[djahouli]

Hi,
We just bought two OSB gilts.  One of them is a runt.  The breeder said this was down to constipation.  He treated her with Penstrep and said she is now ok.  We were under no pressure to take her but we didn't want to take just one, so we took them both.

On getting them home, we noticed the runt is still constipated, and that she doesn't have an anus.....but she is passing (with difficulty) fecal matter through the vulva.  She's 3 months old.  Does she stand a chance without vet intervention?

We've given her cod liver oil, and bran to try to help loosen things up for her, and she's still eating.

Any advice much apprectiated.

[Tudful Tamworths]

Get the vet out now. Normally, when a blind/missing anus is spotted after birth, an incision is made to allow faeces to pass - though sometimes the skin grows back. The body sometimes (as in the case of your gilt) creates another channel to expel waste. A good breeder would have spotted this condition early on.
Personally, I wouldn't have sold it to you. The fact that the breeder thought P&S would solve a  (wrongly diagnosed) constipation problem says a lot about his/her knowledge of pigs.
Get the vet's opinion asap, as not all pigs with this condition survive long term. Could end up being a very expensive piglet.

[Bodger]

As soon as the problem was spotted, IMO it should have been euthanased. Not just on financial grounds but obviously, a piglet that you have to have a vet out to, is already an expensive pig.

[Marches Farmer]

I'd have a word with the breeder and tell him what the problem actually is.  Give him a chance to put it right, by taking back the piglet/giving you your money back/paying the vet's bill.  I leave it to your discretion what to do if he does none of these things.  I'm sure you won't be buying from him again and you'll be telling everyone you know about it .....?

[Beewyched]

All I can do is agree with the previous posts regarding this - what an awful experience for you.
Now you're on TAS you'll have no problem sourcing well bred weaners in the future 
 

[djahouli]

Thanks all.

Spoke to the breeder who said he will give us our money back if we have to lose her. 

Got the vet coming in tomorrow to give us the verdict.

Definitely won't be buying any runts in the future, and I know what to look for now.

[NicAlford1234]

Just out of interest, is this a common thing to happen? I never even knew it could happen!! Does it tend to happen through breeding - and not a random mutation - has never been something I've checked for!
Keep us posted djahouli! 

[Hassle]

Runts still need loving too..... Not all runts are born with birth defects some are just weaker than their brothers and sisters and end up on the less producing teats. They can still make good pigs just take a little bit longer.

[Fowgill Farm]

Runts still need loving too..... Not all runts are born with birth defects some are just weaker than their brothers and sisters and end up on the less producing teats. They can still make good pigs just take a little bit longer.

Yay....... .. we never sell our runts, i'm a sucker for them and we always end up with them in our freezer eventually after a few tears when they go!
mandy

[djahouli]

Well after all that worry, we got the vet out.  He told us not to worry about it as she is managing to pass faeces, (albeit through the wrong hole and with difficulty).  He gave us some stool softener and left it at that.