i just... am so tired and stressed. i haven't eaten much in days. i took off work and missed class to care for obcy, my 7 year old sow. i just want to know if i'm doing a good job? am i doing the right thing? i want to know if this has happened to anyone else and everything turned out okay?
as a preface, i don't believe in prolonging an animal's life if their quality of life is null. i went to her vet appointment anticipating the worst, there was a lot of bad potential diagnoses going through my head. she was diagnosed with a UTI, which seems super doable in my mind, so i chose treatment. however, it could be bladder stones if she doesn't get better. if that's the case... i may put her to sleep. i don't have the money for x-rays and surgeries, and i don't think it would be fair to put her through surgery/recovery at her age. i don't know if she could survive surgery at 7. i hope these choices are right, i don't know.
obcy went downhill fast, and sunday i discovered she was lethargic, not too interested in eating, not drinking, hunched over, etc. her eyes were dull, she looked rough. her hind legs weren't wanting to move. her hind end was covered in pee and she had weird chain-linked looking poop coming out of her. she has an odor to her. i cleaned her up and kept an eye on her until i could get her to the vet monday morning. any food i gave her, she chewed sooo slowly, barely eating.
vet looked her over and discovered her bladder is very tender and full of urine. she squeezed as much out as she could and collected a sample; it was bloody and obcy wheeked in pain. UA confirmed a UTI. she examined the rest of her, including her teeth (which are fine). she also confirmed GI stasis. i was at the vet for 4 hours and she hadn't pooped or peed once. i got home as quickly as possible and began treatment immediately.
treatment plan:
- 2 doses of UTI medication per day
- 3 doses of motility drops per day
- 3 doses of gas relief per day (unless poop is normal or becomes soft)
- 1.5 tablespoons of critical care per day.
if the UTI clears and her poop returns to normal, she should be good to go! however, if she doesn't improve, the vet recommended an x-ray because it could be bladder stones. i declined the x-ray unless she doesn't improve (i'm a college student, $227 already went into this visit alone).
her checkup is next wednesday morning. i'm praying so hard she's way better by then and receives a clean bill of health.
monday's progress:
she began pooping within hours of taking motility drops! the poop was super tiny and there was a lot of them, but it was a huge victory in my eyes, as well as a relief. she became a bit more active after treatment began. she was perkier, more interested in hay and veggies; chewing quicker than on sunday. but she hates critical care with a passion. she also is super super super against syringes being anywhere near her mouth. it got to the point each time i picked her up, she would shove her face into my chest to hide because she anticipated the syringe. it became increasingly harder to admin meds and critical care.
i went to bed feeling a bit more optimistic.
tuesday's progress:
she's SO much more interested in food!!! her poop is soft, but the pellets appear slightly larger than yesterday. munches on almost anything i put in front of her. her eyes are bright and shining again. she's more active. i saw her eat pellets on her own for the first time in days. she munches on the hay i put beside her tunnel. she's super interested in veggies and fruit. i've given her blueberries here and there for some antioxidants and a little bit of oranges to boost vitamin C.
i had to improvise because the syringe feeding was stressing her out way too much. so, i've been putting her meds and critical care on slices of bell pepper. with the meds, i do a drop or two and wait for her to eat that portion. then i do another drop or two. rinse and repeat until she gets the full dose. for the critical care, i gotta keep the amount small or she won't touch the veggie. but she is eating a whole lot more compared to yesterday.
usually i'm cautious about overfeeding veggies because it's caused my pigs to have softer poop, but she isn't drinking from the water bottle or dish. so i'm thinking it's okay, because she needs the water somehow, right? and i figure if i can't get her to eat enough critical care, then it's good to get veggies and fruit in her as often as i can?
her back end is still covered in urine. i try to clean with a warm, damp towel and then dry it a little. she arches and squeaks quietly when trying to pee/poop still.
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i'll update more as the days go on.
while her appetite and behavior is improving, i'm feeling defeated by the hunching/painful peeing and her hind end being dirty. i know i have to give it time, but i just want her to be better. i'm just scared it won't get better and it'll be stones. i worry me trying to treat this UTI could be in vain and i'm putting her through unnecessary stress.
anyone who has healed a UTI, how do you know it's getting better? what should i be looking for?
both of my pigs have had pretty immaculate health for 7 years. this is the first time it's ever been life or death.
