[Bumblebear]

Hi everyone. Worried sick about my weaner.  She fell poorly a week ago we had vet out and he gave pen jab and left another for a few days later.  She seemed to get better but today she has taken a turn for the worse again.  How long will it take to shift this bloody thing.  Its heartbreaking to see.  Shes lost weight too and it now much smaller than the other weaner who is fine.  Waiting for a call from the vet again.   any advice?

[kja]

ery needs to be hit hard with penicillin twice daily for 3 days.
try and keep the pig hydrated with electrolites. comfrey also gets the gut working again.
only every seen it once in a weaner we brought in did the above it soon recovered.

we inject all our stock against it after seeing it effects.

 

[Bumblebear]

Had the vet out and he gave another pen jab and left some for Monday.  She doesn't have a temp now but he thinks there could be a secondary problem now still connected to the ery.  Shes not eating and panting heavily and I'm not prepared to let her suffer    she has until Monday to improve.  Devastated doesn't even cover it.  I know we were going to eat her but I feel I have really let her down.  I'm not even sure who to contact to do the deed or take her away

[little farmer]

hi, just been reading your link, I have three pet pigs and I haven't heard of erysipelas what is it? I hope your pig is ok by thee way. my smallest was bad about four weeks ago, of her feed, just lying groaning, whent on loads of websites to match symptoms, thought she had a blockage, it was actually constipation! prune and apple pulp done the trick.

[Hassle]

The erysipelas can be called the Diamond Disease as you get diamond shaped skin marks on infected animals, erysipelas is common they say 50 % of pigs have it but they have the antibodies to keep in check

Really Bad Erysipelas
They get septicaemia it shows as the pig being really ill, with very high temperatures of more than 40°C.

The good thing is it hates penicillin. Really ill animals should be given quick acting penicillin twice daily for three days or a long-acting penicillin, could be given with a 2 day gap and then repeated.

[Tala Orchard]

Erysipelas can be bad in pigs w ehad a sow last year that was fine one evening she was off her food no sign of diamond marks, just did not want ot move or eat would not take liquids as it was late in evening we left it till the morning, again off of her feed and for a big sow this was most unusual. Still not diamond marker so we called the vet vet came at midday within two minutes of her arriving the sow had died.

So beware it can strike without notice and be very rapid, the bacteria that causes the problem is in the pigs gut however it builds up in the soil from their toilet, this build up can spread over the pen with rain and if they eat food from the ground they can upset the balance of bacteria and hey presto you have a poorly pig.

Pen/Strep is best thing for them however if they recover they may become infertile or sterile, suffer with arthritis and will always look small, however some do make a full recovery.

But it is frightening the speed it can take hold,

Hope your pigs are fine and it is something else.

[Bumblebear]

As mine are Berkshires I didn't see any redness at all.  Just lethargy and loss of appetite. 

[Bumblebear]

Vet no 1 said ery.  Vet tonight said cos no temp could be complications from ery maybe heart. She's still off food and panting.  Ery is enviromental, a bit like tetanus.

[ferretkeeper]

Little farmer, here's a link with loads of good info:

http://www.nadis.org.uk/bulletins/smaller-pig-producers-course-1/erysipelas.aspx

Problem is (in weaners at least) they're unlikely to be sufficiently treated for Erysipelas. Sows can be vaccinated and will pass some immunity on but to fully protect piglets they need to be treated themselves. The vaccine needs to be given twice, 4 weeks apart and the first one can't be given til they're 6 weeks old....so if you buy a weaner at 8 weeks the breeder is not likely to do the first injection knowing the pig likely won't get the second injection in its new home.

The vaccine is live and only viable for 8 hours once opened, and it comes in minimum 25 dose vials so vaccinating is not something a small scale keeper will generally carry out but as the article says that's precisely why it is so prevalent on smallholdings.

It's something I've just been discussing with my vet - as I will be finishing all my own weaners I will be vaccinating all my pigs regardless of whether I use a whole 25 doses or not!

[shygirl]

if you need to put her to sleep, ask your vet for the local knackermans number. they will come out and shoot the pig and take it away. much cheaper than a vet. also much quicker than an injection - all over in seconds.
our knackermen are very sympathetic, and kind. (he also cries if you do)
after having animals shot and put to sleep by injection - id definitely go for shooting, much kinder for the beast.

sympathies to you 

[Bumblebear]

She's dead.  So sad.  I'll be vaccinating in future too.  I had never heard of it before and last years weaners were so straightforward

[fifixx]

I've had it in a pig - horrible, covered her with damp towels to cool her down - she did survive but it was horrible. 

I now vaccinate my weaners - i only buy in 4-6 so I factor in the cost when working out how much to sell the meat for.  Mine are due their 2nd this week - fun and games of course trying to stick a needle in a pig!

[HappyHippy]

Bumblebear, I'm so sorry for your loss 
If you only had the 2 weaners you should think about getting another pig asap to keep the remaining one company.
Sending 

[Bumblebear]

Yep, that's on my to do it.  It will have to be a couple more though as the other weaner is huge and ready to go in a month or so.  What a headache.  Part of me thinks "never again".

[HappyHippy]

I understand 
It might be better then, to take the other one just now and give yourself a break from pigs in that case ?
Can you take a girth and length measurement to figure out what weight it is now ?