Help Me Fatten Up My Poorly Pig!

[GinaG]

I posed here a while ago, we thought my pig first had a UTI but it turned out to be kidney stones which have now been removed but she's lost a lot of weight so I need to fatten her up. The vet said avoid anything high in vitamin c cos it contributes to the kidney stones problem, so what can I give her? I normally avoid the pet store treat type things but should I get some to help her weight gain?

 

[Kerrie74]

I THINK it's usually high calcium that causes bladder/kidney stones? That's what I've read and been told anyway.

Is she eating on her own? If not then people on the forums usually recommend syringe feeding either their pellets be mushed down or recovery food, plus if on antibiotics, probiotics are recommend 1 - 2 hours after they've had the antibiotics.

Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links

I'll tag @helen105281 and @Jaycey in who can probably advise you better than I can. I'm having my own battle with trying to get one of my older boars to gain weight.

 

[Adelle]

Hi!

As long as the original cause has been treated and she's no longer suffering from any pain or discomfort then she should eventually gain back weight naturally. You can offer critical care off a spoon if she will eat it or offer a syringe feed every 4-8 hours for extra calories.

Try not overdo high calcium food to prevent the stones reforming, so if she is on extra pellets make sure these aren't high in calcium. Offer her plenty of different hays to encourage eating an just stick to a balanced low calcium diet as far as the vegetables go I.e celery, peppers, cucumber and small amounts of Spring green and coriander.

Keep an eye on her weight an appetite, if these decrease it would signify possible pain or ongoing illness so you would need to get her back to the vet at that point.

Also keep an eye on her hydration I.e make sure she is weeing regularly and her eyes are nice and wet/full to ensure there is no problems with the kidneys after having stones.

All the best x

 

[GinaG]

Brilliant thank you guys, yes she's able to eat on her own and seems hungry, lots of very loud wheeking whenever I'm near the fridge and rushes to the food bowl when I put food in. So every day she's getting red mini cos lettuce, pepper, coriander and cucumber, should I just give her more of it? I was mindful before that they should mainly be eating hay so didn't want to overdo the veggies.

 

[GinaG]

Oh and nuggets, she gets a handful of nuggets a day

 

[DM030819]

How much does she weigh now? And how much did she weigh before?

Be careful about giving her veg on demand as she's get used to it and you'll end up with a grumpy girl who wants food all the time.

 

[Adelle]

If stick to what she's used to veg wise, you don't want to upset the tummy.

Corn on the cob and baby corn are good for extra calories so you could maybe offer her that say twice a week (again don't overdo It).

If you give her a tablespoon
Of critical care in a bowl maybe twice a day I wouldn't imagine it would be long enforce her weight creeps up.

You may also find she doesn't gain much weight since she is on a restricted diet, but as long as she's still eating well and happy it shouldn't be a major issue x

 

[GinaG]

Thanks all, she was 95.1 when the vet first weighed her, we'd just got her (she's a rescue pig) -!: she wasn't ill then and the vet said she was a bit chubby (I posted on here and people said it's actually a little under what she should be). When she became ill, she weight 900g at the vets, so she'd lost a lot, and this rmorning she weighs 92.7, which is encouraging cos she's gained, though I can feel when I hold her, she feels much skinnier than my other pig, who this morning weighs in at 108.5

 

[Yasmin Marie]

My boy Lupin lost an awful lot of weight due to having early renal failure, fluid around the heart and hyperthyroidism.
Critical care helps him pack on the weight and he loves it, couldn't recommend enough.
Also fed him dual care nuggets. x