[Rhys Jones]

I am new to pig keeping and will be picking up my new weaners the middle of next month!!  are there any medications or sprays or the like that I should have at home all the time? A piggy first aid kit if you like? Anything at all that comes in handy really, that no respected pig keeper should be without?   

Thanks in advance

Rhys

[Hassle]

Iodine spray, and possibly marking spray, if not easily recognisable. If need to catch or confirm treated

[Jackie 2]

Wormer if they havent been wormed by the breeder.


 I use skin oil in the summer too if their skin looks scaly and dry, rub in with sweeping brush


I always keep at hand some super glue too, great for cuts (ex nurse here)

[HappyHippy]

A digital thermometer (if they look in any way unwell this would be the first thing I'd reach for  )
Teramycin spray (antibiotic spray)
Sudocreme (for cuts, scrapes and sunburn - assuming we see the sun this year  )

We also keep a selection of plasters and bandages, syringes and needles and a stand-by bottle of wormer and anti-biotics - but we breed pigs and have a few  If you're raising a couple of weaners you can collect meds from the vet should you need them  you won't.
HTH
Karen

[Jackie 2]

And most vets will add any meds to a syringe for you so you just inject as given if you are unsure

[Marches Farmer]

I recommend Richard Lutwyche's pig keeping book, published by the National Trust - down-to-earth and refreshingly brief!

[Berkshire Boy]

Snorkel and flippers.

[Hassle]

 

Lidl or Aldi spray suncream if they are fair skinned pigs and a couple of hurdles

[Eve]

1) the thermometer is indeed a must, first thing you need to know if a pig is off colour is its temperature. Get the quickest baby thermometer you can (the pig won't stand still for 10 seconds with a thermometer up its backside, our have known to run off with the thermometer still in place  )
2) wound powder
3) as mentioned below, for fair skinned pigs: sunscreen for their ears. They don't always stay in the shade, or they roll in the mud with their whole body except their ears - which then turn Barbie-pink in no time as they can get sunburn very quickly, and sunburn can turn nasty).
4) oil, just any vegetable oil will do, for dry skin. I used oil once on their tummies when some insect or other kept on biting them and it sorted it.
5) sudocrem for cuts, stings & rashes
 

[Tudful Tamworths]

Depending how long you're planning on keeping them, I would (in addition to all the really good suggestions above) add a long-acting antibiotic like Alamycin and maybe Metacam. The first for infections and minor illnesses, the second (combined with the first) as an anti-inflammatory for muscular problems, e.g. nasty sprains caused by running and slipping etc. Always handy.
Do you have anyone near you who breeds pigs? You may be able to come to an arrangement re. sharing meds - but remember that, even if you're getting products from someone other than your vet, you still need to keep a record of dates, doses, batch numbers, etc. in your medical records book.