The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: donard on May 04, 2009, 01:01:36 pm
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Hi,
I just bought 2 3month old sows last Thursday. After I brought them home, I noticed one of them had a slightly runny nose, and something like a silent cough. I also noticed that she doesn't squeal, not even when you pick her up. Neither seem used to being handled. I had been told to dose them, so I gave them 0.6 ml Dectomax via intramuscular injection. (I estimate their weight at about 20-25 Kg).
They seemed fine until this morning, until the one that had the snuffly nose refused to eat. She's just curled up in her shed, and seems really listless and unwell.
Neither piglet seems familiar with pig nuts, though they happily munched on fresh fruit and veg. (with nuts hidden through it, in a 4-1 ratio) until this morning. Both try to avoid eating the nuts.
They were running free-range when I got them, so I put them in a big pen, (about half an acre, with grass, with a 3.5 sided shed, so they could go in or out as they pleased).
The weather has been quite cold and wet, so I didn't pay too much attention when they spent most of the time sleeping, now I'm wondering whether I've bought some unhealthy pigs, or it's just a cold?
The vet lives about 30 miles away, so I don't want to call him out for nothing.
Any and all suggestions welcome. Feel free to teach me to suck eggs, sheep, goats, cows and horses are reasonably familiar territory, but when it comes to pigs, I confess to complete ignorance!
Donard
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What sort of bedding have you given them?
Most pigs / piglets are allergic to hay, could this be the reason?
Perhaps they are cold, not enough straw, that would make them want to sleep.
Between the move and the dectomax, perhaps the piglets are traumatised, give it time for them to settle in and keep them warm.
Put a "front cover" over the open area of your three sided shed, cold and draughts make for unhappy pigs,
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Thanks for the advice, pigtails.
I will take your advice regarding closing off the front of their shed. I don't think there's a problem with the bedding, it's clean hay, and plenty of it (horse feeding quality, actually - I had a couple of spare bales, and I wouldn't use it for feeding next year!)
I will get a couple of bales of straw, just in case.
The bit that concerns me is the fact that the sick piglet doesn't squeal, my limited experience of piglets suggests that when a stranger picks them up, they tend to protest - loudly. The other one certainly does.
My gut instinct is that it's something similar to fluke in sheep, except the cough is silent.
Trouble is, I don't know whether there is a version of fluke for pigs - If there is, what should I treat it with?
Donard
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Affraid that I can't be of much help....try exploring http://www.thepigsite.com/search/index.php?q=silent+cough&cat=8 it might be of help.
Morgan
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or http://www.thepigsite.com/forums/
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I hate to say this but personally I would call out the vet.
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Think i would call the vet, better safe than sorry. Let us know how she gets on.
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Hi everyone,
Thanks for all the replies.
I just had the vet out, and he it's pnuemonia. He prescribed pen-strep, 1.5 ml to start, then 1ml for the next 2-3 days, and I'm to call him back if she doesn't start to improve.
I've given her a fresh straw bed, so she should be warm enough. Now it's a waiting game!
The good news is, she at least decided to squeal, not the most vigorous squeal I've ever heard - but a squeal nevertheless. That was really bugging me!
Thanks again for the replies, I'll keep you posted.
Donard.
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Fingers crossed for you, and her!! Calling the vet was the wisest decision from a welfare point of view, so congrats.
Morgan
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Squealing must be an improvement. Please let us know how she gets on.
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Yes, praying for the piglet too.
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Hi everyone,
Just a quick update. When I went to feed my piggy this morning, she was much improved.
She actually came out of her stall when I approached, though she made no attempt to eat.
Now this may make me sound like I belong in a lunatic asylum, but this is what happened - seriously!!
My healthy piglet ate, sick piggy went back to her stall after a run around the pen. This is where it gets weird,
healthy piggy carried some apple and a piece of veg. into sick piggys stall. I couldn't see what happened in the stall,(I was standing in hissing rain at the time) but a minute or two later, sick piggy came out and ate a few mouthfuls.
What I find strange is that the evening we bought the pigs, we gave them food in their stall. The dominant (healthy) pig, nosed the container out the door. The following morning was the same. So we figured they prefer not to mess their stall with food, and started feeding them outside.
We also noticed that these piglets like to keep their sleeping area clean - so why did the healthy pig change it's behaviour today? I also noticed her covering the sick pig with straw last night - is this nurturing behaviour, or what? I've never seen any other breed of animal behave like this, so does someone want to tell me whether I'm hallucinating, or what?
