[nelson]

Our Berkshire boar has just been diagnosed with Meningitis - the vet said he has a 50 50 chance. He is being treated with duphamox and a daily Ultra B injection. The vet said we will know by the end of the week if he has a chance.


Trying to keep emotion   out of this as it is so upsetting to watch him - he can walk and will get up if coaxed so able to give him water.


Any other advice/support would be welcome

[robert waddell]

was that an opinion or was it detected by a microscope there are six other possibility's   salt poisoning and heatstroke being two

[arl]

My stock boar developed meningitis shortly after he arrived,he was only 5 months old i think the journey braught it on he was braught up from dorset.This weather can bring it on as well sudden change from cold to heat happens a lot in commercial pigs. Anyway i managed to save him and he has sired many piglets. I gave him the appropriate doses for his size of pen and strep in one side of his neck and lincocin an anti-inflammatory in the other side for thee days but he was down and wouldnt get up Importantly you must get as much water into him as possible i use an old plastic juice bottle and try to get it into the corner of his mouth and massage his throat to induce the swallowing affect,you waste a lot but he will get some, It wasnt a one off i save a few commercial pigs this way when we had them.
Good luck i hope he recovers
Arl

[nelson]

Hi Robert


Lucky has been unwell for about a week or so - the vet showed us a classic sign this morning of flicking backwards and forwards of the eye (I am in France and language is a slight difficulty.)


To begin with we thought he had a flu bug - the weather has been humid, cold, hot and wet. He rallied the weekend and it is only the last few days that he started shaking his head.


I do trust our vet here he is a kind man and I think if Lucks was in a bad way he would of suggested the alternative.


I think at this moment - how often to I need to get him up to offer him a drink without affecting his rest???


Hope that doesn't sound stupid

[nelson]

Thanks Arl


Just read about the swallowing affect in a book and will massage his throat and will get a juice bottle to do this.


He has gone back in the arc now having used the side to keep upright. He is a big boar and I am so hoping that he will pull through.

[arl]

lots and lots of water its a pain doing it but i can see you are attached to him. And if you have somewhere out of the sun that can be darkened the light hurts their eyes nad the heat makes it worse.
Really hope he makes it
Arl

[nelson]

Okay that would make sense with the eyes - he has gone in his arc. He has a sow with him - that he serviced 4 weeks ago and a castrated male - he is a litter brother of his. They have been together since birth. I am reluctant to move them but thinking about it now - I could bring the trailer down and separate the paddock off - why is it when in situations like this it is difficult to make decisions.


Arl how often did you feed the water?

[HappyHippy]

So sorry to hear about your boy 
I'd go for trying to get a litre an hour into him - the more the better 
Sports bottles (the ones with the squirty tops) are good too.
I can send reiki for him if you post a photo and your location - won't do any harm 
Karen   

[arl]

Keep trying with water until hes had enough of you and then give him a break and try again in an hour. i actually kept my boar in the trailer  so i could get air circulating with the vents down but parked it in the shade. Dont know if this is feasible for you but  i was able to prop him up on the sides with a bale or two
Arl

[Fowgill Farm]

Hi Nelson
i have a sick boar too, not been off his feet since friday, on Monday called vet to PTS but vet said he was too young to go yet and gave him mega drugs, today for the first time he has got up for his breakfast so don't give up hope yet. I do the bottle in the corner of the mouth drinking too, couple of litres every couple hours if you can especially with it been warm.
Everythng crossed for you.
best Mandy 

[nelson]

Hi
 
HH
here is a pic of our Lucky we are located in France Cours 79220.


An update: we are going down to his paddock on the hour (basically from our house watching his every move)
he is drinking from our salad cream bottle and I am massaging his throat - and (men) my voice requires his belly rubbed as he picks up his trotters when he hears it.  But that is a small price to pay. I would rub his belly 24/7 to make sure he gets through this.


Mandy - just found that he responds when feeding the water to corner of mouth.


The Ultra  b  injectin contains




B1B6 Sodium and 3 other bits - should I use electrolites in the water.


The vet is ringing us tomorrow via a translater so will be able to ask normal questions if that makes sense.


PS his mum won the Christmas pig of the year  2011 TAS contest.

[HappyHippy]

Electrolites would be good if you've got them    It all helps 
He's a gorgeous boy sure enough (and who wouldn't be with a TAS Champion mum  )
I'll send reiki regularly for the next few days - keep us posted with how he's going 
Karen

[nelson]

Thanks so much for support. We have been feeding him water hourly and he is drinking. He has moved himself several times today from the mud wallow to the arc and back again.  About an hour ago he ate two apples and 4 thistles - which I wouldn't of expected seeing what he was like this morning - he is now sleeping peacefully outside the arc it is a warm night. I am hoping he is turning the corner.

[Sylvia]

Bless him, hope he recovers quickly

[Fowgill Farm]

Good signs Nelson, hard work and diligence nearly always pays off. My boar up this morning but looks funny as hes wearing cut off Umbro socks belonging to OH to protect his knees which are a bit sore. Still drinking from bottle.
All the best
Mandy