Pugsley

Pugsley's Story

Bladder Marsupialization -Lifesaving Treatment for Chronic Urinary Blockages in Pugsley the Potbellied Pig

By Lorelei Pulliam

When Pugsley was rushed to Virginia Tech Veterinary Hospital in Blacksburg Virginia on December 24, 2005, he had only been at our sanctuary for two days.

But this old potbellied pig was no stranger to medical facilities. In the past few weeks, he had already undergone hospitalizations at Universities in two states for urinary tract blockages. The vets at Ohio State University, where Tom Hendrickson had rushed him on November 11, gave little hope for survival of the surgery and even less for any chance of recovery. Thanks to skilled surgeons and the care of Tom and his wife Sandy, the emaciated 15 year old pig pulled through after a tube cystotomy was performed. His bladder had been the size of a cantaloupe.

Tom had answered my internet call when I literally begged for someone to help get immediate medical attention for Pusley in Indiana. His owner called me in tears to tell me that her pig had not urinated or defecated in two weeks and could only lie in his blankets and cry in pain and suffering. The only vet that would attend to him wanted to euthanize him AFTER he was too weak to put up much of a fight. She had no way to transport him and was having to contend with a cancer stricken husband fighting for his life in the hospital.

Pugsley suffered yet another blockage within weeks after his discharge to his new home at a wonderful sanctuary in Kentucky. From there he was taken to the University of Tennessee another surgery before transferring here to Ranger’s Refuge at Gallastar Equine Center in Virginia.

The Christmas Eve development did not look good. Shortly after his arrival at the teaching hospital, Pugsley finally urinated and a specimen was collected to culture the bacteria responsible for his recurrent urinary tract infections. The culture found e-coli that was suseptable to Clavamox. Triple Phosphate and struvite crystals were also found. On New Years Eve, Pugsley again blocked and a decision had to be made either to try a different type of surgery to prevent future blockages or to humanely euthanize him. The decision was made to give him one more chance. A bladder marsupialization was performed in which his bladder leaks constantly out of a hole in his abdomen. During the surgery, adhesions were found from the previous surgery that would have made even his prognosis very grave – regardless of urinary problems. The new hole is made entirely of Pugsley’s own tissues so there is nothing to clean or change.

Approximately two months after the surgery, Pugs began to urinate again through his urethra. In the year since the surgery he has blocked for weeks at a time but his “emergency valve” is always there to drip out the urine. Truly, this procedure saved his life since we could not have asked him to endure the numerous hospitalizations and procedures necessary to keep him from dying a painful death.

As the months have gone on, the hole from which the urine drains has gotten so small that it is not easy to find unless you really search under his flank. We provide him with a new soft fresh bed of hay daily with a plastic pad underneath that is easily cleaned. He has a rubber stall mat under that pad which can also be washed and disinfected. By applying Desitin each evening and cleaning the area, he has been spared urine scald from the constant urine dripping. We keep him cool with a fan since he cannot go into a mudhole and cannot be around other pigs that might fight with him and stick a tusk or tooth into the hole under his flank. He did encounter two major urinary tract infections in the first three months after the surgery but has been trouble free ever since. He is on a diet of Hill’s Science WD dog kibbles and Mazuri Senior Potbellied Pig Food – which both contain ammonium chloride to combat the crystal formation. A dietician had initially recommended Hill’s Science CD kibbles but he became constipated on that diet. He is also given cranberry juice pill concentrate and close to a gallon a day of watered down cranberry juice to keep his bladder well flushed out.

The marsupializtion gave Pugsley a chance to finish his days as a healthy, active, happy pig. Besides his health, he now has a best pig friend named Whitt who came here in February after a terrible dog attack that left him without ears or a tail. The two old buddies have free roam of the entire barn area during the day where they love to greet visitors and lie in the sun. Watching the two together you have to admire them both for their courage and cheerful natures despite all they have been through. We feel very fortunate to watch over them as the final chapters of their lives play out and are grateful for all that have helped us to make it possible.

Pugsley and friends

Lorelei Pulliam