10/31/2026
Thank you all so much for the sweet messages, prayers, and love for our Chopper. So many of you have asked what happened, and I wanted to share his story here.
We made the decision to have Chopper castrated because we no longer wanted to breed our girls. We had a veterinarian come to the farm to perform the procedure.
The vet administered three shots of ketamine. The needles broke during the first two injections, and Chopper still wasn’t going to sleep. The vet eventually decided not to proceed with the surgery and left.
About 30 minutes later, Chopper began flopping around uncontrollably, crying, and appearing to be in terrible pain. I immediately called the vet, who assured me this was normal when coming out of sedation.
Then Chopper stopped moving and crying. Again, I was told this was normal.
I stayed by his side for THREE HOURS, watching him and praying he would be okay.
Then he suddenly began gasping for air. I called the vet again, but there was no answer.
And just like that, our sweet Chopper took his last breath with us beside him.
To say I am devastated, heartbroken, and angry is an understatement. Chopper wasn’t just a farm animal. He was our baby, our companion, and part of our family.
The veterinarian has stated that this was a reaction to ketamine and that he was not at fault. I don’t know exactly what caused Chopper’s death, and I may never know without further investigation. But I do know that he was perfectly fine before this procedure, and hours later, he was gone.
PLEASE, if you own a miniature pig, educate yourself about anesthesia and sedation risks before any procedure. Ask your veterinarian about their experience with miniature pigs, the medications being used, monitoring, emergency equipment, and what happens if complications arise.
I cannot say for certain whether ketamine itself caused Chopper’s death, so I don’t want to tell anyone that this medication is always unsafe. But I do want every pig owner to understand that complications can happen and to ask questions before trusting someone with their beloved animal.
If sharing Chopper’s story helps even one family avoid a tragedy, then his story deserves to be told.
We trusted that our baby was in good hands, and now we are left with an empty space on our farm and a heartbreak I cannot put into words.
Rest in peace, our sweet Chopper. We love you more than you will ever know. 💔
