Wilbur: My Pot Belly Pig

Question

Wilbur   I was wanting help understanding what might have happened to my sweet Wilbur.  Six days ago we went outside got Wilbur's pool out so he could play and cool off. Well Wilbur wasn't acting himself,  usually he's ready to run around, play, try's eating my flowers and veggies in garden but not Sunday.  I noticed he was limping, so I looked at his back leg, didn't see anything wrong. Only thing is he didn't want me applying much pressure on the leg. He wouldn't eat but he would drink water.  3 days went by and still just drinking water those three days and limping, laying around. We've kept an good eye on him and finally yesterday my sweet Wilbur ate and got up and met my husband at the food bowl! Limp wasn't as bad, he was applying more pressure when he walked on it. I was so thankful he was feeling better.... Well the next morning (which was this morning) we leave and head to work, Wilbur usually isn't up yet when we leave for work so i usually don't see him in the mornings(we feed and water at night and afternoon since time is tight in the mornings.) my husband comes home from work and that's the first thing he does is feed Wilbur, he's talking to Wilbur as he walking towards his pen and  doesn't hear him oinking back. He sets the food and water down and sees Wilbur laying in his pig house in a spot he doesn't usually lay in, he doesn't see him breathing so  touches him and notices he's died. My husband didn't tell me till I got home from work. My first question was is Wilbur still doing better, and he asked me to come sit beside him, I'm wondering what's going on, what's he going to tell me. I could see in his eyes it was something terrible and heart breaking.... He said sweetie Wilbur didn't make it. We don't have children so our animals are our children. My heart is broken!!!! I don't understand why he died so suddenly. He was just limping and not eating like he should. He was drinking plenty of water and laying around. I wanted to see him so my husband took me to see him. I noticed he didn't look himself, so I looked for anything unusual. He was laying in dry blood. I could see where it came from his ears, nose and mouth. It also looked like he bleed from his penis.  Wilbur was my chunky butt, my baby! I feel like it's my fault for not taking him to the vet! I was just trying to give him a few days cuz I thought he had just sprained his leg and didn't feel like eating. It happened so fast! He wasn't acting himself and then died 6 days later. I'm so heart broken!!!! Can you please help me understand why my sweet Wilbur died so suddenly!!!!

Answer
I am very sorry for your loss. Unfortunately, the only way to know for sure what was wrong is to get an autopsy, but those are expensive and must be done shortly after death.

If there are poisonous insects or snakes in your area, he may have been bitten. Or he may have accidentally eaten or inhaled poison,like insecticide or herbicide or fungicide, or possibly a chemical like antifreeze. He may have had an internal blockage, either digestive or urinary. Depending on his age it may also have been cancer, or it could have been a disease like leptospirosis or erysipelas.

Any time a pig refuses to eat the problem is serious. Pigs are prey animals and are very, very good at hiding illness or weakness until it is almost too late.