Napolean and Nestor

Napolean and Nestor came to us from a very loving woman. Due to foreclosure issues this woman could no longer house these adorable boys. She cared for them like they were her children and has already visited them here.

Napolean has major kidney problems. He needs and loves vegetables and fruits. He gets very excited for his special foods. Nestor gets these treats as well. We all know how it is to see a sibling get something delicious while you have to watch. Not to mention the healthy treats are doing him some good I'm sure.

When the boys first came to us they were a little shy but very friendly. As time has gone by they know that we are friendly as well and love getting attention from us. We know these two were extremely loved and spoiled so we try to give them some special attention whenever we can.

We have already integrated Napolean and Nestor into a section of a field with three other pigs; George, Walter and Murphy, also newcomers. They have all done very well together and seem happy! Once they are settle with each other we will start integrating them into the whole field so they can roam as much as they want.

Welcome to Ironwood. How can we accommodate you?

A big part of being a pig caretaker is making sure the pigs are comfortable and content. It can be hard sometimes to judge what is best.

Recently Bilbo, whom I have posted about before, has gone downhill. He wasn't getting around as well as he used to and was eating less. We brought him in to the pens to monitor him. It became apparent that one of his back feet is giving him trouble. Another big factor is his age. Bilbo is an older boy and as the pigs get older they tend to get slower and finicky with their eating.

We moved Bilbo into a pen with a double sized shelter as he is a large boy. We then placed a padded bed, of sorts, in front of it as a step for him. This has worked out great! Bilbo has now been getting up much more and with ease. Lately he has even been eating plenty of healthy foods including his normal grain and a lot of fruit. Way to go Bilbo!

We still have to monitor him as it is quickly heating up here. The hot temperatures really take a toll on a lot of the pigs, especially the older ones. We have already had a few getting too hot. To help with this we install shade cloth in many areas and have misters in the pens. Of course we also have pools and wallows all throughout the sanctuary.





Here is Bilbo shooting me a smile.

Just Because

I thought I'd share a picture of the baby boy cuddling with my pugs and me. There are endless precious moments here.

Pinky Walks Again!

I speak of Pinky a lot. He is one of the sweetest boys and I could hand-feed him all day.

He had been having a lot of trouble with walking. His joints were swollen and the Rimadyl we were giving him wasn't helping much. We recently switched him to Prednisone, which to our happy surprise has helped him greatly!

Pinky now looks like he's showing off as he walks around and his joints are no longer swollen. I love looking outside and seeing him walking without the pain he used to carry.

Growing Pains

Our new little boy made it through his surgery today! He was neutered this morning and is currently grunting and looking for love. He is a little uncomfortable right now but is well. We are still facing the issue of him throwing up whenever he eats. Hopefully this is resolved soon.









This man holds a lot of energy!! Here he is a couple of days ago playing with his toys.

Shaky Breaky Heart

Recently Mary received an email from a woman who had a sick pig. She had gone to a breeder and saw one of the pigs "flopping" around on the ground. At 7 days old he still had not gotten milk from his mom. The woman felt the pig was not getting the care he needed and took him home. He could hardly stand or walk straight and would continuously fall over. She did the proper thing by going to a vet and starting treatment for the pig including vitamin E. She named him Kokoro, meaning heart.

Kokoro was showing slight improvement. However, the woman has become ill with lupus and feels that she can no longer adequately care for Kokoro. Wanting the best for him she called Ironwood. Mary told the woman that we would take Kokoro and it just so happened that the day he arrived we had a vet on hand.

After observation we were informed that Kokoro has "shaky pig syndrome". This is a virus that some pigs are born with. It causes the pig to have poor coordination and to fall down often. Kokoro has received some antibiotics and we continue to give him the proper nutrition. He still has difficulty with standing up and walking straight but he is a trooper! Kokoro loves attention and is very curious.

I have spent some extra time with this boy and as a result he has made his way into my heart. He has slept in my lap and on my shoulder and enjoys chewing on my hair when he sneaks his way to it. You can't help but smile when you're with him.

I will keep updating on his progress with "shaky pig".

Capital One

Do you use a Capital One credit card? If so you could help the pigs here at Ironwood! If not, why not get one!?

Ironwood has partnered with Capital One so that 2% of gas and grocery purchases and 1% of all other purchases made with your credit card will be donated to Ironwood. As an added bonus, Ironwood receives a $50 donation when you make your first purchase! Plus your Ironwood Pig Sanctuary Capital One credit card displays a lovely picture of a group of some of the pigs here.

This is an easy way to contribute to Ironwood. Remember, Ironwood is a non-profit organization. The donations we receive make a HUGE impact!

www.CardLabConnect.com/ironwoodpigsanctuary