The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: Jackie 2 on July 03, 2013, 02:13:57 pm
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Lop had her first litter about 26 hours ago and this morning at 5am she was ill.
I called the vet and she has septicemia for which she has 48 hour broad spectrum anti's plus is having oxytocin in case there's more piglets as she is still hard. Vet says to remove piglets as mum has very little milk which we have done and they are under a heat lamp. They dont like the replacer milk but Im sure will get used to it I hope.
Lop gave birth to 11 piglets 2 of which she lay on so we didnt think there was anymore left. The vet isnt sure.
She isnt eating or drinking just standing outside her pen puffing panting and foaming at the mouth with chomping. She is looking very swaybacked (back very dipped down. Her temperature is low.
Is there anything else I can do to help her?
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Try to encourage her to intake liquid of some sort - melon, cucumber - what's her favourite?
Did the vet explain the reason for removing the piglets? Suckling releases natural hormones that help with expulsion of the afterbirth & encourages further milk production.
Personally I'd get the vet back out. What an awful experience for her (& you) on her first litter - hope she pulls through ok :fc:
:love: :pig: :love:
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Shes not eating anything, Ive tried all sorts and will try more. I'm chopping things into bite size pieces and trying to hand feed which she normally will do for treats, but not today :(
The vet said feeding the piglets will cause extra strain on her plus only 3 were feeding as she is standing in the field and wont go back into her house where they are, the 3 walked (tottered) to her. She wont even lie down.
The vet came this morning and the sow is covered by antibiotics for the next 24 hours so here nothing more the vet can do for her. The antibiotics either stop the infection or she dies. Its a horrendous macabre waiting game. :(
I sit with her talking quietly and stroking her so she knows she isnt alone but its heartbreaking :(
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sorry, can't offer any advice but :fc: for her
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Thank you :)
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was it a difficult birth? are they big piglets? 2-4lbs or bigger did you assist with the birth?
regards bb
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No fairly easy and quite small piglets and no it was all done when I got up.
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Sounds like something has been left in her. Do hope she recovers and her little piglets thrive. :fc:
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Im hoping the oxytocin will help :fc:
Thank you, it isnt looking good. :'(
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not all pigs take to motherhood,it is a shock to them to have greating weans demanding a fed.Did you observe if both placentas had been expelled?
regards bb
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She sounds totally traumatised - bless :(
I know the vet has given you good reason for keeping the piglets off of her, but might it be worth taking 1 or 2 across to her to see if she'll sniff them or show any interest in them at all - maybe maternal instinct will pull her through :fc:
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Don't want to have a downer but this happened to my sow a few years ago and I'm afraid she died. The vet tried everything but couldn't make a difference. Hope your experience is different but I would prepare yourself for the worst. :hug: :hug:
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Try giving her something to relax her. If the vet's coming back out a shot of stresnil will do the job (failing that, get a couple of cans of beer or ale into her - pour them into a bucket, she should drink it) she'll lie down, possibly outside ? but you'll be able to get a couple of stronger piglets latched and suckling :thumbsup:
As Beewyched has said, it'll trigger the natural oxytocin response from her and should help 'flush' her womb. If she's had a jab of oxy and nothing has happened for more than an hour and she still seems distressed - you'll have to try going in to check there's not a piglet stuck and blocking the way. Wash your hands (or put on a long sterile glove) use plenty of lubricant and just gently slide your hand in (between contractions) to see if you can feel anything.
When the piglets are suckling you'll need to stay there the whole time and supervise. Also try the sqeezy sports bottles filled with some water or water/fruit juice mix to encourage her to drink - put the bottle right into her mouth and hold her head up to help her.
Keeping everything crossed for you and your sow :fc:
Keep us posted, Karen x
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Sorry to hear this. Not got any experience of this but you could try liquidising some fruit and mix with some water to make it sloppy and try with a 50ml syringe in the side of the her mouth. Could you put some straw outside to make a bed for her. Would the vet prescribe some pain relief for her to make her more comfy? I 've got Finadyn paste which is for horses that works quite well.
:fc: for you and her.
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Sorry I've seen this so late. Slightly surprised the vet recommended removing the piglets. Personally, I would have kept them feeding for as long as possible, on the basis that I'd prefer to lose a sow than an entire litter, and also (as others have said) the suckling would help expel any afterbirth/piglets - alive or dead.
