Author Topic: Pig off colour?  (Read 8904 times)

DavidnChris

  • Guest
Pig off colour?
« on: April 11, 2009, 07:52:52 am »
Just been to feed my two pigs this morning and the one is definately not herself. Seems a bit stiff when walking and not as interested in food as normal. In fact took more interest in eating a slug at one point. Broke off eating which she is doing slowly to go and have a drink then come back to the food. Other one is fine wolfing it down as normal.
Food is the same as they have always had, pellets.
They are 5 1/2 months old
The off colour one is fatter than the other but has always been the same
They were fed a bit earlier this morning than normal,
Could she just have been a bit stiff having got out of bed?
Bed is an arc with plenty of straw.

« Last Edit: April 11, 2009, 07:59:19 am by DavidnChris »

Hilarysmum

  • Joined Oct 2007
Re: Pig off colour?
« Reply #1 on: April 11, 2009, 09:03:48 am »
If she is stiff and off her food I personally would call in the vet.  Its not worth the risk.   (Apologies when you get your vet bill and she was just stiff).  However if she is not eating well that is a worry.

dixie

  • Joined Mar 2009
Re: Pig off colour?
« Reply #2 on: April 11, 2009, 09:30:39 am »
Pigs like us can have an 'off' day, I would watch her closely for the next few hours, making sure she eats, drinks, poos and wees. She could have lain awkwardly hence the stiffness, if she doesn't improve call the vet. Maybe the vet would give you some advice over the phone before actually calling them out?

BillyBerridge

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • Nottinghamshire
Re: Pig off colour?
« Reply #3 on: April 11, 2009, 11:02:48 am »
Apart from being off her food how does she seem in herself? Is her tail curled, are her eyes bright?

Does she feel bloated?

DavidnChris

  • Guest
Re: Pig off colour?
« Reply #4 on: April 11, 2009, 03:31:18 pm »
She seems a lot better now, I've changed their bedding in case the other was getting too compacted and hard.
While it was doing this, which they thought was a great game they chased each other round the enclosure so probably not much wrong with her, if anything. She's now sunbathing and hopefully will be chomping at full speed later on when I feed them.
I could do with adding this saga to my previous post  "pigin 'eck "  still I suppose it's all part of the fun, I did wonder if, had this pig been part of a herd of 50 in a commercial farm, would this have even been noticed?
Thanks all for your input and interest.

doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Clackmannanshire
  • Qui? Moi?
Re: Pig off colour?
« Reply #5 on: April 11, 2009, 10:17:54 pm »
We have recently been alerted to heart and lung worm carried by slugs.  If pigs eat these (the dogs eat grass and if a slug slime is on it they can contract this), can they be infected by these worms too?  And are they normally vaccinated against it?
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

Hilarysmum

  • Joined Oct 2007
Re: Pig off colour?
« Reply #6 on: April 12, 2009, 08:40:16 am »
I hadnt realised that.  Would it affect ducks as well?  Our pigs are wormed quite regularly I assume if its like lung worm in donkeys the wormer will clear it.

DavidnChris

  • Guest
Re: Pig off colour?
« Reply #7 on: April 12, 2009, 12:27:42 pm »
Just found this add in the paper about dogs and lungworm on slugs. Perhaps this may provide some answers.
www.lungworm.co.uk

Hilarysmum

  • Joined Oct 2007
Re: Pig off colour?
« Reply #8 on: April 12, 2009, 03:52:35 pm »
That's really interesting many thanks.

MiriMaran

  • Joined Feb 2009
  • Derbyshire
Re: Pig off colour?
« Reply #9 on: April 12, 2009, 08:11:31 pm »
One of my children has eaten a slug and the other one used to put snails in his mouth and rattle them against his teeth - do you think there is a 'drop on the back of the neck' solution for little boys! ;D

doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Clackmannanshire
  • Qui? Moi?
Re: Pig off colour?
« Reply #10 on: April 12, 2009, 08:49:35 pm »
Not recently I hope - I would get him checked if it was.  i think this worm came over from France fairly recently!  Within the last couple of years I think.
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

Hilarysmum

  • Joined Oct 2007
Re: Pig off colour?
« Reply #11 on: April 13, 2009, 08:47:41 am »
I have tried to find info on this but so far just got galic shrugs.  Oh well c'est la vie!!!

DavidnChris

  • Guest
Re: Pig off colour?
« Reply #12 on: April 13, 2009, 09:44:36 am »
Just found this add in the paper about dogs and lungworm on slugs. Perhaps this may provide some answers.
www.lungworm.co.uk

Did you read this bit about them which seems to apply only to dogs ?

MiriMaran

  • Joined Feb 2009
  • Derbyshire
Re: Pig off colour?
« Reply #13 on: April 13, 2009, 07:36:26 pm »
According to that website people can't get them!

 

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