My Mom Thinks I Should Stop Blogging, Part 2

I have told you about the van and the damage the dogs/squirrel did to it.  If you recall, I found the destruction when I went out to the van in order to go to the store for some needles and syringes.  I was pretty sure our pigs had pneumonia.  I hear pneumonia is quite common in hogs.  Seems we've just been "lucky" that we haven't had any die from it in past years.

Signs our pigs had pneumonia:

1.  They haven't eaten their food for 2 days straight.

2.  They haven't shown interest in water for one day.

3.  They only got up when I made them get up.

4.  They were having trouble breathing.  It is not normal for me to see pig bellies moving in and out with each breath.

5.  Some coughing was heard.

Signs our pigs didn't have the same thing as last year's herd:

1.  No one had diarrhea.  (Including me.)

2.  There were no dead birds in their waterer.

Treatment of pig pneumonia includes giving shots of antibiotics into the neck of each pig. Fortunately, thanks to last year's herd, I know how to do that. Two of the pigs were sicker than the others, and I was afraid to wait until Bryan got home to give them the shots.  The longer I waited, the better chance one of them would die.  Since the pigs are only 35-50 pounds each, I decided not to wait and just do it on my own.

The hard way to administer a shot in each of 4 pig's necks:

Step 1:

Using a 100-ft rope, chase the sick pig around the pen and wear him out.  Occasionally toss the rope in an attempt to get it around the pig's neck.  You won't actually get him, but it's good practice for when he slows down.   It is likely you will get your rope completely tangled around one or both feet as you chase the pig.  This step will take up to 15 minutes, but it will seem like 15 days.

Step 2:

Once you have almost killed the pig from exhaustion, he will slow down enough for you to get the rope around his neck.  Hold on for dear life when he gets his second wind, because he will kick and squeal and wiggle and throw himself at you in an attempt to get loose.  This step should take up to 5 minutes.  Your arms may come out of their sockets between minute 2 and minute 4.

Step 3:

Eventually, the pig will wear himself out and stop fighting you.  It is at this point that you will despairingly realize that the syringe was left in a safe spot on the other side of the pen.  You will need to prod, poke, and drag the pig over there to retrieve the syringe.  (In case you can't tell, this is my "despairingly" look.)

Step 4:

Once you get to the syringe, straddle the pig, hold the rope with one hand, and stick the needle in the pig's neck with the other hand.  Your hand may be shaking from the exertion of catching the pig in the first place.  Don't worry if some of the medicine runs down his neck because you misjudged when to push the medicine in.

Step 5:  Repeat step 1 for each pig.

Step 6:

In the melee of trying to wear out/catch the pig, you may accidentally rope the pig's hind legs instead of its neck.  Go with it.  At least you have the pig, and holding it this way will make the dragging to the syringe easier.  Extra caution is needed, though, as the pig has a much better chance to whip around and bite you. 

Step 7:

Once you've drug him to the syringe, but before you pick up the syringe, you must get the rope around the pig's neck.  Use one hand to hold the rear end of the rope and slightly lift the pig's back legs off the ground.  With the other hand, get the rope around his neck.  It will probably take a few tries.  Hold tight while he bucks a bit more.  As soon as he is calm, let go of the rope holding the hind legs.  (All of the exertion may cause your hair to fall out, apparently.)

Step 8:  Repeat step 4.

Step 9:  Decide that the other pigs are not in such dire need of their shots.  Shaking and weak, head back to the house and collapse.

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Two hours after this, on our way home from school, I told the kids that they were going to help me administer the shots to the other two pigs.

They were horrified until I told them they wouldn't have to actually give the shots.

Then they were simply terrified.

The easy way to administer a shot in a pig's neck:

Step 1:  Gather 4 kid helpers.

Step 2:  Explain to the helpers that there will be much noise and flailing and maybe some cursing.  They shouldn't be afraid, as the pig is not getting hurt.  I might be, but the pig won't be.

Step 3:  Before the pigs can get out of the barn, get a gate in the doorway to keep them in there.

Step 4:  Assign a job to each helper*.

1.  Gate holder:  He is to hold that gate nice and tight, as the pigs will likely charge the gate when I start the "lassoing".  Star got that job.
2.  Back-up gate holder:  It's a big gate, and pigs are strong.  Buttercup took this job, but only after trying to avoid the vicinity altogether.  She is a big wimp when it comes to needles.
3.  Sneaky onlooker: Turken was bummed he didn't get a job, but he stayed to watch.
4.  Shot assistant:  He is to stay out of the way and hold the syringes high in the air.  When I call for one, he needs to be quick and brave and bring it to me.  Giant volunteered for this one.
5.  Wrangler's assistant:  Help get the pigs cornered and roped.  He is also in charge of holding the rope around the hind legs while the shot is administered.  Phoenix got this one.

Step 5:  Catch the pig.  It's really not that hard when the space is limited and there is someone to help wrangle.

Step 6:  Administer the shot.  Piece of cake when someone is helping to hold the pig steady and another is handing you the syringe.

Step 7:  Repeat steps 5 and 6.

Step 8:  Step back and listen to the helpers.

Turken:  That was a lot of noise!
Buttercup:  I never opened my eyes the whole time.
Cuckoo:  (He had nothing to say, as he played the usual scaredy-cat and took off for the house before we even began gathering the pigs.)
Giant:  If you weren't struggling so much, that would have been funny.

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As of this posting, the pigs are doing much better.  All 4 have been up and walking around on their own, and all 4 have been seen eating and drinking.

We really should be giving each of them another shot to make sure the bug is killed completely, but I am unable to do so, no matter how many helpers I have.

We'll save that story for Part 3 of our horribly awful, unbelievable day.

*I know some of you are wondering why I didn't assign one child to be the photographer.  I would have had Turken do it, but with his broken collar bone, he's down to one arm.  He can't take photos.  Buttercup never opened her eyes, so she couldn't take photos.  I needed all of the big boys to actually help, so no photographer.

Have a lovely day!