11/22/2024
So, I have to share this story… it’s so positive, heartwarming and exciting!! And long lol.
This is Ms. Fudge, my 230lb Heritage Haus TaruTaru that I purchased from Irish Mudd back on May 20,2023, she was my first real KuneKune (technically her and Blackie were my first 2 bc they came here within 24hrs of each other).
When Steve dropped Fudge off, I told him to just let her out of the trailer and I would put her in the pen, assuming it would be easy. Well it wasn’t, not at all. After Steve left, I went to get Fudge who was exploring her new place. She was in the back behind the big barn and I figured I would just coax her into the pen. Not the case at all. I had to fight that girl, chase her down and all around my whole back yard, back acreage and front yard for 2+hrs. I fell multiple times, I was exhausted, and I was mad. Finally after getting some help, we got her in the lean-to. For months after that, I said frequently “I hate that pig”.
Well, fast forward to Feb 2024. After having 9 piglets and doing a fantastic job with them, not one issue the entire 11wks, and I think she really enjoyed being a mom. I moved her and the other 2 moms out to a pen with just the 3 of them. No big issues besides some scrapping here and there. One day, I went to feed the moms and Fudge was limping and really favoring her back leg. So much so that she kept it lifted off the ground a lot and wasn’t eating as much food, just laying around a lot. So, I did all the things, took her temps - it’s was fine, gave her anti-inflammatory-not much change. Had the vet out to look at it and she said it was her knee and to get a better look she would have to come into the office, be put to sleep and do an x-ray. So I waited a few wks and did just that. The x-rays showed that she had some issues in and around her knee, an said it could be multiple things. The vet said since it was just an x-ray views were limited so I could take her to get an MRI or wait it out an see if moving her in with smaller pigs or by herself if things would heal on their own, but she cautioned it could take 6-12months.
I was devastated!! I didn’t know what to do. I toyed with the idea of sending her in to be butchered, but really struggled with that option. I didn’t want to have just a pet pig bc I know how I am and once one starts, more will come and then I’d just have to ton of “pet pigs”. For 3 wks I went back n fort. I sat with Fudge a lot, I watched her a lot. I asked Fudge “what should I do, is this just ur time”. And finally butcher day came and I couldn’t load her on the trailer. So I said, I’ll wait and see how things go from now until my next butcher date. Then 3 more butcher dates came and went. And I just said, now isn’t her time, I can’t butcher her. I didn’t have a plan or really any hopes she would heal, it’s just what I was telling myself - to feel better.
Now…I can finally say…after watching Fudge for the last 2 months, she has stopped favoring her back leg. She doesn’t lift it anymore! And after really watching her these last 30days n not seeing anything wrong at all with her…on Tuesday 11/19/24, 6 months and 10days after getting the x/ray on her leg. She was in heat and Colm is her neighbor so I put her in with Colm and she had a very successful breeding!!!!
No issues at all. So Fudge will get to be a mom again and should be due 3/15/25!!!! I’m SO excited and SOOOO happy I waited!!!
Long story short, sometimes it’s worth it to just wait things out and see if time can heal some things!!
