mass quarantine

[Kira]

I've been thinking about starting a rescue but have been doing research ect as I want to be 100% certain and prepared before any final decisions are made.

I've been wondering, as a lot of rescues seem to do a lot of rescues on fairly large scales about mass quarantines.

For example if you got let's just say you got.....*thinks of a number* 14 pigs from the same person at the same time could you quarantine them together just in separate sexes or should they all be quarantined alone?

many thanks Kira
x

 

[nutmeg]

They would probably come in groups of 2 or 3 Kira, even though the total numbers could be as high as 50 ..60 guineas. We wouldn't put them all together as a herd, as this may spread infection to any pig that didn't have one in the first place. Also they would not be used to living in a herd (sows) so would be squabbles to contend with, bites etc. Boars we keep singly or in pairs, as they come in, otherwise they would definitely fight. We never clump together, we just have loads of cages/hutches between us all. xx

 

[Kira]

oh yes, I'd but them in pairs or girls maybe in three's- I meant, could be kept in the same room? In cages next/near to each other

When I had Joanna in quarantine she was in a completley different room from my other pigs

 

[teadragon]

Say you were going to rescue or having surrendered to you 10 pigs. Of these 10 pigs, 7 have symptoms of mites, three pigs have severe mites. You would assume all 10 pigs have mites.

So: 7 pig surrender
3 pigs have serious mits
4 pigs have moderate mites
3 pigs are showing no symptoms of mites.

In this instance, in the ideal situation with limited fosterers, you would keep those who are showing NO signs of mites apart but in the same room as the rest of your herd and treat with ivermectin. All other pigs in that room will also be treated with ivermectin as a preventative. Mini-Pigs who are too young to be treated with ivermectine will be moved to another room and placed under strict quarantine rules because you don't want them to get mites.

A KNOWLEDGEABLE foster home with NO guinea pigs would either take the moderate mites group or the serious mites. Both of these groups will take a significantly longer time to heal than the group showing no symptoms of mites who will have mites. Ideally, both Moderate and Serious groups will go to foster homes. But we aren't living in an ideal world.

Realistically you're likely to have serious and moderate mites in a separate strictly quarantined room - perhaps the dining room or the sick pig room? Youw ill need a "serious quarantine" location, especially if you have a contagious outbreak - Until the mites have cleared up. Strict quarantine measures will have to be in place: change of clothes, hygiene on crack until all pigs of both groups are healed.

As all pigs with moderate/severe mites begin to heal and have no more symptoms of mites, you can move them into your piggie room thus clearing your quarantine room for the next surrender.

 

[teadragon]

Kira - Quarantine is, ideally, in a completely different room. If I had a rescue, I'd have several areas where I could put pigs: my piggie shed (like what Thistle Cavies has. It's absolutely amazing, like a heated, ventilated, conditioned home for pigs!) where adoptables would stay; a quarantine room and those requiring intensive care would be in the living room.

Just because you're a rescue doesn't mean that you're immune to the reasons for quarantine. The reasons for quarantine are very serious and the cost of having your entire group of adoptable and personal pigs at one time could cripple you.