[Gpdd] Health: Primrose

[pat schuett]

I would like to send my most heartfelt thanks to everyone who sent messages about their experiences (or just sent their support) on both sides of my dilemma about whether or not to have surgery performed on Primrose for her uterine tumor.  It's always helpful to hear how similar scenarios unfolded for other people and their piggies, and I'm grateful for the generosity and honesty of all of you who relived painful experiences so I could have the benefit of what you learned.
After a lot of soul-searching. I decided not to do the surgery and just to let Primsie live out her days for as long as I can keep her comfortable and pain-free.  For all of her giant personality, she is only a tiny little piggy, already five years old, and it just did not seem to me that she would be a good candidate for the surgery, especially with an inexperienced piggy surgeon.  I think the vet was actually quite relieved to hear my decision; we agreed to monitor the tumor with ultrasounds and see which analgesics and anti-inflammatory medications work best to keep Primrose comfortable as long as possible.
So far things are going fairly well.  Primrose has always had some issues with gas (which usually resolve fairly quickly with some pain medication and infant gas drops) so I am having to learn to keep calm and treat these episodes as I always have, instead of going straight to battle-stations.  I have already spent a few sleepless nights, tossing and turning and thinking Primsie's time might be much shorter than I hoped, only to get up in the morning to find her completely over the gas, fresh as a daisy and ready to attack her breakfast salad.  For the moment, she is eating well and continuing to enjoy her little piggy life to the fullest.
Thanks again for the input:  I will keep you posted!
Pat, Primrose and the other Prairie Piggies