By the way, as fond as I am of my animals, I have no fairytale illusions that they have human emotions LOL, but this is strange, it's almost as if the healthy pig is being maternal to her sister....
Any thoughts, anyone?
Donard
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I think it shows they are more intelligent and caring than we ever give them credit for. Fingers crossed the wee thing continues with her improvement.
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leave a stethascope in the stall and see what happens.............sorry I just couldn't resist!!
Morgan
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Lol.
Donard
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That is so lovely. ;)
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I have also seen a group of young pigs defer to a sickly one. They usually push each other around and fight for food but once, when we had a poorly youngster, the others just made way at the trough for it and did not push it at all though they continued to fight among themselves.
I've also seen older Sows take turns to "tuck each other up" in bed!
Dave
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Thanks Crofter.
I'm relieved to hear that I'm not losing my marbles :D :D
I haven't had anything to do with pigs since my father kept them when I was about 5 years old, so pig psychology isn't exactly my area of expertise lol.
I'm learning fast why people love them so much, though. I'm also beginning to think that these pigs are very likely likely to end up as pets rather than rashers........... as my other half says "How can we do the dirty on them if they're that intelligent?" :-\ :-\
Anyway, enough waffling - both pigs ate well last night, and the sickly one was lively enough to escape into the next pen - containing our matriarch goat affectionately known as "Big Momma" - because she is quite convinced that her main function in life is to put manners on any other animal that comes within reach of her horns - hence the pen! That was one very rapid rescue, believe me!
Donard
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Donard that is good news. On the note of goats taking charge, about 9 months ago I rescued 2, one aged 12 and the other 10. They were in a dreadful state when they arrived but luckily they are back to full health. Anyway as they were so old we bought 2 Toggenburg Kids 3 weeks ago as company for them. Today, Rosie the 12 year old who has never been milked is growing teats the size of me at an alarming rate as she has accepted these kids as her own. So, another happy story.
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Donard - glad to hear piggys well again! Just to note hay is more a feedstuff and not really warm enough for bedding, always use straw, enough so they can bury themselves in it, they can get cold easily, especially after being separated from a larger litter where they huddle for warmth. Also pigs only like to have their ark for bed, they wont soil it and probably wont eat in it either. My 3 ewes rallied round looking after the other one last year when she was a bit poorly, they definately look out for eachother!
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Jameslindsay, Big Momma was also a rescue effort. I don't know what age she is, but she's old
Her feet were in a dreadful state when we bought her (untreated advanced foot rot) - mainly just to try to end her suffering. She was the most ill-tempered creature I have ever come into contact with when she arrived, and would charge anyone or anything that approached her. Nine months worth of time, care and patience and she will follow the family around like a pet dog! Anyone (or anything) else gets treated to the sharp edge of her horns - including any other kids (as in goats) who wander too close to the fence.
I might end up having to move the pens just to keep my piggies safe lol.
My others goats are very sociable, poor Momma just never knew any kindness before we got her, so she attacks what she doesn't trust - which is everything but us! She rewarded us in March by producing a very nice set of twins, (Saanen) and the buck is already sold. I'm keeping the nanny, and bottle feeding three times a day, just so Momma gets some peace. I wouldn't kid her again, though.
Dixie, thanks for the advice on the straw - I just didn't have any to hand when I bought them.
I had been considering buying a couple of pigs for a while, so when I saw a for sale ad., I just went and got them. That's not as crazy as it seems.... my family have lived in this area for generations, so I can usually find anything I need in a hurry just by picking up the phone. Both my brothers have farms, so I'm rarely stuck if I need a couple of bales/nuts or whatever (just not pig nuts - my brothers farm sheep and cattle.) I just borrow some, and replace them when I get my own delivered, and vice versa.
My piggies ate well again this morning, though I did notice the little one coughed quite a lot last night after the exertion of her escape attempt. I have a sneaking suspicion that the respiratory symptoms are secondary, but I'll wait and see what happens when the course of antibiotics is complete. Some nice weather wouldn't hurt, either.
Poor things, they're terrified of people, and having to catch one and stick needles in her just after buying them isn't helping!
Still they do come out when we approach with food, which is a start. Allowing us to catch them is quite another matter, for now!
Donard
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Donard - try just sitting in there with them, pigs are very inquisitive and will soon get brave, especially if you have treats, some sliced banana never fails to tempt mine!!