very sad news ...

I had a update from Gill about 10 mins ago and thought i would post it here I'm gutted to say the least ..x

Hi Lou. Sad news I'm afraid. Frankie has bronchial pneumonia caused by a lungworm infestation, along with anaemia caused by internal bleeding. On arrival I noticed bubbles coming out of his nose so he had fluids and antibiotics and the first night put on 50g which is quite a lot and usually rings alarm bells. Last night he lost 40g.

Mid-morning he was very cold despite being on a heat pad so I gave more fluids and antibiotics and he rallied, had a little food then went to bed. He's been quiet all day and sleeping for most of it. Around 8pm he kept coming off his heat pad again and getting cold which is very bad news. Checked him an hour ago and I doubt he'll be with us much longer. I sat and held him for an hour, he's in a coma so isn't aware of anything. Breathing is very slow and he's cold despite my body warmth. I've put him back in his cage on heat and he'll leave us peacefully some time tonight.

Unfortunately this is all too common at this time of year and I have one other youngster in that is likely to go the same way. I won't go into the details of what the worms do to them as it's pretty horrid but Lungworm is something that if you catch it in time you can deal with it. If however it takes hold the hog becomes too weak to be able to handle the medication and worm die off. We have to give tiny doses and although it slows the worms down, it doesn't kill them, if it did the hog would die trying to cough them up and from the toxins they release. It's Catch 22.

Frankie was about half the weight he should have been. His skin was too big for his body so the little chap had been struggling for some time. The cold and wet was the final straw that brought him out.

It's heartbreaking what these little ones go through and explains the stats that less than 10% make it through their first year.

Although it's sad try to remember that if you hadn't found him he would have died in horrible circumstances rather than peacefully wrapped in his blankie.

Oh that's so sad lou poor little frankie r.I.p xx

He hasn't died yet Nat but Gill thinks sometime today as he is in a coma .x

Ooops sorry read it wrong xx

Oh no....

The only thing that helps here is knowing that poor Frankies last moments will be in as comfortable condition as possible and being kept all snuggled and warm with plenty of love.

So sad.....

xoxox

Just a thought: Do you think that they know they are ill...this is why he had separated himself from his family or that they abandoned him because he was ill and what he had was catching (don't know that)...dunno...just a thought.....


Poor Frankie xx

Aww Poor Frankie sorry to hear this Lou



x

awww this is very sad poor little guy x

So very very sad and so important that we keep our eyes out for any that may need our help - I know that Vi said that the reality is for every one that is saved there is probably five that don't xx

Yes but do they realise they are ill and that is why they are on their own? You know..like cats that if they are ill will go off....or elephants!!!

Aww poor frankie:( at least he's being kept very comfortable and warm in his final hrs. Sorry Lou x

Poor little Frankie, at least he isn't on his own, he is with someone that cares xx

I am gutted ......i think even if i had found him a few days earlier he would still have died but glad he died in the warm .. rather then outside ..x

And that is what I thought about Bennie, he had comfort when he passed x

it must have been a relief for him to be warm and comfortable, lou, you should be proud of yourself for giving him that xxx

Yeah just sad that it wasnt in time .x.x