Pig Breathing Heavily

[amylou]

Hi, sorry if there is a post similar to this already but I couldn't find one!

I've had my pig for a month (he's around 7 months old) and in the past week I've noticed him breathing heavily. I can sometimes hear him from a couple of metres away and you can see him moving back and forth while he's sat still. I haven't noticed and wheezing or cackling at all either. He also seems to cough regularly (I'm assuming it's a cough kinda sounds like a cross between donald duck and an old man clearing his throat) Apart from this he's been fine behaviour, eating, drinking and pooping normally.

Anyway he's been to the vet this morning and his temperature was normal and the vet also couldn't hear any wheezing but put him on baytril incase it is a URI.

Has anyone else encountered anything like this? Could it be something in his environment that could be causing it?

Thanks for any help.

 

[Hanwombat]

Have you changed his bedding? New hay thats dusty?

Heavy breathing is usually due to a respiratory infection or sometimes heart problems.

 

[gizzy]

Hi there Could well be environmental Don't rule out house dust hay dust bedding dust

in January of last year 2012, I had a spate of pigs with respiratory issues, one in particular used to make some awful noises, and despite all the tests are medications that my vet threw at my piggies, it didn't make any difference at all.

Any way to cut a very long story short, it turns out that the problem was house/Hay dust, certain pigs are affected by it in the same way that humans are

Whilst my hay Didn't an initially look to be dusty,

since I have been dust extracting my hay(electric fan/empty cage/good shaking) before I put us anywhere near my pigs the problem has been solved, Also be careful when you dusting around the house if Piggie is in door's, like mine are !

I agree with wombat could also heart issues, but he's a bit young for that .
Just keep your eye out for the classic respiratory disease symptoms


Puffed-up coat and not interested in life
Watery eyes, and or nose
Not Poo,ing
Not a eating
Coughing and sneezing
Eye's receding into the socket (dehydration)
Water from the mouth(wet under chin)
But I'm sure you're aware of all these

 

[amylou]

Thanks for the replies!

I'm keeping an eye out for other symptoms but he just seems to be breathing really loudly, I can even hear him with the tv on and at the far side of the room! :s

I will definitely try having a good dust round his cage and things! How exactly do you dust extract the hay? It sounds messy!

Hopefully either the Baytril from the vet or the dusting will help!

 

[wenton5]

I would go for a full urine and blood test, xray? Sounds like it could be heart if Baytril doesn't clear up URI. Keep us posted!
xxoo
L

 

[helen105281]

I agree with wombat could also heart issues, but he's a bit young for that .
Just keep your eye out for the classic respiratory disease symptoms

Not necessarily, my friend's pig has been diagnosed with left sided heart failure and he was 4 months old when diagnosed and will be on heart meds for life. My Ellie is a heart pig too and was way under a year when diagnosed. Not saying that this is what is wrong here but it should not be ruled out.