Princess was one of our tiny little old grandmas. She had a rough few years before we met her, and we did all we could to keep her comfortable. She didn’t ask for much…just a cozy bed with her friends and a couple of meals a day. She wasn’t cuddly with humans, and that was ok. She really just loved her pig people.
When elderly pigs like Princes start to decline, the changes are often very subtle. As prey animals, they hide any ounce of weakness. We adjust meds when we see a limp. We alter sleeping arrangements. We decrease the need for big steps or slippery footing. We make sure any mud is controlled. We adjust temperatures. We gently coax them to move and eat. And when they have had enough, we honor that and peacefully help them pass.
It was enormously satisfying to see Princess relaxed in the final years of her life. Her passing was hard on us, but it’s truly a place of final rest and peace for her soul.
