May 14, 2007 - Doing well!

Double-Grrrrr! I have written this post TWICE, and TWICE it has been lost to cyberspace. It's getting shorter each time, I'm afraid! I *really* need to get on high-speed!

Daisy is doing really well. As of this am, she is:

• Grunting in greeting (instead of barking in alarm) when we enter the barn (calling her name loudly!);
• Getting up right away when we approach - having learned that we dole out food!;
• Allowing my daughter to put her food in her bowl without alarm;
• Maneouvering in her pen with relative ease (tho she resembles a dirigible when she does it - see pic from above, above!);
• Getting used to me paring away at her feet while she eats;
• Getting particular about arranging her nest/bed before settling down for the night;
• (Re-)learning how to root & breathe without choking;
• Foraging to find the veggies & fruit that we scatter throughout her pen;
• Leaving her bed/nest area to eliminate;
• Walking quite well, despite her odd gait on the LH leg (I'd call it stringhalt if she were a horse) - apparently she's done it since she was a (presumably NOT morbidly obese) piglet;
• Allowing me to touch her gently - tho she complains a lot. Will break out the soft brush tonight, I think!;
• Discovering the sun that streams in the big door on her pen during the day - yesterday I swear she was basking!;

Remaining issues:

• Feet - I've managed to trim a lot off the two left feet (approaching normal). The right front is the worst, and my goat hoof shears are not up to the task - will borrow my sister's horse hoof nippers to tackle that one!
• Drinking - I never actually see her drink, and it's hard to assess whether the water level in the bowl is dropping significantly. However, she seems to pee a normal amount, and is getting some water in her veggies (plus she's still alive!) - so I assume she's getting enough!
• Sight - she seems a lot more comfortable in her environment now (having learned it). Hoepfully when she loses enough weight she will be able to see better.

Later!