Thoughts on End of Life Care for your older pigs?

Charybdis

Post   » Sun Nov 25, 2012 9:22 pm


That's a good question to ask.

It's never going to be a simple decision. After ten years in rescue, I can't remember one loss where I didn't question if I took the right course, at least a little. If a pig is still eating, I will take every effort to keep them comfortable. If they are still eating but obviously very uncomfortable and nothing can be done, then I have made the "eating" exception (such as when a pig has end stage cancer and cannot walk anymore).

One thing I can say for sure is it always has always been more painful of a loss when I waited too long to take the pig in, and they died in agony in my arms or on the way to the vet. If I know they are going to pass away soon, I will err on the side of taking them in a few days early. I so hate to see them suffer. With people, we don't always have a choice in this -- but with pets, we do have the choice to try to offer them a release from suffering.

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3 Little Pigs

Post   » Sun Nov 25, 2012 11:32 pm


I agree with what Charybdis said about bringing them in a few days early if they're terminal. When Snickers' tumor ruptured overnight, he still seemed just as happy and hungry as usual. But I could smell the necrosis and knew there was no way he would be comfortable for more than another day or two. And I didn't want to do surgery on a nine-year-old pig: the risk of him dying was so high, and even if he did survive, I didn't want him to go through the pain and stress when he wouldn't live much longer anyway (just due to age). So even though he was eating fine and had energy, I went ahead and put him down. As hard as it was, I'm really glad I did that. I spared him a lot of suffering. I'm glad that he was able to be himself and be happy to the end.

Other than cases where the pig is obviously terminal like Snickers, I'll keep fighting as long as they do. When Hannah got a growth on her chin, I kept going with treatment til the day the light left her eyes. When that happened, I decided to have her put down. She wound up passing that evening naturally, though. I think it's cruel to put them through more stress when they've given up. They let you know when it's over; there's no sense in pushing it.

Crazy4me

Post   » Sun Nov 25, 2012 11:44 pm


In a human End of Life care means that there is no more aggressive treatment, now on the other hand if the treatment will keep someone comfortable then that is what is done, as long as you are not prolonging the enevitable(sp) by seeking treatment. Now I don't know how far I would go treatment wise with a pig that is old because I am not in that situation yet, but I have worked in hospice and I would think what is engrained in my mind and witnessing other patients pain I would go with treatment that would only aide in the comfort of my pig and not so much agressive treatment.

Msinc

Post   » Sun May 20, 2018 6:54 pm


I'm in the situation where I do have to make that decision with my nine-year-old guinea pig Chuckles. As of now, he's still eating happily but it's obvious that he doesn't have much longer in this life. As I am still dealing with this I can't offer much advice, only my sympathies. I know what you'll be going through and I wish you and your piggies all the best.

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RavenShade
Thanks for the Memories

Post   » Fri Jun 01, 2018 2:22 pm


I play it by ear as they age. I lost three fairly young boars within months of each other just prior to our break from pigs, but Neal was much older. 6+. For him, we chose to let him go when it was clear that he had no quality of life. He was barely able to stand or eat or take care of himself. It was no way to be, and no heroics would change that he was old and thin and not doing well at all. My rule of thumb with any animal is quality of life, age, and if the treatment would be worse than the issue at hand. I do not regret taking Bad Cat home for one more week, allowing him to bask in his favorite window and then letting him go. It was much more humane than the heroics we tried with Good Cat, who died in an unfamilar place without his family around him. We lost him and we also literally spent thousands trying. Mostly what we bought was more pain for him. I never want to do that again. I'm much more about pain management and hospice type care when a near end is inevitable.

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