June Pig of the Month: Vivi

Baby Vivi came into our rescue from a local Wisconsin shelter and she was hugely pregnant. On April 16, she gave birth to 5 beautiful pups. Despite her youth (we are thinking around 4 months) she set about to take good care of her very large family. We hoped that the pups and Vivi would thrive without a problem (problems with pups and mothers during pregnancy, labor, birth and lactation are many), but it was not to be so. When the pups were 13 days old, Vivi suffered a nipple injury from the constant nursing of vigorous, growing babies. Bacteria entered the wound and Vivi developed a raging mastitis infection and abscess.

Vivi was immediately taken to the vet where she was put on a course of Bactrim (antibiotic) and had to be separated from her pups. Seven days later, she had to return to the vet, as the antibiotic was not healing the infection. The pain was so severe, that Vivi hobbled around the cage, trying not to put any weight on the leg on that side. She returned to the vet the next day and underwent a procedure to lance the abscess and have it flushed. A culture of the infection was also done at that time to try and determine what antibiotic would best fight off the type of infections she had.

For weeks, Vivi had to endure having her abscess flushed and packed with Silverdene and was forced to take her antibiotic (now Chloramphenical). Her weight plummeted and she also had to be force fed. Gradually, the treatment worked and she is well again and gaining weight. We are amazed that she is still sweet and docile despite the pain that we must have caused her during her treatments. What a wonderful baby/momma piggy!!

But now we need YOUR HELP! Vivi's vet bill has come to $245.15 and our medical fund is empty. If we cannot pay for Vivi's bill and replenish our medical fund, we may not be able to help other wonderful darlings like Vivi. Can you find it in your heart to send us a few dollars? We thank you, thank you, thank you, ahead of time! It's your donations that allow us to give pigs like Vivi a chance at life.

Please donate to help a pig!