Encouraging fluid intake?

[Amanda1801]

So Big Dave is having a few bladder problems...no stones but there is some gritty sediment that he's passing. His problem is that he doesn't drink....at all. He's not touched his water bowl or bottle for days. He usually eats veg quite well although he's not crazy over it like the others...he'll eat what he wants and that's it; for the others, any amount of veg is too little!

He's eating his hay ok, but he's a bit off his veg due to the antibiotics he's on for his pneumonia that was picked up on his CT scan when checking his bladder and kidneys.

He currently has a glass bottle, a sippy bottle, a plastic bottle and a bowl. He won't touch any of them. Tonight I've given him a bottle of dilute cranberry and grape juice....not touching that either!

I've tried syringing extra fluids....he doesn't swallow them, just lets them dribble out of his mouth.


Any ideas how I can increase his fluid intake?

 

[katiepops]

I found Bob liked his syringed water slightly warm (good tip from Flintstones)
I was crushing a vit c tablet up and putting it in the water, (only the water I was syringing) he liked the slightly fruity taste even more then.

 

[flintstones]

Barley water or luke warm water is a keen favourite in my house .

 

[Wiebke]

Have you considered cooled herbal infusions made with fresh mint, parsley or celery leaves etc.? Perhaps he likes that better? Otherwise give him as much fresh grass as he'll eat. it is full of fluid.

PS: I am having a similar, if not quite as bad problem with Cariad; she's not a big drinker, either! Many bladder stone piggies are not great drinkers in my experience.

 

[Pound Shilling & Pig]

does he like fresh grass? it contains more moisture than hay and you rinse it aswell so he would take in a little extra water with it.

 

[Amanda1801]

He does like grass but again, he's not eating as much as he usually does as he's a bit off kilter with his antibiotics. I also need to get Dave and Maggie back together and Maggie can't have too much veg...nightmare!

 

[Pound Shilling & Pig]

i must admit that in all the piggies i have never owned i have not had one that does not love their veg! when i have had pigs go off their food due to antibiotics i have found that celary often becomes the veg of choise and sometimes the only veg they want to eat. i have read it is a mild diuretic tho so maybe not something a bladder pig should have too much of but then again something that might benefit a pneumonia pig.

 

[Amanda1801]

i must admit that in all the piggies i have never owned i have not had one that does not love their veg! when i have had pigs go off their food due to antibiotics i have found that celary often becomes the veg of choise and sometimes the only veg they want to eat. i have read it is a mild diuretic tho so maybe not something a bladder pig should have too much of but then again something that might benefit a pneumonia pig.

He's not actually showing any symptoms of pneumonia what so ever, it was found by chance when he had the CT scans on his bladder.

 

[biscandmatt]

does he like fresh herbs? if you stick some slightly into the water bowl they will have extra water on them and they also seem to slightly flavour the water aswell. might be worth a try?

was also going to suggest grass and if he is eating pellets then you can slightly moisten some of them with cooled boiled water.

slightly wetting any veg he will eat aswell might be worth a try.

 

[Pound Shilling & Pig]

mmmm it is a problem, i cant think what more to suggest except maybe wetting a little bit of hay? i think sometimes people do this for horses (but not the reason why)

if he was a cat i would suggest putting little bowls water around the house in unexpected places, as when they find them they are usaually surprised and happy and have to hve a little sip ... not much help here i know.

very interesting his pneumonia is presenting no syptoms, i wonder how common this is.

 

[Amanda1801]

mmmm it is a problem, i cant think what more to suggest except maybe wetting a little bit of hay? i think sometimes people do this for horses (but not the reason why)

if he was a cat i would suggest putting little bowls water around the house in unexpected places, as when they find them they are usaually surprised and happy and have to hve a little sip ... not much help here i know.

very interesting his pneumonia is presenting no syptoms, i wonder how common this is.

I think it's probably more common than we think! This morning he's not even touched his bottle of cranberry juice and water...I marked the level of the water on the bottle last night. I think I'm just going to have to keep trying to get the veg and grass into him, think that's my best bet at the moment. Will also try and space it out through the day in smaller amounts so that he's getting fluid throughout the day and so that when they're back together, Maggie doesn't scoff the lot and get bloat...

 

[Pound Shilling & Pig]

Oh dear, i wish you well with these piggies and getting them back together on a diet that suits them both.
piggies prone to bloat are a worry and veggies can be something of a two edged sword, you don't want to give them bloat but at the same time veggies have the benfits of helping maintain hydration and helpful prebiotic properties. Happily Marmalade Mitchel, who came from Suzy with a history of bloat has adapted well to his new diet and now eats the same amount of veggies as my other pigs but then i feed only very small amounts of dry food, 2 or 3 times a week and never at the same time as the veg. that way their guts are mostly full of hay most of the time and not say full of cabbage and carbs together.

 

[Jerrybelly]

I'm putting pro- c in the boys' water bottle as Frankie is currently on ABs. I am now filling it up twice as often as usual. This is either a huge coincidence, or one/both of the boys are now drinking a lot more!

 

[Toffeewoffee]

I haven't had a chance to read all the posts, so sorry if someone else has already suggested it, but when its warmer or my pig's aren't drinking much, when i rinse their veg i dont shake all the water off as vigorously as normal, so it stays very moist. Also my pigs go mad for their water when it has johnsons pro-c probiotics in it! They just love it!

x

 

[Amanda1801]

All the other pigs love pro C in the water...Dave? Nope! Going to try diluted apple juice today!

 

[klee]

All the other pigs love pro C in the water...Dave? Nope! Going to try diluted apple juice today!

I found mine didn't like pro c that much, but go mad for avipro plus.
I wouldn't say mine drink alot, they have 2 600ml bottles amd between 4 of them have only had about abquarter of one all day.

 

[Amanda1801]

I found mine didn't like pro c that much, but go mad for avipro plus.
I wouldn't say mine drink alot, they have 2 600ml bottles amd between 4 of them have only had about abquarter of one all day.

Since I've changed to the sippy bottles, jeff and cameo drink quite a lot more. Maggie prefers a bowl. Dave doesn't touch his bowl or any kind of bottle! They all went mad for the dilute apple juice...dave hasn't touched it

 

[NASH]

Shame he's not enjoying his veggies, we always give extra cucumber if more fluids are needed. Dandelions are another favourite when Fluffy has a UTI as diuretic and they seem to encourage her to drink.