//////
here's her poop compared to my healthy sow's (monday after taking motility drops):
i somehow attached a photo of her from sunday instead of putting it in here. that's how bad she looked. i'll get another photo to show the improvement in a few when i feed her and give her UTI drops.
as a preface, i don't believe in prolonging an animal's life if their quality of life is null. i went to her vet appointment anticipating the worst, there was a lot of bad potential diagnoses going through my head. she was diagnosed with a UTI, which seems super doable in my mind, so i chose treatment. however, it could be bladder stones if she doesn't get better. if that's the case... i may put her to sleep. i don't have the money for x-rays and surgeries, and i don't think it would be fair to put her through surgery/recovery at her age. i don't know if she could survive surgery at 7. i hope these choices are right, i don't know.
obcy went downhill fast, and sunday i discovered she was lethargic, not too interested in eating, not drinking, hunched over, etc. her eyes were dull, she looked rough. her hind legs weren't wanting to move. her hind end was covered in pee and she had weird chain-linked looking poop coming out of her. she has an odor to her. i cleaned her up and kept an eye on her until i could get her to the vet monday morning. any food i gave her, she chewed sooo slowly, barely eating.
vet looked her over and discovered her bladder is very tender and full of urine. she squeezed as much out as she could and collected a sample; it was bloody and obcy wheeked in pain. UA confirmed a UTI. she examined the rest of her, including her teeth (which are fine). she also confirmed GI stasis. i was at the vet for 4 hours and she hadn't pooped or peed once. i got home as quickly as possible and began treatment immediately.
treatment plan:
- 2 doses of UTI medication per day
- 3 doses of motility drops per day
- 3 doses of gas relief per day (unless poop is normal or becomes soft)
- 1.5 tablespoons of critical care per day.
if the UTI clears and her poop returns to normal, she should be good to go! however, if she doesn't improve, the vet recommended an x-ray because it could be bladder stones. i declined the x-ray unless she doesn't improve (i'm a college student, $227 already went into this visit alone).
her checkup is next wednesday morning. i'm praying so hard she's way better by then and receives a clean bill of health.
monday's progress:
she began pooping within hours of taking motility drops! the poop was super tiny and there was a lot of them, but it was a huge victory in my eyes, as well as a relief. she became a bit more active after treatment began. she was perkier, more interested in hay and veggies; chewing quicker than on sunday. but she hates critical care with a passion. she also is super super super against syringes being anywhere near her mouth. it got to the point each time i picked her up, she would shove her face into my chest to hide because she anticipated the syringe. it became increasingly harder to admin meds and critical care.
i went to bed feeling a bit more optimistic.
tuesday's progress:
she's SO much more interested in food!!! her poop is soft, but the pellets appear slightly larger than yesterday. munches on almost anything i put in front of her. her eyes are bright and shining again. she's more active. i saw her eat pellets on her own for the first time in days. she munches on the hay i put beside her tunnel. she's super interested in veggies and fruit. i've given her blueberries here and there for some antioxidants and a little bit of oranges to boost vitamin C.
i had to improvise because the syringe feeding was stressing her out way too much. so, i've been putting her meds and critical care on slices of bell pepper. with the meds, i do a drop or two and wait for her to eat that portion. then i do another drop or two. rinse and repeat until she gets the full dose. for the critical care, i gotta keep the amount small or she won't touch the veggie. but she is eating a whole lot more compared to yesterday.
usually i'm cautious about overfeeding veggies because it's caused my pigs to have softer poop, but she isn't drinking from the water bottle or dish. so i'm thinking it's okay, because she needs the water somehow, right? and i figure if i can't get her to eat enough critical care, then it's good to get veggies and fruit in her as often as i can?
her back end is still covered in urine. i try to clean with a warm, damp towel and then dry it a little. she arches and squeaks quietly when trying to pee/poop still.
//////
i'll update more as the days go on.
while her appetite and behavior is improving, i'm feeling defeated by the hunching/painful peeing and her hind end being dirty. i know i have to give it time, but i just want her to be better. i'm just scared it won't get better and it'll be stones. i worry me trying to treat this UTI could be in vain and i'm putting her through unnecessary stress.
anyone who has healed a UTI, how do you know it's getting better? what should i be looking for?
both of my pigs have had pretty immaculate health for 7 years. this is the first time it's ever been life or death.
//////
here's her poop compared to my healthy sow's (monday after taking motility drops):
i somehow attached a photo of her from sunday instead of putting it in here. that's how bad she looked. i'll get another photo to show the improvement in a few when i feed her and give her UTI drops.