[Leri]

Hi pig people. I need your help and advice please.
My darling Ruby my favourite sow (Large Black X GOS) has been lame since before the weekend. Really lame not just a bit ginger on her feet. It's her back one this time too - she does sometimes get 'ginger' on her front ones and I spray them with Teramycin like they do here for the sheep. We tend to try sheep cures first a lot and need help in thinking pig. I find the vets aren't particularly au fait with pigs either.
First question - do pigs get foot rot like sheep anyway? Do your pigs all get sore feet occasionally (nothing to see just a bit smelly) that will cure with a quick spray on antiseptic/antibiotic?
However - this time it's different and worse. When I noticed her struggling really badly through the mud and in fact refusing to come as far as her food. Luckily the sheep are almost finished lambing and a lot are outdoors so we brought her through to the next bay of the shed on Friday afternoon where she can't get outside put lots of clean dry straw down and got a proper look. Her hoof has cracked along the outer edge - I wouldn't say it was loose or coming off, but a definite crack - not full thickness just on the top - all looks normal under her foot. When she does put a little bit of weight on it fluid seems to seep up through it and it is a bit smelly. It's had a really good covering of Teramycin and I've been giving her Tylan (?sp) the water soluble antibiotic all weekend and have also given her a human adult dose of Calpol (doubt it's licensed for pigs! - I should ask the vet, but we've used it for hens when one got attacked by a dog). She isn't off her food (but isn't keen on drinking while the smelly antibiotic in her water!) - she does seem better today but is still obviously sore. Called at the vet today for some advice. Dewi (my FIL to be) wonders should I trim the hoof (he would with a sheep) - I don't fancy it - esp can't imaging rolling her like they do with the sheep to do it!!  
Vet today has offered an antibiotic injection that lasts 10 days and a pain killer injection (Meacam?) and given me a formula for working out her weight. So will get that tomorrow morning I think. Should I get the vet out to look though? Do you think her hoof does need trimming to let out the badness?
Has anyone else had this?
Thanks all. Much appreciated by me and Ruby my best girl :-) x

[Hilarysmum]

Oooh I do sympathise, Could you get her to lie down on the ground whilst one of you belly rubs and the other trims the foot?  Its what I would do were it Hilary.

[Leri]

So you do think it needs trimming?
Yes we could do it - she's soft as a brush - just don't know if it's what we're meant to do!! I thought it might heal - but thinking about it that's probably silly - my broken nails have never healed - Doh!

[robert waddell]

leri you have hit the nail on the head        the hoof is damaged especially  if it has stinken fluid seaping out
keep it clean and wash it regularly and treat    cant comment further without seeing it

[Fowgill Farm]

I know this is an old topic but i have a gilt with similar foot problems (no stinkyness, seepage, heat or swelling they just look like the've exploded) on both her front feet to the point she is walking on her knees and won't let me near her feet to check them. I'm seriously thinking of sending her for bacon as theres no way she could be put in pig in her current state, but she's such a good example of the GOS in every other aspect i'm huffing and puffing about it and wondered if you'd had any success with Ruby's feet or if anyone had any ideas as to how i can get her feet sorted.
thanks in advance
Mandy & Trixie Pig 

[JulieS]

Sorry to hear about Trixie pig Mandy.

I've not come across it before, but something I would try is to clean them up (if she will let you!) and get some terramycin spray (sp??) on them.

Hope it helps.

Julie x

[Barrett]

Mandy, I would get the vet to look at Trixie's feet as the abattoir might not take her without something in writing from the vet.  I have a small boar called Patches who will go for meat once 9 months though he has always had one of his back legs bigger than the other and sort of walks funny on it, it doesn't stop him from doing anything certainly not being pushed around for food etc.., though the vet will have to check it before he goes for slaughter.

[Berkshire Boy]

The abbatoir should take a pig as long as it can make its own way out of the trailer. I took one that had hurt his leg but could walk with a bit of a limp and they where fine about it, anyway he will be dead in a few minutes.

[Leri]

I bathed it in this stuff http://www.net-tex.co.uk/product_page.cfm?pid=239&men=3- mixed it as per instructions, in warm water though and put her foot in the bucket - she shook it about a bit at first which I let her cos the muck got swilled out, then she lay there enjoying the soothing warmth I think.
Then the remaining solution I put in a spray bottle and sprayed it. I tried to bathe it once a day though.
It did seem to help and she stood on it better- but as far as the hoof - I just had to wait till it grew and the broken bit could be trimmed or break away.
She's great now though - and had a litter of 12 piglets at the end of August.

[Fowgill Farm]

Thanks leri & all
will definetly try this stuff, have trimmed her hoof nails as they were getting long and that has helped a bit but she's a bugger for not letting you near them, the minute she thinks you're going to touch them she curls them up under her body and no way pedro!  Have tried terramycin spray as originally we thought it was scald but on eventual exaination the skin on her pads seems worn away, i've seen some pads in the fearings catalogue that they put on cows feet and wondered if these could possibly be adapted?
Thanks again
Mandy & Trixie