Is Phoenix trying to pull one over on me?

[Cozmo]

I went out to weigh my Piggies and when I tried to pick up Phoenix he made a bit of fuss...which he doesn't usually. He came to the front of his enclosure as normal, stepped out to investigate the shed as normal, but didn't like me picking him up.

He looks a little bit puffed up, but he does that when he's cold as well...but whenever I put my hand under him, he makes a bit of fuss. When I looked to check his bits I noticed a bit of hay had gotten stuck up his "manhood" so I gently pulled it out. I don't know how such a long piece got that far up but I pulled it our ever so gently and he didn't make a sound so it didn't hurt.

I looked in my piggy books and saw cucumber would be a good idea to see if he would eat plus it being a good diuretic, he ate most of it and pee'd and pooped normally. I've bought him in for a bit to sit on my lap and he's acting normal, but still makes a lil fuss when I rub his sides or put my hand under his belly.

Could it be that piece of hay has made him a bit sore or he's just being a drama queen?

 

[pigpig479]

Any lumps, or any other symptoms?

 

[Laura-CCC4]

If it was stuck tight enough I imagine it would be uncomfortable. Does his abdomen feel ok - not tight at all?

 

[Cozmo]

No lumps...and other symptoms that I'm aware of pigpig479.

Depends on what you mean by tight Laura-CCC4....his sides are squishy but his actual belly is firm...I'd say...he's just pee'd over me..lol..probably the cucumber.

How would you describe this "tight" feeling in his belly?

 

[Wiebke]

If you gently knock on the belly and it is hard and sounds hollow, then it could be a sign for bloat which needs to be seen by a vet asap. Bloat develops quite quickly and the piggy will be in pain and acute discomfort soon. If untreated or left for too long, it can kill.

Quite a few piggies, however, do not like having their bellies touched, so that COULD be a red herring. Have you checked his breathing by holding your ear to his chest?

Sometimes, these first signs can be very vague. Just keep an eye on your boy, and hopefully, by tomorrw, he will be back to his normal self!

 

[Laura-CCC4]

Kind of springy. A bit like a balloon you have the urge to pop...terrible I know, but it always goes through my mind when one of mine has it. A normal soft belly is squishy and palpable, a bloated belly looks a bit swollen and the pig doesn't like being touched on the tummy.

If he is eating well and moving mostly ok then it's unlikely to be the acute form (which is an emergency medical problem), but the "mild" form can develop if fed certain foods, for example. Has he had any cabbage, kale or broccoli in the last day or so?

I may be thinking along the wrong lines here, but the sudden and unusual dislike of having his tummy touched can, in some cases, suggest something like bloat.

 

[Cozmo]

He's now not making much fuss when I touch his belly..only a lil bit...though I've put him on him back and he seems to enjoy the belly rub for a bit then starts making a noise.

His chest sounds fine and his breathing looks normal, but if I touch his tummy he turns to see what I'm doing, like to tell me to stop. When I leave him alone he cleans himself (including turning to clean his back) with ease. When I scratch his back he makes the rumbling sound. He's running around investigating as normal. He seems fine.

Could it just be he's having an off day, or should I be looking out for anything else?

PS Cabbage and Broccoli are a regular on the menu...daily.

 

[Laura-CCC4]

Could just be an off day. As long as he's eating and moving normally, you should be fine to just keep an eye on him.

 

[Cozmo]

Thanks so much fpr helping me out...I'll put him back in the shed with his mate and check him often.