Good afternoon, first post here!
We had two pigs, Biscuit and Waffle, for just over a year and got them from someone who moved house and couldn’t care for them anymore. They were apparently 2 years old when we got them last March.
Last week Waffle sadly passed away suddenly on Monday morning. He was fine on Sunday evening and had a cuddle with the kids and was his usual self. Come the morning when I went to put their breakfast out he was in a very bad way. We noticed a ‘poop blockage’ (impaction?) and literally within about 10 minutes took his last breaths.
(We sprayed him with fly strike on Sunday eve and noticed no blockage, they’ve both had that spray in the past)
His little brother, I say little as he’s abit smaller (Waffle was a big boy, likes his food), had coped very well over the next week, running around his cage, eating as normal. On Tuesday this week he was very lethargic and ate nothing. I noticed snot and abit of sneezing, and he was making some strange sounds that can only be described as a noise you’d make whilst trying to take a deep breath. Unfortunately he then died in the evening.
We’d like to at some point get some more pigs but want to try understand what’s gone on, if theirs anything that can be avoided.
We’re fairly certain Biscuit passed as a result of pneumonia, possibly due to stress from his brother dying. But Waffle we’re not sure on. He had a poop blockage but whether this could be a cause or a result of his body shutting down we’re not sure?
He’s a big fella and it’s possible his heart gave up, it’s also been very hot.
They went into a new cage the week before his death, we got it from someone on a freebie, we did clean it thoroughly. A rabbit had previously been in it.
I know I’m being vague and these things do unfortunately happen so there’s probably no answers, but just wanting to reach out in case theirs any advice. Especially if we get some more!
Thanks
Ben
We had two pigs, Biscuit and Waffle, for just over a year and got them from someone who moved house and couldn’t care for them anymore. They were apparently 2 years old when we got them last March.
Last week Waffle sadly passed away suddenly on Monday morning. He was fine on Sunday evening and had a cuddle with the kids and was his usual self. Come the morning when I went to put their breakfast out he was in a very bad way. We noticed a ‘poop blockage’ (impaction?) and literally within about 10 minutes took his last breaths.
(We sprayed him with fly strike on Sunday eve and noticed no blockage, they’ve both had that spray in the past)
His little brother, I say little as he’s abit smaller (Waffle was a big boy, likes his food), had coped very well over the next week, running around his cage, eating as normal. On Tuesday this week he was very lethargic and ate nothing. I noticed snot and abit of sneezing, and he was making some strange sounds that can only be described as a noise you’d make whilst trying to take a deep breath. Unfortunately he then died in the evening.
We’d like to at some point get some more pigs but want to try understand what’s gone on, if theirs anything that can be avoided.
We’re fairly certain Biscuit passed as a result of pneumonia, possibly due to stress from his brother dying. But Waffle we’re not sure on. He had a poop blockage but whether this could be a cause or a result of his body shutting down we’re not sure?
He’s a big fella and it’s possible his heart gave up, it’s also been very hot.
They went into a new cage the week before his death, we got it from someone on a freebie, we did clean it thoroughly. A rabbit had previously been in it.
I know I’m being vague and these things do unfortunately happen so there’s probably no answers, but just wanting to reach out in case theirs any advice. Especially if we get some more!
Thanks
Ben
