As one get better......another one gets sick

[jenny_h]

No joke, Poppy pig is just starting to get better and now daffy my youngest has started with diarrhea. Its so annoying as i have no idea what is causing it. Poppy hasnt been anywhere near them now since monday evening!
Anyway i am thinking i am going to nip this in the bud rapidly as poppy deteriorated so quickly. Just given her a syringe of probiotic, although she does appear to still be eating - poppy went from being fine to suddenly very ill. She is not dehydrated at the moment and appears quite lively if not some what annoyed she is on her own - i have already taken her away from the other 2 who are still okay. Is it worth giving her a dose of the antibiotics poppy is on to stop it dead? Failing that is there anyother first treatment when a pig starts with mild diarrhea, except for fluids?!
xxxxx

 

[Neve38]

Hi Jenny, I cannot offer any advice I am afraid but please follow this link from Peter Gurney's site to give you some advice. I hope this helps and I hope both of your piggies are fit and well soon.

http://www.oginet.com/pgurney/diarrhoea.htm

Joy xx

 

[Laura-CCC4]

Are the faeces very runny, or just very soft? I'd hold off on the antibiotics if you and your vet agree: see if cutting out the fresh fruit/veg and syringing the probiotics does the trick. Sometimes antibiotics can actually cause diarrhea, so it's worth treating without the ABs to see if it is a minor digestive upset. If there is no improvement within 2-4 days, then it's worth considering if there is a bit of a "bug" or if the pigs are eating something they shouldn't! The vets should be able to take a sample to see if there is anything suspicious.

What fresh food have you given the pigs over the past week?

 

[jenny_h]

This week they have been eating celery, parsley, pepper, cucumber, brocolli and they had corn on the cob - but the only got that as a treat as i was told sweetcorn can help piggies gain weight! But there is nothing odd in that food as they regularly eat thats stuff!
I gave her a dose of kaogel when i first noticed as i figured i should act fast and the vets closed at 12. She seems to be okay now, initially it was runny, she made a mess on my top and towel i put her in. However after the kaogel and a few syringes of probiotic she is fine, and has been eating fine all afternoon. I actually put her back in with my other 2 as she was most upset being alone - it took a lot of effort to get her accepted by the others, so the less time she spends away the better for her!
I am keeping a close eye on her though, i dont want to take any chances! Will re-assess later on tonight and in the morning!
x

 

[Wiebke]

Keep an eye on her, but make sure you're weighing her daily at the same time, so you can see whether she's losing weight and have more of an idea how much.