When Abby Jirak drove more than three hours down from Minnesota to seek care for Lenny, her 11-year-old pot-bellied pig, she was a little apprehensive. Recently, Lenny’s neck started to get bigger and seemed like it may be a growing mass just behind his jaw.
Abby was concerned with Lenny’s “pig-headed” problem and worried about leaving Lenny at the Iowa State University Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center (LVMC) for hospitalization and diagnostics.
“Lenny had never been one to trust strangers easily,” Abby said. “Lenny was more than a pet – he was family and the thought of leaving him in someone else’s care was agonizing,” Abby said.
However, Abby soon found that the Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center’s Food Animal and Camelid Service team was different.
In collaboration with the ISU LVMC Radiology service, Lenny had a head and neck CT performed which revealed the neck mass to be a growing abscess that originated from an infection in his right tusk and jawbone.
The abscess was drained shortly after diagnosis, however, the infected portion of the tusk within the jaw needed to be removed otherwise the abscess would return. While removal of the external portion of a pig tusk is routine; removal of the tusk located within the jaw is very complex.
In coordination with the ISU Equine Surgery, Anesthesia, Dentistry, and Food Animal services a surgical excision of the affected portion of the tusk and endodontics of the non-infected part of the tooth were performed.
Following the procedure Lenny was hospitalized at the ISU LVMC for recovery and supportive care. Abby was grateful for everything the LVMC teams had done for Lenny and specifically credited Dr. Mona Bandyopadhyay, an intern in the Large Animal Hospital, for Lenny’s patient care.
“He took an immediate liking to her, something I’ve never seen in his 11 years,” she said.
“From the moment Lenny was brought in, we focused on making the experience as positive as possible with patience and giving lots of belly scratches and treats,” Dr. Bandyopadhyay said. “He warmed up to me quickly and loved his large variety of snacks from marshmallows and canned pumpkin to watermelon and tomatoes.
“We had to get creative to get him to take his medications. Although he did have days where he was quite grumpy, overall, he adjusted to staying in the hospital as well as we could have hoped considering it was his first time in 11 years being away from home.”
“Your team worked tirelessly to address Lenny’s unique needs,” Abby wrote. “Everyone showed remarkable patience and unwavering commitment. From braving the cold to take him outside, to enticing him with gummy bears, grapes, tomatoes and fruit juice, your team’s resourcefulness and care knew no bounds.”
Lenny recovered and was sent home but it was discovered at a recheck that he had developed an infection that required another surgery. In his best interest, it was ultimately decided to euthanize Lenny. Abby however remains grateful for the care Lenny received at Iowa State.
“Your team’s dedication and hard work have left an indelible mark on me,” she said. “I am eternally grateful.”
February 2025