Bloat?

[RachelLaura2012]

Hello!

I’m pretty new to pigs, having only had Dwight and Jimmy for less than a year. I’ve recently become concerned about Dwight after reading up on bloat online.
To clarify, he seems perfectly fine in himself - he is eating (lots, he’s very greedy), moving around fine, and isn’t any more lazy than usual. He seems perfectly fine! This being said, I’ve noticed that he has a typical looking bloated belly. He eats lots (recently put him on a diet), but I’m concerned that it could be something more serious. My instinct is telling me he’s just fat, however usually I’d take him to the vet just to be sure. Because of quarantine though, this isn’t really an option unless there is a change in his behaviour as he hasn’t changed at all in himself, I’m just noticing something (or nothing) now that I’ve panic googled.

Jimmy also has a similar-looking belly but it’s much less noticeable - again, he’s fine in himself and I’ve noticed no difference in behaviour at all. I only really notice it him when he stretches out very long!

I know that no one can diagnose from a picture, however I’ll attach a few of his more concerning angles just for some more experienced opinions. Does anyone have any tips on how I could check more at home? And anything I could do to help (household bits only or things I can get from PetsAtHome I’m afraid)? Should I be making this an emergency vet visit? Please help!

Thank you!

 

[Wiebke]

Hello!

I’m pretty new to pigs, having only had Dwight and Jimmy for less than a year. I’ve recently become concerned about Dwight after reading up on bloat online.
To clarify, he seems perfectly fine in himself - he is eating (lots, he’s very greedy), moving around fine, and isn’t any more lazy than usual. He seems perfectly fine! This being said, I’ve noticed that he has a typical looking bloated belly. He eats lots (recently put him on a diet), but I’m concerned that it could be something more serious. My instinct is telling me he’s just fat, however usually I’d take him to the vet just to be sure. Because of quarantine though, this isn’t really an option unless there is a change in his behaviour as he hasn’t changed at all in himself, I’m just noticing something (or nothing) now that I’ve panic googled.

Jimmy also has a similar-looking belly but it’s much less noticeable - again, he’s fine in himself and I’ve noticed no difference in behaviour at all. I only really notice it him when he stretches out very long!

I know that no one can diagnose from a picture, however I’ll attach a few of his more concerning angles just for some more experienced opinions. Does anyone have any tips on how I could check more at home? And anything I could do to help (household bits only or things I can get from PetsAtHome I’m afraid)? Should I be making this an emergency vet visit? Please help!

Thank you!

Hi and welcome

Bloat means that the belly is tight to the touch (rather like a drum, at least in places or with a severe bloat all over) and ballooning out. You cannot diagnose that from a picture without a hands-on examination.

You may want to check his 'heft' (or BMI if you wish to) around the ribs for overweight, though.
This guide here tells you how and what to look out for: Weight - Monitoring and Management

 

[Swissgreys]

How is his weight?
Do you weigh regularly?

In my limited expereince bloat piggies don't eat and move around as normal, so if this is his normal shape and he is eating and seeming normal, then he doesn't have bloat.

 

[RachelLaura2012]

Thank you so much! He’s definitely a chunky boy who’s weight snuck up on us when he was an only child, but he’s on a new diet now so he’ll be moving that weight ASAP. I’d never thought about taking his BMI so I’ll do that and read the article, thanks! He feels more squishy then tight (words I never thought I’d use to describe health ) so that’s reassuring. Google got the worst of me so I appreciate the reassurance!

 

[RachelLaura2012]

We were weighing regularly and then our scales broke just as lockdown happened so we haven’t weighed him in a couple of weeks, however he doesn’t seem to have changed physically in that time

 

[Siikibam]

What was he at the last weigh in? How much veg and pellets are you feeding them?

 

[RachelLaura2012]

Last weigh in he was 1349g and he’s currently on 1 tbl spoon of nuggets a day and veg twice a day (One piece of pepper, cucumber, lettuce, spring green, coriander, a mint leaf, and a baby carrot) totalling about 60g a day.
He used to be on more than this (about 4tbl spoons of mugs and a handful of spinach or kale twice a day, with a big carrot), which was obviously wayyy too much so I’ve cut down lots. He’s generally very lazy and spends more time rumblestrutting through his cage bars at his brother than moving around, despite my best efforts.

 

[Siikibam]

Carrot (and fruits) should only be fed occasionally as a treat. No more than once a week and only one type. You could also swap out the mint for coriander. It’s generally liked by most piggies. Spinach and kale are also high in calcium and shouldn’t be fed more than a few times a week - and not both in the same week.

Pellets are the junk of piggy world I’m sure he’s feeling starved and making it known that sounds like. Good diet apart from the daily carrot. Weight will stabilise I’m sure, but it could be that’s his norm