Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: two pigs have died  (Read 1914 times)

katiejaye

  • Joined Jul 2011
two pigs have died
« on: July 15, 2011, 10:48:37 am »
Hi, two of five pigs we bought in three weeks ago (they are about 13 weeks old now) have died. The first one, the smallest died two weeks ago - we were away but the person looking after them said he was breathing fast in the morning and was dead when he came back later.  It was an extremely hot weekend so we thought being the runt he might have struggled to cool down and died from the heat.  Now the second smallest seemed to be breathing quicker than the rest two days ago. Was still eating but a lot smaller than the others but have found him dead this morning.  The other two in the run are big and healthy and eating well.  The third remaining pig is on box rest as about 10 days ago he came out of his house struggling to walk behind. He got better during the day and we were advised to put him on box rest.  He has improved and can now stand on one back leg to scratch his belly but still looks a bit wobbly behind so don't want to put him in with the other two yet. (They were running about like loonys before he started having walking problems). DOnt think his problem is related to the dead ones though. Am trying to contact the person we contacted them from to find out if they have been wormed as I have read that some worms can cause Pneumonia.  Anybody experienced similar? Any advice greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading, Katie.

Fowgill Farm

  • Joined Feb 2009
Re: two pigs have died
« Reply #1 on: July 15, 2011, 10:55:30 am »
Hi
What an awful experience to have.
Yes i think you're right about it been pneumonia. It will be worth giving all the others a shot of long lasting antibiotic (have a word with your vet) as a precaution and thats waht i would do asap. Also make sure there is ventilation going thro thier housing, not a howling gale but enough to circulate humid air (pneumonia thrives in humid damp conditions) we had a case and have since drilled a couple of 2 inch holes in the apex of our arks to let air thro. It won't harm your pigs to be wormed anyway regardless of whether they were done by the breeder, worms do cause coughs and breathing difficulties and the pigs are generally poor doers, make sure you're poop scooping regularly too in case they're reingesting worms.
HTH
mandy  :pig:

katiejaye

  • Joined Jul 2011
Re: two pigs have died
« Reply #2 on: July 15, 2011, 12:21:14 pm »
Thanks Mandy, appreciate your advice, especially about the holes in the house.  They are outside pigs and have a house made out of heavy wood with a sloping tin roof, so it would get very humid in there. I will get hubby to drill some holes in the top of the rear wall to help with air flow. Will contact vet re antibiotics and off to feed merchants now to get wormer.  Any you would particulary recommend to cover most the worms? They are going to slaughter when they are about six months so would need to be appropriate for that. Thanks again for your help. Katie

Fowgill Farm

  • Joined Feb 2009
Re: two pigs have died
« Reply #3 on: July 15, 2011, 12:43:37 pm »
Panacur is proabably the best in feed wormer and the withdrawal is only about 7 days, the only trouble is making sure they all get enough each (try giving them each a feeding bowl of their own to get the correct amount into them) otherwise an injectable wormer is preferable which you can get from the vet, he will need a rough guess at their weight and you will have to get him to tell you the meat withdrawal time ( think in most cases its 28 days but some are longer.) it shouldn't be too much of a problem if they are only 13wks old now and so long as you don't mind injecting them yourself.
HTH
mandy  :pig:

Tiva Diva

  • Joined Mar 2011
  • Scottish Borders
    • Thornielee Cottage
Re: two pigs have died
« Reply #4 on: July 15, 2011, 07:51:57 pm »
i would also go for a shot of long-acting penicillin. If they weren't wormed by the person you bought them from (which they really should have been) then I'd give a shot of an injectable wormer such as Ivomec too. I don't suppose you've had any problems with mouldy pig feed?
Your third pig's problems could be related to the dead pigs if the bug that caused pneumonia in them has caused a spinal infection or abscess in him: I'd give him a shot of penicillin too.

 

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