if he’s lonely, miserable and blind, this may be the kindest option?

The pigs spend most of their days outdoors through spring and summer but I’m worried about how he will cope with the constant transitions from indoors to outdoors and then not being in the same run as his parents.

What should I do?

 

[cinnamonsmom]

I have 3 pigs (2 neutered boars and a sow). One of the boars (B2) is the son of the sow and the other boar (B1). The sow arrived with us mis sexed and pregnant 5 and a half years ago .

B1 and the sow live together in a c&c. B2 had a cage mate (his sister) who sadly was put to sleep last year with a tumour. B2 was then moved to live side by side next to B1 and the sow. This has worked well so far.

B2 has now gone completely blind due to cataracts and in the last week or two, is not quite himself. He’s quiet and sleeps more and hides more, but seems generally ok, just slower. I picked him up to trim his nails and he feels lighter than normal but is eating and drinking ok.

My worry is that he’s lonely and now being blind, this is exacerbated. He doesn’t seem to spend as much time at the ‘meeting point’ with the other two pigs as he used to.
Getting him another cage mate is not an option as we are definitely finished with having pets due to other factors.

He’s 5 years old and clearly has some genetic issues due to inbreeding (his mother and father are brother and sister due to accidental mis sexing by the breeder). He has clear facial abnormalities (such as elongated jaw) compared to the others. I’m worried there may be unseen health issues due to this too.

I’m taking him to the vet next week for a check up and to be weighed, but I’m wondering what the kindest thing to do in this situation is?

I don’t want him to be lonely and miserable, but I also can not get him a cage mate at this stage.

I don’t want to rush to put him to sleep, but if he’s lonely, miserable and blind, this may be the kindest option?

The pigs spend most of their days outdoors through spring and summer but I’m worried about how he will cope with the constant transitions from indoors to outdoors and then not being in the same run as his parents.

What should I do?

I don’t have great advice but I’m so sorry, it’s so hard to see them age. I hope that the vet can help provide you with some insight into his health and prognosis- maybe that information could help you make the best decision.

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m sorry to hear this.

First, please ensure you switch to weighing him yourself every morning rather than every week as part of routine care. Relying on an occasional vet check to have them weighed is not real time Information enough.
If he is feeling lighter, and you are not weighing him yourself, then he is almost certainly not eating enough hay. A piggy who is losing weight is only losing weight due to reduced hay intake - even if are still eating veg and pellets, to lose weight their hay intake has definitely dropped.
Hay intake cannot be gauged by eye - it’s very deceptive to watch them. It is 75% of daily food intake so even a small drop in intake can have a huge effect but you won’t know it has dropped by watching them.

If he is losing weight then please step in with support feeding him ideally critical care but mushed pellets is the emergency measure.

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Weight - Monitoring and Management

I think in terms of quality of life, see what the vet has to say first before making any decisions. If there is another health issue going on then that may be something easily treated.
Sight is their weakest sense so a blind piggy does not necessarily have any less quality of life than a sighted piggy.