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A couple of questions - help !

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Claire K

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I was wondering firstly if someone can give me the signs to look out for if a piggy is bloated and what foods could cause this. Also, how do I help a piggy that has bloat to get rid of it?

Secondly, on a weight issue with piggies. I have 2 piggies who are sisters. I have weighed them weekly since having them but the last couple of weeks, one of them seems to be piling on the weight whilst the other one is putting on but nowhere as much as the first - is it normal to have 2 piggies from the same litter that put on weight at such different speeds (the piggy that is piling it on is usually first to the food so this could be why i guess)

Many Thanks
Claire x
 
I know that too much red cabbage can cause bloating, so dont give your piggie too much of that :) You have to be very careful with many types of fruit and veg, and if you search the web (avoiding yahoo answers), then you can find more info there.

xxxxxxx
 
Gripe water and liquid parafin are two remedies that I have heard of for bloat. Alcesterpigs should be able to advise more on this. Peter Gurneys health pages have a lot of info re this so maybe check them out.
 
Hi Claire,

It is normal for the rate of weight gain to vary between pigs, even litter mates. Just make sure both pigs are allowing each other access to the food and just keep up with the weight tracking!

Bloat is a serious condition, requiring emergency veterinary treatment. It can be associated with conditions such as a blockage, gastric torsion (twisting of the gut) and GI stasis (no movement through the gut). The symptoms of bloat include:

- Refusal to eat;
- Lack of faeces;
- Distended abdomen, which feels tight/taut and "springy", and painful when touched.

The common symptoms of many illnesses, such as sitting hunched up in a corner and so on, can also occur.

Bloat is usually treated with a medication like Bloat Guard (POM), given at high doses every couple of hours until the condition eases. An xray is often useful in cases of bloat in order to determine the exact problem and the severity of it.

Home remedies are generally not advised - especially without consulting a vet - and you should not handfeed a pig with bloat due to the risk of the "bloat" actually being a blockage. Home remedies tend to include meds such as Buscopan, but it is important to discuss this with your vet if you are ever in that situation.

Some foods can cause bloating in pigs who are susceptible to it. I know of some pigs, two of my own included, whose abdomens swell slightly and become tight if fed certain foods. The most common "bloat aggravators" tend to be cabbages, broccoli, kale and even things like dried peas and some dried herbs.
I must add that the majority of guinea pigs are fine to be fed all these foods. Even a small amount daily can be just fine. The word of warning I would add is to monitor your pigs if you give these foods, and to limit the amounts fed, just to ensure your guinea is not one of those who is sensitive to the "gassy" effects of such veggies. It's unlikely, but it doesn't hurt to be aware!

I don't know a great deal about the specifics of bloat, as even with two pigs with "chronic bloat" I don't have any significant medical awareness about it...only what I have come across from various sources! Hope it gives you some idea of the condition though.
 
A pig with bloat will be in pain. Pain or discomfort is one of the diagnostic features of the condition.
2ml of Dentinox Colic Drops should be given, syringe fed, this is an anti-foaming agent which will help "collapse" bubbles of gas in the gut.
Buscopan, which reduces gut spasm, should be given, one tablet, crushed, mixed with water and syringe fed.

I had a pig who developed bloat, the worst case I have seen in twenty one years opf keeping pigs. He was crying with pain. Pain-relief was essential. I gave him Colic Drops and Buscopan. Half an hour later the pain had only decreased slightly. I then gave him 0.2ml of Junior Calpol together with 10mg of Rimadyl. The pain decreased, even so I had to release the gas in his gut. (Technique; pm, if wanted). He was out of pain even so, I did not expect him to be alive the following morning. Wrong. He had fully recovered and was waiting to be fed. He went on to live for another year and was just over five years old when he died.
The point of which is, do not delay in treating bloat. If it turns out that bloat was not the problem, none of the pain-relief treatment will have an adverse effect. The consequence of not treating a definite case could be shock leading to death.
My pig had bloat caused by gas in the gut. However, bloat caused by a blockage resulting from a twisted gut is a far more serious condition and the mortality rate is extremely high. The only hope of treatment is surgical intervention to un-twist the gut, within a very short time of the condition becoming apparent.
 
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I should add that Rimadyl is a prescription only medicine.
Buscopan, Colic Drops, and Junior Calpol are all available as over the counter medicines and should be kept in the pig first aid box.
 
I think my piggy is just being greedy then after reading your posts above - her belly is soft, but just rounder than that of her sister (she is always first to the food though and tends to eat the most). She is definately not in pain and is running around like a maniac !
 
Hi Claire,
Just wanted to reassure you that I also have a greedy pig who would sit and eat all day if I was to keep filling the bowl! However, his brother is more dominant and so always gets his fill of veggies too. After breakfast my greedy piggie (Rufus) looks a bit 'rotund' but it always subsides and he never seems to be in any pain. After his morning nap he is always back down to size!
There have been mornings where I've looked at his little round belly and been concerned about bloat, but then I'm quite paranoid about their health generally.
I think its a case of getting to know what is normal for your piggies, and if you are in any doubt then to get them checked out at then vet without delay.
I have no personal experience of bloat so I can't offer any practical advice, but I do sympathise with your concern!
x
 
"I have no personal experience of bloat "


Some good news then!!
 
Lol, oh dear I set myself up for that one!
Actually I do suffer from bloating quite badly! Not that you needed to know that!
But luckily and thankfully my piggies don't :))
 
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