Yesterday I lost one of Poppy’s piglets. She looked a bit off on Friday evening, stopped eating on Saturday, did not respond to the usual treatments and died yesterday morning.
I don’t know. I take these things hard. She had no symptoms at all. No scours. No vomiting. No cough. But something was happening inside her.
There was a bad smell in the barn for the whole two days she was ailing and after she died the smell went with her. All the others are fine so far, arguing and eating and pushing each other around as usual. Nothing unusual but I will be on high alert for a few days yet.
Lets hope it is not something that will spread. They have a big inside space and a big outside space and everything is kept clean but little pigs die fast.
Ah well. These things always happen on the weekend don’t they. I will talk to the vet about it tomorrow but I have nothing to tell him. She did not even have a temperature.
God said No. One of our low days. But you get that when farming. Today will be better I hope.
We did not get a lot of snow yesterday, though they forecast piles of the stuff, we got off lightly. Last night the temperature rose and everything started dripping. This sounds nice until we look at the forecast and see that everything will freeze again tomorrow. I think I might need my Swedish sprig boots this year – I need to find them and dust them off.
I am very much looking forward to going to Canada for Christmas (if all goes well) and a proper break. I might just sleep the first few days! My arms ache – I think the hay bales are getting heavier this winter!
I am going to go hang out with Sheila.
I hope you have a lovely day.
love celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
80 responses to “”
So sorry to hear this. You just never know with young ones in particular. Sometimes there are no answers, but it’s difficult to accept that. We are getting your snow today. I think I am going to need my ice grippers soon as well!
I was grateful we did not get it all – wheeling the milking pump through snow drifts wold not be fun
I’m so sorry about the piglet…. Have you started packing for Canada, or are you the sort of person who can just fling things in a bag at the last moment? I do love the whole process of deciding what to take, seeing if it’ll fit, taking things out and putting others in. Anticipation of the pleasure of travel, quite as much as the getting there!
Well – now that you mention it – I finished wrapping my little chrissy pressies last night and popped them in the bag. My bag is VERY small so I will be packing the smallest warmest things I own.. c
Poor little piglet. There’s probably no telling what it died of, but it might have eaten something weird or been allergic to something ordinary.
Sheila looks like she’s enjoying life as a cow 😉
I am leaning towards the Eating something Weird causing some kind of internal injuries. It is an old crumbling wooden barn At least she is out of her misery now.. c
Yeah, I bet they eat all sorts of weird things just like children. Maybe something in the mud…
Good point
C, I am so very sorry to hear about the piglet. My heart is still trying to comes to grips with a traumatic loss so feel your loss with you.
Sending much love from SA.
Mandy xoxoxo
Oh no – your cat was so much more terrible.. I hope you start to feel better soon.. c
aww, so sorry.
one of those things – c
I am sorry about Poppy’s piglet. These unexplainable things happen and it really does help to know what happened. It is interesting what you say about the smell during the illness. I have found this too, with ailing animals and even people. When my Dad passed, my Mom said there was a smell for many days – she called it the smell of death. I had taken one of Dad’s t-shirts that still had his cologne on it – one I had given him years ago. When I got to a friend’s house (where I was staying during the funeral) her dogs growled and barked at the shirt, backing off as if it was an intruder. Then when I got back to Oklahoma, I had the same reaction from my own dogs. I thought that was the oddest thing.
Strange about the dogs – I wonder why – dogs do not mind seeing dead animals at all. There must have been something there.. c
I am so sorry to hear about your little piglet. Just when all seemed to be going well. Life likes to throw us curveballs when we least want or need them. Hopefully all be fine until you leave.
And while I am away! John cannot handle emergencies at all so I hope things just puddle along for him. c
Fingers crossed.
Huh, sounds like my John. Sometimes in a crisis the first thing I have to do is look him in the eye and say ‘just breathe’ and ‘lower your voice’. He seems to think that volume will reduce the trauma – ha. As long as I am there it’s not a bad thing as it forces me to breathe.
[D] Sorry to read of this news. C’est la vie. Have a good holiday/vacation!
Yup. I don’t go on holiday for another 10 days so it will be business as usual until then.. c
Isn’t that just the truth about animals and vets hours 😦 Sorry about the little piggy, hope the others remain fit and healthy. Is it too early to enquire about passport, visa etc? Laura
laugh!!! as i scurry off to do another panic check.. c
Sorry about the little one. But a good life no matter it’s length is a good life. And you give all your animals a good life.
We are a team the animals and i – it is a symbiotic relationship.. c
It’s a life-support system. I’m learning from your reports a bit more about our cat’s role in that here at our house. (Your John has his role too. I’m sticking up for him. You can manage a while on your own, John.)
JOhn does not like to be left in charge but he is undergoing his training with gritted teeth knowing that I have to travel or there will be INCIDENTS! c
Very sad to read your latest post. Hope there are no further implications.
All good this morning – very bright and busy – so far so good.. c
oh I am so very very sorry….as you said God said No and He does not deem it necessary to give a reason
Sent: Monday, December 12, 2016 at 1:42 PM
I am not a church goer, it is just a saying for me but it does make sense in the big scheme of things.
I would suspect an internal bleed out from an unknown injury…..years ago we lost a breed sow to that. For all intents she looked fine, acted as usual – but I walked into the barn one morning and the smell of dead blood hit me like a brick. That night she passed. The vet assured me there was nothing I could have done to change the outcome – but still to this day – the grief of losing her is still there. Funny how we get so attached to our animals…..
This does make a lot of sense actually, old barn, dark stools, and that smell was chemically, very strong. Interesting. Could be you are right.. c
I hope Sheila was able to console you somewhat.
I love Sheila
I am so sorry my friend. How about I send you some giant hogs and snout kisses to a much better day. XOXO – Bacon
P.S. If you want to pass those smooches to my Sheila – please do. She is all woman to me – snorts with piggy laughter
Sheila is such a doll – I was carrying her food and she met me at the gate so i was unable to get through to her, Back Up Sheila I said and signed to her, so with the daintiest of steps she literally walked backwards until I could get in to lay her bowl down . Thank you she grunted then began to eat with most unladylike manners. It always amazes me when she does that – Poppy would have simply ripped the gate off its hinges. c
Well we mind those that love us the most sweet friend. XOXO – Bacon