[Tudful Tamworths]

Nightmare of a week, capped by finding one of my five year old sows lying next to the ark, panting heavily. Knowing she had just over a week to go to farrowing, I was worried she might have been starting unusually soon - or had a dead litter inside her that could cause infection. Walked her up to the barn and settled her, but panting still bad. No interest in water.
 
Next morning, breathing even worse, so called vet. Gave Pen & Strep and Metacam as a precaution. My first temp of the day was a disturbing 43.8, but, by the time vet got here (3hrs 30mins later), Metacam had brought temp down to normal. Breathing still laboured, though.  My worry had been she had a dead litter inside her, but vet did a scan and saw a piglet moving.
 
Questions on my mind are: 1) Could she survive? 2) Will she give birth to a live litter and, if so, will she be able to rear them? I don't have another sow farrowing for weeks, so wouldn't be able to provide a surrogate.
 

[HappyHippy]

I don't know the answers to your questions Liz and suspect it's going to be a case of 'wait and see' how she goes
If the temp is staying down that's a good thing and it's amazing the difference a couple of days can make 
Thinking of you and Bushpig - keep us posted 

[SallyintNorth]

Best wishes to you and your sow 

[robert waddell]

a lot of assumptions with this post    i am assuming this is the first time you have had pneumonia
it can be alarming when first seen and also death can be quite quick   sometimes within 8 hours   some are back on there feet immediately others are spark out for days    we have engymyicine and tylan that is administered at the first sign of possible pneumonia also take the temp at the first sign
Alice last year had pneumonia pregnant as well but she was down for about a week and no chance of getting her out the wood to bring inside   she went on to rear her piglets all be it a small litter
time is of the essence in these cases and a delay can prove costly or fatal to the pig
this is not your champion of champions pig is it
stock manship is a learning process and although some information can be gleaned from books there is no substitute for years of hands on involvement with stock     yes i have made mistakes but then again the man or woman that never made a mistake never made a pound

[nelson]

Best wishes too and 


Lorraine

[Fowgill Farm]

Awful thing Liz, We have only ever had pneumonia in young pigs (5months old) and its awful to see them. As Robert says time is of the essense get the vet to get a really good dose of antibiotics into her with a drip if necessary straight into the blood stream also as Robert says Tylan in her water, if she won't drink get a big syringe 60ml i think mine is and syringe it into her mouth and keep taking her temperature.  As Robert also said stockmanship is a learning process and we are all learning, its this bloody up and down weather that brings pneumonia bugs to the surface, hot & wet, one minute cold & damp the next, the important thing is to have good ventilation thro the roofs of your arks (we bored 2 inch holes in the ends of our arks in a couple of places for air to circulate thro)
   she gets on the mend quickly and you don't come across this nasty bug again.
All the best
Mandy   

[oaklandspigs]

Sorry Liz, I've nothing more positive to offer either.  We have not had P in a pregnant sow, but you seem to be doing everything.
 
Illnes in late pregnancy does tend to lead to either abortion or stillborns - they don't have the stength to push their way out so die inside.
 
Since you seem to be on pneumonia, that would tend to migigate against a womb infection as such, so womb infection would only be if piglets die inside and she fails to abort.
 
So in hopeful order :
 
 

• Normal litter
• Small litter but rest are stilborns (so all come out and no infection risk)
• She aborts the whole lot - at ten days to go they'll still be very small, so if her body tells hert to abort she should be able to do that easily, not good but better than scenarios below.
• Some born live, but others dead inside and don't abort - don't know about using oxytocin to help abortion one to ask the vet (feeling that I shoud know the anwer to that one, but don't off the top of my head) and lots of antibiotics to stop womb infection
• no litter and all fail to abort, so major womb infection and as above

Doesn't make cheerful reading, and really hope everything goes ok, please let us know
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
small litter
 

[RaisinHall Tamworths]

Not had pneumonia in a sow so can't offer any words of help or advice 
How is she today?  Hope she's improving and doing ok?  .
Hope she's not one of your show girls, although you don't want anyone ill, if you're like us you always have a soft spot for the ones you show, they bond with you so much more when you're out and about with them.
Anyway fingers crossed she has improved and hope she goes on to farrow ok x  Let us know and hoping for good news 

[Tudful Tamworths]

Thanks, everyone. She gave up overnight. Maybe a blessing, as I don't think she would have been strong enough to go through a farrowing. If she had, she might have died afterwards, leaving me with a litter to hand-rear.
Did what I could to make her comfortable and keep her medicated and took professional advice, so not much more I could have done. Never had a case of pneumonia before (young or old pigs), so all this was new to me.
Anyway, next thing is to arrange collection of the carcass. Sure to cost me about £200, but no other option.
 

[Tamsaddle]

You poor thing.  I am so sorry to hear your dreadful news.   Especially just before you were expecting a new litter.   Tamsaddle

[robert waddell]

Hi Liz,
Was the pig your champion of champions pig  ? it always seems to be the best that peg it first.
Lill

[SallyintNorth]

   So sorry, Liz.  {{{{hugs}}}}

[thestephens]

that is so sad, was hoping for good news this morning, you did your best

[robert waddell]

we have had pneumonia on various occasions the first was a young boar we had just bought     he was lying on the concrete for several days after a quick diagnosis and treatment  he made a full recovery
there was a lot of incidences of pneumonia last year in Scotland     if you can detect it early enough it is amazing just how quick they can recuperate
some pigs on the show circuit are inoculated for this     we now carry the relevant drugs with us when any pigs are transported to shows and are coming back home
every day is a school day pigs  who would have them
although pneumonia is associated with animals being brought into buildings it can also be air borne this was the case with alice last year

[Fowgill Farm]

So sorry to read your news Liz , nasty bar steward thing pneumonia.
Robert didn't know you could jab for it in pigs, knew about calves is it the same jab?
Mandy