Author Topic: Itchy pigs (Read 2639 times)

waterboy · « **on:** August 28, 2010, 05:41:17 pm »

Hi all, just a quick question my 4 OSB piglets seem to be scratching quite a bit. I have had a good look at them and cant see anything obvious they haven't scratched any hair off or have any raw looking patches of skin. They are 10 weeks old and seem perfectly happy otherwise eating well and chasing each others round and investigating all the tasty weeds in their field. I was wondering if there is anything i should be checking or should i just get the vet to give them the once over?

Thanks

sarha · « **Reply #1 on:** August 28, 2010, 06:32:55 pm »

I'm not an expert on pigs....but I would suggest using louse powder just in case? They might have lice in the bedding?

I have some I use on my chucks and turkeys....its in a gold tin and its all natural....can't remember what its called:) I sprinkle it in their bedding and also the pigs bedding and have given them a sprinkle too...just in case.

Hopefully someone with alot more experience will be able to answer your question and give you better advice....so take mine for what it is....a newbie's view

HappyHippy · « **Reply #2 on:** August 28, 2010, 07:08:16 pm »

Some pigs just like to scratch too

Mine all love a nice wooden post or corner of their arc and spend a happy minute or two scratching themselves (think how good it feels to get your back scratched

) They may also have been stung by nettles if there's lots of them in the field.
If you've checked them over and there's no signs of lice or broken skin I wouldn't worry overly much - just keep an eye on them.
Karen

Sudanpan · « **Reply #3 on:** August 28, 2010, 07:55:10 pm »

Our pigs used to love to scratch - we had posts in the field for them and then they would find any handy sharp edge to have a good rasp

However when they started scratching with hind legs while feeding I had a really good look for any beasties.

On a couple of occasions I found mites up between their ears - and the eggs looked like tiny rice grains on the hair, that was the real giveaway. I had a chat with the vet and he said give them a rub with oil (vegetable/whatever) in the areas where the eggs etc are and this will get rid of the mites - the oil blocks their spiracles so they can't breathe. If you do it over a few days it can break the cycle. The vet did have some anti-mite stuff but it only came in commercial sized batches (enough for 200 pigs!) so he said use the oil!

After I did the regime the pigs went back to their 'normal' enthusiastic scratching, without the hindleg scratching attempts.

Tish

waterboy · « **Reply #4 on:** August 29, 2010, 12:24:54 pm »

Thanks for your advice,

There are quite a few nettles, thistles and the like in their field ,for the moment anyway

so I'm going to change their bedding an keep an eye out for nasties and see how they go for a week or so

Cheers Rob and Manda

Carol Knights · « **Reply #5 on:** August 30, 2010, 11:27:43 am »

It is very likely to be mange and if left untreated they will become unthrifty, unhappy and develop greasy looking dark patches on the skin which will thicken in response to the mites. Best to give each of them them an ivermectin ( Ivomec, Dectomax) injection which will kill off the mites very quickly and will also kill off any worms they might be carrying inside. They'll be a lot happier.