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.