Hay for Pig with Allergy?

Status
Not open for further replies.
LennyPig

LennyPig

Teenage Guinea Pig
Joined
Dec 29, 2008
Messages
706
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
N Yorks
Can anyone recommend some dust free / low dust Hay for a pig with suspected allergies?
 
I've got to say I find the Oxbow Orchard grass to be very very low dust. But I'm sure others will have more to recommend.

Calling the A1 hayaholic LisaJazz ;)
 
I have pigs with allergies too, I only keep hay in the hay racks. I use mainly Oxbow although I'm trying the Dust Free Hay which so far I've found is...dust free. :))
 
haha, I know Laura.... hence my comment "low dust" :))

My hay IS is hay racks and they are bedded on vet bed but the poor little thing is still sneezing away and I am pretty certain it is the hay causing it as the sneezing increases loads when I am topping up the hay (bacause I have disturbed the hay.)
 
very interesting Laura, thanks :)

I am pretty sure it is an allergy as she has recently had 3 weeks of Baytril in a row. Whilst on the baytril she was showing slight improvement but it never totally cleared and got a little worse again as soon as it stopped...

then she starts sneezing quite a lot when I am topping up the hay racks. she sneezes a little at other times too but it gets worse when I am digging around in the hay.
 
As long as the hay is of top quality, is it a stupid suggestion to dampen it? This procedure is well-recognised as a step towards alleviating 'hay-cough' in very mildly affected equines who have to eat hay, rather than the dust-free relative - haylage?

For those horses with only mild symptoms, this can be effective. As long as you are not trying to disguise the mould which badly made hay grows, it's perfectly acceptable.
 
I've no experiance but had a thought- might it help if your piggie was away from the cage while you top up the hay and then put your piggie back in the cage once it has settled?
 
After my post above stating I only keep hay in hay racks, I've started giving my pigs lots of hay to forage in over the last couple of days after discussing natural diets/behaviour with a respected guinea welfare lady.

I have to admit that my allergy pigs are no worse off for foraging. I use Dust Free Hay, Oxbow and Alfalfa King and at the moment, and them foraging in the hay isn't bothering them. No sneezing, no rhinitis...nothing, yet.

Something else must be bothering them to cause their symptoms, so I am even more puzzled now but the piggies are happier for foraging.

Thought it worth mentioning.

Another thought - you could try Readigrass as part of the foraging hay, and try some Dust Free Hay and/or Oxbow for the rest?
 
mine all eat Alfafa King Timothy hay at the moment... up to about 3 months ago the Alfafa King Timothy was good quality but I have increasingly noticed that some bags can be quite dusty.

I am off work on holiday next week so am going to order in some hay from dustfreehay.co.uk/ to give a try.

do people tend to get the "soft" or "coarse or stalky" hay ?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top