Let's start upbeat and we will ease you into the heart of the news.
In July, 8 years ago, Miss Penny Blossom entered this world, and was very small and ill as a newborn in a small commercial/factory setting. Yet her size and weakness saved her because she got to leave the commercial farm - her litter-mates were already doomed to be processed young.
Penny Blossom is a fighter and succeeding in getting healthy and a LOT bigger! She was and is still loved by her vet tech rescue mom and that is how Penny girl found her way to us.
Penny Blossom is a pink skinned pig vulnerable to sunburn (even the darker skinned pigs can suffer sunburn of course). This vulnerability to sunburn led to the many issues on her skin, in particular the persistent infections behind her ears.
We did two separate tests this summer - one showed that she has a pseudomonas infection behind her ears. Pseudomonas is attracted to blood and moisture. Some of the moisture is obvious this year, the rain never seems to stop. The leaky blood source is not so good. A biopsy of the lump behind her ear show that Penny Blossom has Squamous Cell Carcinoma. She will be getting several different treatments for her issues, and we hope to be able to give her 3-12 months of a great quality of life (we will sign waivers and affidavits that she will obviously never be at risk for entering the food chain, so that we can use some restricted medications).
She is a fighter, so we will do our best for her. She is more than 7 and half years older than any of her litter-mates ever had a chance to be - and certainly her parents are gone. Penny has had a natural life of rooting in the dirt, best piggie friends to sleep with, yummy and healthy veggies and fruit, and so much love.
Other sanctuaries have worked with these issues to some success, so we are encouraged to make sure she stays comfortable. She gets Mikkos Choice grain/CBD, antibiotics and pain relief and will get some topicals soon for the squamous cells.
Thank you all for being on the journey with us, and with her. Your love and support mean a great deal!
Here is a video also talking about her.
https://youtu.be/H8co69I8VuU?si=WkfB70__fhS4SBAA
