Happy Birthday Samantha!

Samantha turned 18 today!! She received special treats including strawberries. Samantha is a very pretty girl and she knows it!

Handle With Care

I've mentioned a few times now how many sick pigs we have had lately. They have been getting sick/hurt for numerous reasons varying from old age to having a hard time recovering from surgery. I want people to know all that goes into caring for a sick pig. It's much like caring for any other sick animal, but often they can be very wild, heavy, hard to handle, etc. You have to be careful to make sure you are helping and not causing more harm.

Meet Sylvia.It was noticed a couple of weeks ago that there were tears between both of her back hooves. She was walking on her tips and we could see the redness. Sylvia needed to be flipped in order for us to examine and care for her hooves. Mary was able to clean both spots and then wrapped up Sylvia's feet. This will keep her from getting an infection and help them heal. As days would go by the wraps would come off and we would rewrap them as needed. Sylvia has been healing well and should be able to be without wraps soon.

Other than wrapping pigs' feet we also do things such as taking temperatures, giving injections(subcutaneously and intramuscular), syringing fluid/medication into mouths, doctoring wounds from fights, giving fluids subcutaneously, and so much more! We never know what we will find day to day.

We spend a lot of time making sure that the pigs here are healthy and comfortable. If the pig is very wild then we have to be clever about how we help them. It can take a lot of manpower in order to help some of them, but we are always willing to do whatever it takes. This includes splitting up night checks for the very sick pigs and working more than 12 hours a day at times. We do all of this without complaining because we love all these pigs so much!

Some Memories Will Never Fade

When you connect with another being in such a way that you can sit in silence together and know that you are comforting each other, you know you've found an eternal friend.




I feel that the bonds that are made between people and animals are more often than not stronger than bonds between people. I feel this even more after the bonds I've seen and made here at Ironwood. We have over 600 pigs here and each and every pig is special in their own way. Of course, though, we all develop special bonds with certain pigs.


We have had a wave of sick pigs lately which has also brought on deaths, either naturally or through euthanization. Each one brings on much emotional pain but also comfort in knowing that our pigs have great lives here at Ironwood and are shown a huge amount of love.



From the first time I met Boris I knew he was a special boy. I was first drawn to him because of his adorable, spotted nose and his big smile. I also had a dog named Boris pass away a few years ago that was very special to me, so I had a feeling that Boris the pig would also be special. I spent a lot of time with him and spoke of him often. I would brush him and give him extra treats and juice.

He had been battling liver problems for a while and had a rough time this winter. Last week we noticed his stomach was looking bloated and he just wasn't acting right. Wednesday was my day off so I sat with him and tried to comfort him. He laid his head into my chest as I petted him. The next morning he wouldn't get up, instead he stayed in bed with his teddy bear. Boris was rushed to the vet and we learned that his gallbladder and liver were enlarged. He also had many cysts/tumors/abscesses on and around his liver. Boris had to be euthanized. He was 17.

Boris was shown so much love and attention. We still look towards his pen where he used to stand in the sunlight. He will be missed dearly and never forgotten.

The Neverending Abscess

Poor Spike has been dealing with his shoulder abscess for months. I think we are finally making progress!!

We were given a new antibiotic to use, Amikacin. We only started using it over the weekend and it already seems to be making a difference. We have to use it once a day till the 13th and flush his abscess daily.

Spike has been a real trooper through all this. Daily flushings and subQ shots. I hope the end of this abscess is near for him!!

Acupuncture and Belly Rubs

Since I've joined Ironwood I have learned so much about pigs. One thing I have learned that I found interesting is that a lot of them like to stand in certain cacti. It feels good as it scratches their skin. We have a few that like their daily dose of cactus pokes. Today I was out in our Sunset field and caught Squealy Dan getting some pokes. If you watch closely you can see his hair stand up in comfort.
You will also see Charlotte come over for some attention. She is infamous for collapsing for belly rubs. Apparently she wants one even if it's from the pugs!

I'd Like That in an Extra Small

I'm sure we all remember when "teacup" dogs became all the rage. Everyone started getting excited about tiny dogs that stay tiny. Spending hundreds and even thousands of dollars to make sure they had the cutest little dog ever.

Then came along "teacup" pigs. Teacup pigs became popular in the U.S. last year and are still becoming more and more popular. We are still receiving phone calls and emails from people asking for one.

I know not all animals that are bred to be small end up with health problems, but the chances of this happening are very high. We have pigs here at Ironwood that were bred to be small and appealing. As they are indeed cute, they suffer from numerous health problems. The problems range from arthritis to lung/nasal conditions. And as you can see, they ended up here.

Meet Emily. We call her Bulldog Emily, and I'm sure you can see why. She weighs no more than 90lbs. She suffers from coughing and a snotty nose. She is on doxycycline which is an antibiotic that can be used to treat sinusitis.

Now meet Nate. Cute little boy that is constantly coughing and choking on his food. He comes from a breeder in the Northeast. We can't adopt him out as health problems aren't appealing and we need to be sure whomever he ended up with would truly take care of him as he will need to be on and off medication for the rest of his life. **We recently had x-rays done on his chest and his condition is not treatable so we will be caring for this sweet boy and ensuring he is comfortable and happy.

Seeing small pigs is adorable indeed, but knowing that they suffer so that people can say "awww" is just not fair. Please be aware of the process that takes place to breed dwarf animals and the outcomes. If you hear people talking about "teacup" pigs don't be afraid to chime in and let them know that "teacup" can still mean more than 60 lbs and more health problems.