Oats?

[PigglePuggle]

I gave my piggies a few oats (about a teaspoonful each) in their treat bags this afternoon seeing as its so cold I thought it was a good day for a high calorie treat... are oats ok as a once a week winter afternoon snack served with hay and apple? Will they be ok for bloaty little Puggle? If not I have a month's supply of Zantac and Loxicom and an emergency vet number saved in my phone... its little Puggle who needs the extra calories but she's the one I worry about most with food! Are oats technically a cereal grain? I know my gluten free mother-in-law eats oats but she is gluten free when the mood takes her and its most awkward for everyone else rather than for any medical reason...

 

[DMS260820]

Normally oats are fed as a weight gainer for sick pigs. I dont know how unhealthy or healthy they are though.

 

[PigglePuggle]

Well the oats seem to have agreed with little Puggle so far, she's leaping around the place and wolfed down her beansprouts and red pepper and even lots of pellets at dinnertime, so we'll try that again in moderation as an occasional treat! I think oats are very high calorie but probably better quality calories than you'd find in a lot of piggy snacks, definitely no sugar or additives. I think a teaspoonful a week in winter is probably ok...

 

[Janey]

I give mine oats sometimes, as a change from pellets and they go down very well. I'm not sure how good or bad they are for piggies that are prone to bloat though.

 

[Sophie B]

Maybe I’ll try some oats for my piggies!

 

[piggieminder]

I think TEAS uses it for recovering piggies that need to put on weight. I tried them with my post op boy who needs building up, he's the only one out of the 6 that won't eat them . I'm sure they are okay for bladder piggies which is why I tried them for him as the vet said not to give more than a teaspoon of nuggets a day. @furryfriends (TEAS) ?

 

[Bill & Ted]

I think they have very little gluten in them compared to wheat so are easier for digestion. Bill and Ted have a sprinkle on their pellets a couple of times a week and they like them. Good for building them up too after illness.

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

We use oats a lot here at TEAS. They are great for weight gain. Our vet also recommends them for piggies who’ve had bladder stones, instead of feeding normal nuggets, that can be high in calcium.

 

[PigglePuggle]

Thanks that's all good to know! Anything that can bulk up little Puggle without her bloating or getting tummy cramps. Just seemed like the weather for high calorie snacks, I bought the oats to feed to the ducks and geese in the park really

 

[flowerfairy]

Oo interesting thread. I will give some to my elderly sow Tanni as she is getting thin.

 

[Betsy]

That 2nd to bottom picture of Tanni should be on this thread
A feast of noses and lips!

Tanni is a lovely walking wig!

 

[Posyrose]

I've used oats very successfully for post op and elderly skinny pigs