The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: BillyBerridge on September 16, 2009, 11:50:29 am

Title: Vomiting piglet..
Post by: BillyBerridge on September 16, 2009, 11:50:29 am
Hi guys,

Has anyone ever come across these symptoms before:
I have a litter of OSB's they are 4 weeks old and have been slow to get going. (due to an early farrowing and mum being a first time mum).
Over the last week they have shot up growth wise and were doing well until this morning when I find one of the little gilts in the arh arched over, on closer inspection she appears to be bloated and after a few minutes of me rubbing her belly started to vomit a yellow/green mucus.
I dont think theres anything in the pen she should not have eaten, and all the others are fine and full of beans.

Any ideas?

Thanks
Title: Re: Vomiting piglet..
Post by: Hilarysmum on September 16, 2009, 12:03:53 pm
Could you run her down to the vet?
Title: Re: Vomiting piglet..
Post by: BillyBerridge on September 16, 2009, 12:13:37 pm
I could do but the vet would more likely want me to treat her myself - normally we go through symtoms over the phone and he tells me what drugs to come and get.

I dont want to go down that route just yet though, I'm going to observe her for a while and see how she is later. I've to say though of all the pigs I've bred this is the first piglet i've seen doing this - maybe I've just been lucky! (Or not in this case..)
Title: Re: Vomiting piglet..
Post by: dixie on September 16, 2009, 12:25:29 pm
Found this if its any help:
http://www.thepigsite.com/diseaseinfo/133/vomiting-wasting-disease-ontario-encephalitis
Title: Re: Vomiting piglet..
Post by: BillyBerridge on September 16, 2009, 12:37:01 pm
Thanks Dixie I was looking at that before I posted, I dont think its that to be honest but then again symtoms have only just started so I will have to see how they devlop.
The symptoms on your link Wasting disease sound much similar to Johnnys disease found in cattle.

Title: Re: Vomiting piglet..
Post by: BadgerFace on September 16, 2009, 12:52:38 pm
A few months back I had a 6 week old piglet just the same as yours. Bloated abdomen & vomiting, and in obvious pain. Called vet, he was local so popped in to see her. Turned out to be a blockage of the gut, most likely caused by eating tough grass stems. Treatment - LA antibiotic jab (in case of bacteria leakage through stomach wall, while bloated) and painkiller, liquid paraffin by mouth. She was right as rain the next day. He also told me pigs can suffer from ulcers which have similar symptoms, but unusual in young piglets.

Just for interest, my piglet was orphan (mother died when the litter was a week old). I took them on after that.

HTH, good luck  :pig:
Title: Re: Vomiting piglet..
Post by: BillyBerridge on September 16, 2009, 01:17:18 pm
Thats interesting badger face, Funny enough I've just been down to check on her and the bloat has gone, she hasnt vomited again since i last checked, but she is very lethargic still the rest of her litter mates were having a suckle so i picked her up and put her towards mum, she nosed around but didnt get manage to get on a nipple.

Do you what antibiotic yours had? I've got various things in the fridge but I only like to use them as a last resort, i think to many people jump for a needle to quickly 9 times out of 10 mother nature does the work for you! 
Title: Re: Vomiting piglet..
Post by: BadgerFace on September 16, 2009, 01:30:00 pm
Do you what antibiotic yours had? I've got various things in the fridge but I only like to use them as a last resort, i think to many people jump for a needle to quickly 9 times out of 10 mother nature does the work for you! 

Engemycin. Mine wouldn't eat or drink, and was also very lethargic - you could see she was in pain though, rolling on stomach like a horse does with colic. I should add she's a strapping great porker now !  :pig: