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HELP! Saff holding head to side!

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LaylaAndSaffy

LaylaAndSaffy

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I got the girls out for a cuddle about half an hour ago and stroked Saff's head and she threw it awkardly to the side. She won't let me touch her ears without complaining. I put them back in their cage and every now and again it tilts to the side. She's eating hay and pellets and drinking from her bottle still, she's popcorning around, walking fine and even squabling with her sister.

The vets have just closed! What can I do? What would be causing it?
 
I hav heard of something called head tilt? Think is to do with ear infections... might be worth a search on that, but otherwise sorry, someone more experienced than me will be along soon ! Good luck x
 
piglet was left with a head tilt after an ear infection, take her to the vets asap and they will check her for an ear infection and probably treat it with some antibiotics. the head tilt may become pertinent (spelling?) but most pigs like piglet adapt to it and still run around like wild things :)
 
I have never had any problems with their ears before so I completely freaked out when I saw her... I guess you could describe it as a spasm? If I touch her right ear her head tilts so I will let the vet know that.

Will it be alright to take her to the vets tomorrow or does she need to go right away?

Why oh why oh why didn't I check on them just an hour earlier?! Arghhh! It's been such a rubbish day!

I've cleaned them out (they needed it anyway) and she popcorned her way around the cage, looks bright and chripy and is currently happily munching away on some hay with her sister... I really hope she will be okay.

What brings an ear infection on?

Thank you for your help LudosMum and HairlessWillow.
 
Oh thank you Gizmo01 I think we may have been posting at the same time. It's good to know she will (hopefully) be able to cope with a slightly lopsided head if it stays.

Its strange because over the last few months I've been wondering if her head has been just slightly tilted and now her head will go right to the side for a few seconds, completely rectify itself and she carries on with her business as if nothing has happened...

Oh my Saff Saff why oh why oh why?!
 
Okay... I'm confused :{

I just sat in with the girls (with a lovely cup of tea and...hmmmm...four chocolate biscuits!) and Saff seemed absolutely fine. Her head didn't jolt to the side at all. I got her out and she actually let me touch her ears this time.

The problem is I don't know what I'm looking for... what does a healthy piggy ear look like? I did see some yellowy stuff that looked a bit like human ear wax... could that be a problem?

I messed around with her ears for a bit and her head didn't move at all. Popped her back in the cage and she trotted around for a bit and then scratched both ears once and continued eating hay... not sure what's going on with her...
 
She might have simply pulled a muscle in her neck as she flicked it, a bit like we do when we pull our neck. If shes eating and drinking ok then maybe keep a close eye on her. If your worried in any way then maybe just call the vets for some advice. Piggies have a little ear wax. So long as its not brown and gungy it sounds ok. But to look properly in ears you need a aurascope. Which a vet will use to look in your piggies ears (and mouth).

x.
 
Saff continues to be fine this morning. When I touched her ears when she was in her cage her head tilted three times to the left but no where near as much as it did last night. It didn't stay there either like it did last night, it went straight back to normal right away.

She is 2lb 4oz today so holding her weight from the bloat episode and now this. She does like to scare me!

Just about to ring the vet.
 
Interesting that it could be a pulled muscle. I put them both on a folded fleece to give them a cuddle outside and they seemed to squabble a little. I stroked them both to calm them down and Saff flinched when I touched her head...

Thank you for the support every one
 
I would still have her checked by a vet for a possible ear infection/ear mites - if only for peace of mind. Untreated ear infections can kill, so you want to be on the safe side.
 
I agree that it sounds like either an infection or ear mites (I had a dog who got these alll the time.) and that you should take her to the vet.
 
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