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paralysis

  • Thread starter Thread starter lizdigby
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lizdigby

One of my pigs has become paralysed. He started with this problem about 6 months ago and could drag himself around but now he cannot move and he needs alot of looking after. I have been giving him calcium supplements but there hasn't been much improvement. I have used sudocream on his skin. Has anyone got any tips on looking after a paralysed pig? He is very happy in himself and eating well.
 
Are all of his legs "paralysed" ie unable to move or is it difficulty in moving ie arthritis?
How old is he?
Vitamin E is sometimes effective in these cases but a lot depends on the duration and severity of the problem.
 
Pauline suffered from arthritis. Some vitamin injections helped at the beginning, but afterwards, she could not use her back legs at all.
She needed painkillers (Metacam) and of course I had to wash her buttom regularly, since she could not clean herself well and would often sit in pee.
Sometimes, a swimming therapy also helps (I did it in our bathtub; the water is not supposed to be too deep, and I "dragged" her along in the water, encouraging her to move her legs. At first, it helped, but after some weeks, she did not move her legs in the water either, and felt uncomfortable, so I stopped the swimming therapy).

However, if it is NOT arthritis, just lack of vitamins or calcium, piggies can recover from a paralysis.

Good luck!
 
He is about 5 and is an abyssinian. It is only his back legs that are affected. I might try vitamin E where do you get it from?

Thanks for your advice
 
you should try calcium, too. Have a look here:

http://www.oginet.com/pgurney/paral.htm

You get the supplements from the vet, who will give an injection.
If you get vitamin supplements in liquid form, do not give in in water, but give it with a syringe directly in the mouth. That way you make sure that the piggy is really getting the vitamins.
 
Thanks for your comments. I have to wash barnie often as he sits in pee. He hates being bathed and squeals a lot. He likes the hair drier. I have tried swimming therapy too but he did not seem to improve and he did not enjoy it. He used to be able to use his back legs for swimming but could not use them for walking which I could not understand. My pig does not appear to be in pain but I am not sure how I would know if he needed painkillers. I may try him on a vitamin supplement.

Thanks for your advice
 
Just a random thought - Could he have a slight bladder infection (or other back end issue not joint related)? Might not be enough to put him off his food, but enough to make him a bit uncomfy when walking normally, hence the dragging.
 
Painkillers:
It depends on what the cause for the paralysis is. If it is just a lack of vitamins or calcium, the piggy won't be in pain, so does not need painkillers.
If it is indeed arthritis, the piggy will be in pain, so Metacam is advisable.
But try the vitamins first.

The reason why piggies move their legs more easily in water is that there is less weight in the water, and it is easier to move. For example humans with pain in their legs or arms can move more easily in water than on the ground (there is no body weight on the legs then), and even paralysed humans who normally need a wheelchair can sometimes do a swimming therapy in the water - it is a huge difference.
 
hi not sure but just a question has your piggy had any sort of a fall around the time the paralasis started, My piggy is now recovering from a fall that left his back legs paralised,without treatment Boris probably would have ended up with the same problem and not gotten any better.just a thought:{
 
Vitamin E should be given at a dose of 10mg per kg body weight, daily.
 
Not sure if he had a fall before it started. I can't remember anything in particular.
 
My sow became paralysed in her back legs around; however she never recovered. She also lost nearly all the muscle in her back legs. The little muscle she did have I massaged daily. She was able to drag herself around and investigate if she wanted to. I had to bathe her 2-3 times a day. I found Potters Tabritis tablets half crushed in water daily helped the stiffness in her back legs. I nursed her until she died 7 months later. No vet wanted to treat her until I found a vet who confirmed she had arthritis in her spine and back legs and started steroid injections. I cannot tell you whether they helped but she died of old age two days later - aged 8 years 3 months. A vet bed I bought from Pets at Home helped her circulation and kept her dry for some of the time. She was still able to eat and drink for herself. I would just like to stress that she was not in any pain. I tried the calcium which did not have any effect. I believe CCC4, another member on the forum, had the same problem with one of her piggies. I'm sorry I can't give you anything positive. If you want to pm me at anytime, feel free. Rachel x
 
Whatever the cause/diagnosis it is important to keep her legs exercised, pig physiotherapy!
 
One other thing I used to do was fill the sink with warm water and put my hand under Ginger's belly. Her back legs would dangle in the water and occasionally her back legs/feet would kick out in the water, like a nerve reaction.
 
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