Author Topic: Limping piglet - advice please (Read 3468 times)

norfolk newbies · « **on:** December 01, 2011, 11:33:51 am »

Hi Folks
We have had 2 litters recently from our GOS sows. First litter (only 4, all live births, called out vet, nothing stuck, just unusually small litter). They are about 5 weeks old now, and doing well, but at the weekend noticed that Stumpy not putting his back rh leg down on the ground. We manipulated leg and no obvious issues. I thought we would leave it in case is is just ' bruising'. It is not much better now.

He is doing fine ( able to get about OK and feeding from mum OK ( not pushing to get mum's food as much as the others but still same size as others.)

Question: how long should I wait until calling out the vet. I am a bit hesitant about vet at the moment, as we have had them out twice recently. First for farrowing as mentioned above and second for the other sow who had a litter of 9, fou of which were breech ( I helped 2 out, resucitated one, was not able to help another). Had to get vet as I could not reach last piglet (not breech but mum had given up by this stage.. Vet has less wide arms than me....but it was too late for this one also). Sorry about the long winded explanation, but just to explain why we are feeling a little resisant re adding to vet bills.

Stumpy does not seem to be in obvious pain ( or I would have had the vet out). nb he is called Stumpy as he now has tiny tail...due to being trodden on by mum during first day....due to his tendancy to hide in straw, which I suspect has led to current situation.

They are inside barns at the moment so we can keep an eye on them all, so Stumpy's leg not being aggraveted by uneven ground etc.

Thanks in advance for advice
Jo

Sylvia · « **Reply #1 on:** December 01, 2011, 01:37:55 pm »

As long as you are completely satisfied that nothing is broken I should leave be. It will probably be fine in a few days.

JulieS · « **Reply #2 on:** December 01, 2011, 01:40:07 pm »

Have you taken his temperature?

If that is OK and he is eating, drinking and behaving like the rest then give it a few more days.

Let us know how he gets on.

oaklandspigs · « **Reply #3 on:** December 01, 2011, 04:07:12 pm »

What Julie s says !!

Fowgill Farm · « **Reply #4 on:** December 02, 2011, 10:08:42 am »

would agree with others.
So long as you think nothing broken. We had a piglet once with a visbly torn back leg so i wrapped him in a towel and took him to the vets,OH drove while i carried piggy, they stitiched up his leg and put a little pot on it and gave me some drops of antibiotics for him, he was back with mum within an hour and he grew up to be one of our best fatteners, but he was always called wonky and he was a right agrro merchant!
Hope he gets better soon
best Mandy

norfolk newbies · « **Reply #5 on:** December 02, 2011, 11:31:43 am »

Thanks All
OH picked Stumpy up today ( whilst mum was otherwise occupied with food) and apparrently back legs peddling away like he was running a marathon (and not apparently in pain) . So I do not think anything broken. He is feeding off Mum OK ( and seems chunky enough) so we will leave it alone at the moment. I will try and check trotter area tomorrow to see if I can see any damage, and try to apply a bit of pressure and see what happens.
Thanks again ....I will be back with results of pedi-exam ( assuming I do not get eaten by the other piglets.....apparently my neoprene boots are the best thing they have ever tasted....)
Jo