Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Vomiting sow  (Read 4208 times)

danconfessed

  • Joined Aug 2013
Vomiting sow
« on: August 04, 2020, 07:39:44 pm »
I have a sow who farrowed 8 days ago. Mum and piglets doing really well.

Two days ago the sow stopped eating and keeps vomiting. Every time she drinks she sicks up clear bile a few seconds later.

Vets been this and doesn’t know what it is, her temperature is fine, she is drinking and passing faeces. She said to give her antibiotics and painkiller and see how she goes.

Anyone else experienced this? Just been out to her and same again, she has a drink then passes clear bile.

She is still letting the babies nurse and is letting down milk.

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Vomiting sow
« Reply #1 on: August 05, 2020, 12:12:50 am »
Mr Google came up with this in response to my search.  Lots of other stuff too:
https://thepigsite.com/articles/whats-wrong-with-my-pigs-vomiting

It all sounds either dramatic or of no consequence, depending on the cause.  If it carries on then your vet needs to start looking through his/her text books, as it just might have a contagious cause.  She does sound as if it's not affecting her much, but if she's regurgitating or vomiting everything she drinks then she soon will become dehydrated and not be able to produce milk.
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

harmony

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: Vomiting sow
« Reply #2 on: August 05, 2020, 09:03:04 am »
Is there any chance she has got something stuck?


[member=174648]alang[/member] - any ideas?

alang

  • Joined Nov 2017
  • Morayshire
Re: Vomiting sow
« Reply #3 on: August 05, 2020, 06:41:50 pm »
Sows sometimes vomit/regurgitate when they have been eating too much or gulp it down too quickly. Because she's bringing the water straight back up then it isn't vomit. It's regurgitation as it hasn't reaches the gut.  But by the sounds of it you have something totally different going on. Keep a very close eye on here as she will lose condition quickly if the sow isn't getting (and keeping down) fluids and nutrients. Be very aware of the fluids as salt poisoning can happen very quickly. And obviously this will have a knock-on effect on the piglets if it makes her milk production suffer. Do you have a plan for if you have to strip her of the piglets?

Has she eaten anything in her paddock that shouldn't be there? Dead bird or food thrown in by passers by?
I personally would suspect a blockage such as dry grass or small branches. Has she had vaccinations or are they up to date?

I would definitely get the vet back (with their books) to have another look.

Please keep us updated. I for one would like to know the answer.
I'm not scared to be seen, I make no apologies. This is me!

danconfessed

  • Joined Aug 2013
Re: Vomiting sow
« Reply #4 on: August 06, 2020, 08:43:39 am »
Thank you all for your replies, really appreciate it.

Update this morning, she is drinking quite a lot in the last 24 hours but is still vomiting/ regurgitating straight after.  She isn't bringing up the same amount she is vomiting so something is staying down.  We gave her dioralyte last night and this morning.

So far she has had Betamox and Loxicom (not as much Loxicom as she should as she was ready for the second injection and i didnt manage to administer the full dose)

Alang, she is in a barn with a small concrete run outside, there are weeds/ grass growing alongside but nothing that I could see would be harmful.

Her poo is small nuggets so definitely showing signs of dehydration.  OH is letting her into the paddock for 15 minutes this morning to see if she grazes and what she will keep down but looks like im going to be calling the vet out again.

What she brings up each time is a clear flem and it comes out of her nose at the same time.  I really feel sorry for her and wish I knew what was causing it.

I have Volac Faramate on standby in case she stops producing milk

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Vomiting sow
« Reply #5 on: August 06, 2020, 12:26:54 pm »
Initially you said she was vomiting clear bile, now you describe it as clear phlegm. Phlegm comes from the lungs, bile from the stomach (and is green).  If her temperature is still normal then that would rule out pneumonia. 
When the vet comes, you need to give an accurate description of the symptoms such as 'a clear fluid' or 'a clear mucus' or a thick, clear, colourless fluid', and let him/her know exactly where it's coming from and if she splutters as she brings it up. Computers are only as good as the information in put - so are vets!
I hope you get an answer in time.
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

alang

  • Joined Nov 2017
  • Morayshire
Re: Vomiting sow
« Reply #6 on: August 06, 2020, 06:16:21 pm »
Update this morning, she is drinking quite a lot in the last 24 hours but is still vomiting/ regurgitating straight after.  She isn't bringing up the same amount she is vomiting so something is staying down.  We gave her dioralyte last night and this morning.

Even though 'some is staying down, remember that she is using body fluids producing milk. Dioralyte will help. Have you tried giving her 1 or 2 litres of water from a bucket, little and often so she's not just trying to drink so much?

So far she has had Betamox and Loxicom (not as much Loxicom as she should as she was ready for the second injection and i didnt manage to administer the full dose)

You don't need much Loxicom anyway. I think it's 1ml for every 50Kg? Betamox is ok too. If the vet suggested antibiotics then i would give her a 5 day course. Alamycin or Pen & Strep is what we use. But speak to your vet for professional advice.

What she brings up each time is a clear flem and it comes out of her nose at the same time.  I really feel sorry for her and wish I knew what was causing it.

Regurgitation will come out of the nose at times anyway. Just like it can in humans. If it is proper phlegm then it sounds like a respiratory problem and again, the vet is your best call.
I'm not scared to be seen, I make no apologies. This is me!