I think you've done all you can do, and I hope she pulls through - and the piglets, too. Very best of luck. Liz
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Thanks so very much for your help and advice.
Yes I saw both placentas, one mum was eating and the other was in her bed, alongside a dead piglet burried in the straw.
The vet tried to examine her internally but she had already closed up so he couldn't get his hand in.
Great idea about the beer :) Ill do that today
The update is that she has eaten some banana and apples and a few other goodies which seemed to trigger her hunger response and she then ate half her pig food that I had fed her in the morning and was still on the ground.
I thought Id take the risk and bring back 2 piglets to see how she would cope, I know that mum can rear them much better than I can, she was still standing in the field, but although she wasn't very maternal and kept moving in circles when they latched on I thought Id give her a little shock and remind her shes now a mum and picked one up so it squealed, result! She didn't like that and turned to face me so I put it back on the ground and she nosed it and actually stood still so it could feed!
After 10 mins I decided to bring the rest of the babies back in pairs so she wasn't overwhelmed but rather than take them to her in the field I put them in her bed and picked them up so they squealed. She waddled over to her bed and promptly lay on 2! I tapped her ear to get her up and she stood and the piglets got out of the way.
Mum then settled back down half in and half out of her bed but all 9 of the piglets are sucking away!!!
Its just getting light outside so I shall pop out and see what going on but hopefully she is over the crisis.
:fc:
As you can see I'm very hands on with my pigs and they know and trust me for which I am very grateful as I couldn't have helped her as much as I have without the trust she gives me because if a 400lb pig decided to go for me when injecting or holding the piglets there would have been nothing I could have done but run. Even the vet said shes a very calm pig.
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Last night her vulva has returned to that lovely healthy pink rather than the purple/blue colour indicative of septicemia so hopefully the antibiotic has caught the infection in time.
I have decided that next time we have a litter I will treat with antibiotics prolifically and with oxytocin, mum will be covered right from the start then.
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Great news :fc: all continues to improve for both of you.
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I'm so glad to hear she's settling better :thumbsup: Wishing her (and you ;)) continued improvements :fc:
I have decided that next time we have a litter I will treat with antibiotics prolifically and with oxytocin, mum will be covered right from the start then.
Is she an older sow ? We found with our older ladies (7 years old) that they needed to oxytocin to help move the last few piglets out, we gave them a jab after the first piglet was born, not before.
I'd be wary of over using anti-B's though - obviously if you ever have to 'go in' to retrieve piglets or check internally, they need it and if there's any sign of temperature being raised then it's a no-brainer - but over use might lead to resistance (as in humans).
Keep us posted with developments,
Karen
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Great news Jackie sounds like you have beaten it well done. :excited: Like you I have a very calm herd of pigs which makes treating them so much easier.
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Just catching up and when i first read this my heart sunk as i lost my wonderful Ruby to septicemia and it was an awful death :'( :( and i would never wish the like of it on anyone. I am so pleased it looks to have a positive outcome :relief: :fc:
They sound like they're in good hands.
all the best Mandy
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Come on mum, you can do it :pig:
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:relief: Hopefully all will go well now :fc:
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Delighted to see better news today :thumbsup:
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Well done! Sounds like she's on the mend with thanks to your care.
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That's brilliant news Jackie :thumbsup:
Mother nature has it's way of overcoming many things & it's great to hear that your girl has such a good relationship with you - hopefully the little family will flourish now under the care of both their mums :love:
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Well done to you both! :D
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Awww - well done and good luck :-)
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Thank you all again :)
Karen mum is only 2 and its her first so shock may have been a major factor too. I take your point about the anti's.
Today mum is eating normally and feeding the babies well, I can now see fat little tummies on them so that's great :)
I think the crisis is over thank goodness. It was very scary while it was going on.
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I am sorry to read that you lost your Ruby with septicemia Karen, its awful knowing that there nothing you can do but hope
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Well done Jackie - really pleased that there's been the best result :thumbsup:
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Thank you :thumbsup:
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Really pleased for you.
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Jackie, thank goodness everything has turned out OK for you. What a truamatic time. We also just recently had our first litter with a new mum. Nerve racking stuff anyway without all the trauma you experienced. Enjoy them now, they are so much fun!