[alfiepork]

Last injection given just now and vet is back in morning, it looks like we have lost the litter.  If she still has babies inside then she will have to be put to sleep tomorrow.  Thank you for all your help and I will keep you updated

[JulieS]

I'm so sorry to hear your news.  I  hope you don't lose her.  Thinking of  you. 

[Pentre1230]

You don't neccasaraly have to have her put down, they can expell the dead piglets themselves with the injection he has given her but she must do it quickly before they start to poision her system, your vet can do a cesarean and get the dead piglets out, there are very few good pig vets around that know what they are doing and most don't want the hassle on doing a cesarean on a sow/giltt they would rather put them down, they are to lazy and inexperienced. We had a sow a couple of years ago and she twisted her womb which is rare in pigs and therefore the piglets died inside, my vet wanted to put her down, I said could he do a cesarean he said yes but he hadn't done one since vet college, anyway he did it got the dead piglets out, I kept the sow and she went on to produce numerous litters for me, sometimes vets just want the easy way out. We now have a pig vet in the "family" so we get better service now..  Hope it goes ok...

[alfiepork]

Thanks Julie, there was no more babies, but she got up fed this afternoon. She was still not happy when she went to lie down and seemed very uncomfortable.  Vet is here at 08:00 our time tomorrow so will let you know then

[Hilarysmum]

Thinking of you Alfie Pork hope it is all good news from now on in.

[alfiepork]

Bad news all - Bulgarian version of a caesarian is slaughter.  She has to go as no more babies came out.  Our neighbour is the slaughter man and butcher so he is coming at lunchtime.  We are enlisting help as we speak from English friends in the village.  At the moment I am washing washing buckets and preparing work area etc.
We were not prepared for this as the freezer still full from the one we killed just before Christmas.   
Anyway today is just the slaughter and butchery.  Then party to thank those that helped and celebrate her life. 

Tomorrow the preparation of the meat begins begins - sad times.

[JulieS]

Awww alfiepork, that is very sad news 

I do hope everything goes OK today.

[HappyHippy]

It is a real shame, you have my sympathies 
Raising animals is so hard at times 

[alfiepork]

Ok for the final blow - neighbour turns up, and as requested phones the vet.  It looks like we can't have any of insides, and head etc, and the meat has to be sliced cooked in the oven, then packed into jars, lids sealed and boiled for 2 hours to preserve and make sure there is no bacteria present.  No hams, bacon or even sausages or roasted joints allowed.  All the rest has to be thrown in a special pit away from the village so any wild animals can't get it, which is good just in case it is infected. 

The pig will be killed in situ, cut up and disposed of as quickly as possible.  The neighbour is going to help us with the jar method tomorrow. 

We are really trying to be positive but learning an awful lot the hard way.  Copious quantities of red wine tonight - me thinks

[sagehen]

Sorry to hear about all this Alfie - learning is hard sometimes, but it's helpful to know all this in the future. Better luck next time.

[SuzyJ]

Very sorry to hear about your traumatic time and loss. We're also in Bulgaria and learning as we go about breeding pigs and problems etc. If there's anything we can do to help please ask.

Which part of Bulgaria are you in?

Suzy