Possum

  • Joined Feb 2012
  • Somerset
Re: Vomiting sow
« Reply #7 on: August 06, 2020, 07:54:59 pm »
If she vomits/regurgitates immediately after drinking, can you catch a sample to show the vet? It might help them to work out where it is coming from.

danconfessed

  • Joined Aug 2013
Re: Vomiting sow
« Reply #8 on: August 09, 2020, 08:40:01 pm »
Hi all,

Thanks again for taking the time to reply. Small update. Vet came out on Thursday, gave her another shot of loxicom, Betamox, buscopan and another which I have forgotten. (It’s in my med book)

She noticed that when she was drinking  she was making a gagging action. Now thinks it is a blockage in her throat. Managed to get her to take some olive oil and almost straight away she was drinking and keeping it down. She said to keep giving her dioralyte and flat lucozade.

However she still can’t take any food down. Have given her two more shots of olive oil since and still not taking any food. Tonight she started regurgitating her water again so will call the vet back tomorrow.

Vet was extremely reluctant to sedate and look for a blockage and there is a high risk she won’t come back round.

Looks like we’re going to have to take that risk tomorrow.

I’m completely at my wits end as I’m not sure what else we can do. Will take any suggestions on board.

Apologies about the phlegm confusion, you’re correct it’s not phlegm!

alang

  • Joined Nov 2017
  • Morayshire
Re: Vomiting sow
« Reply #9 on: August 09, 2020, 09:32:00 pm »
She said to keep giving her dioralyte and flat lucozade.

We have flat cola or lucozade on the farm too. We use it on any piglets that need a quick boost of liquids and sugar energy. We normally also give the piglets littercare (protein and colostrum based) suppliment for when they start falling behind on growth rate compared to the other piglets. So i totally understand why you've given it to the sow lucozade too.

Food wise. Have you tried her on a slops feed? Pellets soaked in water to make a porridge/gruel type feed? That way she's getting the feed nutrition and also some fluids at the same time. It will also pass the blockage easier and not be as irritating on her throat.

How are your piglets getting on? Is she still feeding them ok?

As for worrying about sedating her. We use a sedative called "Stressnol" on the farm for if a boar gets too feisty or aggressive. Sometimes to a sow too for the same reasons. But if it's the same thing that the vet is going to give, then it doesn't send them to sleep (dependent of dosage obviously). It just calms them down a lot. In some respects you can go up to the pig and inspect them really closely without them flinching. Which is great for some wounds and infected areas that need slicing/cleaning.
« Last Edit: August 09, 2020, 09:36:01 pm by alang »
I'm not scared to be seen, I make no apologies. This is me!

alang

  • Joined Nov 2017
  • Morayshire
Re: Vomiting sow
« Reply #10 on: August 12, 2020, 09:05:24 pm »
Any further update on the sow and the piglets?  ???
I'm not scared to be seen, I make no apologies. This is me!

danconfessed

  • Joined Aug 2013
Re: Vomiting sow
« Reply #11 on: August 17, 2020, 02:26:12 pm »
Hi Alang,

Afraid not, vet came out last week and we sedated her and ran a tube down her throat.  No blockage.  Vet checked her mouth, tongue etc to see if anything was causing it.  He gave her Tetroxy to see if it will make a difference.  Next day she took water without vomiting but by the following day she began vomiting again.

We have been giving her a soup of bananas and sow pellets which she takes.  Sometimes she vomits some up and sometimes it stays down.

Vets only other option is to refer her to Cambridge University for tests scans etc but that just isn't an option for us.

Piglets were 3 weeks old yesterday and we are now thinking of weaning them this week. She is milking straight off her back so has lost quite a lot of weight. At least if she is now feeding the small amount she is having may stop her from losing any more weight.

Truth is, whats the end game?  She is up and walking around. To look at (other than her weight loss) she doesn't look ill or anemic. Her tail wags when she sees me and is nice and curly.  But equally it cant go on like this forever.

Does anyone else have any ideas or options to try?  Is 3.5 -4 weeks too early to wean?


Possum

  • Joined Feb 2012
  • Somerset
Re: Vomiting sow
« Reply #12 on: August 17, 2020, 06:40:23 pm »
Oh dear. That's really hard for you. I think you have done everything you reasonably could do.


I'm afraid that i cannot give advice about the weaning of piglets but hopefully a more experienced pig keeper will be along soon.

alang

  • Joined Nov 2017
  • Morayshire
Re: Vomiting sow
« Reply #13 on: August 17, 2020, 06:58:57 pm »
Is 3.5 -4 weeks too early to wean?

Really sorry to hear your issues. Only you can decide what is 'best' for her. I wish you and her well in whatever you decide.

As for weaning piglets. On the farm here we wean piglets after 24 days. But our pigs aren't pure breeds and grow quite fast. So i would ask someone with experience/knowledge of your breed.
I'm not scared to be seen, I make no apologies. This is me!

harmony

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: Vomiting sow
« Reply #14 on: August 17, 2020, 07:27:33 pm »
I'm sorry your news isn't more positive. No reason why you can't wean as long as they are taking creep feed?


Getting the piglets off will ease the pressure on the sow but it doesn't look good long term.

 

Forum sponsors

FibreHut Energy Helpline Thomson & Morgan Time for Paws Scottish Smallholder & Grower Festival Ark Farm Livestock Movement Service

© The Accidental Smallholder Ltd 2003-2024. All rights reserved.

Design by Furness Internet

Site developed by Champion IS