Underweight pig - not eating pellets any suggestions?

[Claire1973]

I have a new foster pig called Leicester, he has been with me a week tomorrow and was handed to me direct from the owner so he wasnt vet checked by the rescue first. ( owner has been in hospital this week) anyway - i was told he is two years old and they had him neutered 3 weeks ago ( a condition of him coming to rescue because its so full of males already) he weighs in at 1kg exactly but i can feel his spine and ribs easily so in my opinion he is underweight? His coat was filthy and his grease gland was matted and sticky and his claws curled and overgrown - I'm amazed that a vet would neuter him but not clip his nails? He also has urine scaled feet which ive been rubbing olive oil on. he is a lovely friendly boy and i have a home for him hopefully in a weeks time but reluctant to let him go just yet - as he hasn't touched the bowl of pellets i gave him all week - he's eating plenty of hay and veg but wondering if i should buy a bag of museli incase that was what he was used to? He was an only pet - child lost interest :-( any suggestions on what might help bulk him up a bit? Thinking he should come indoors as well as he was an outdoor pig before and is now in the pig shed with my others but having no fat on him he might not be keeping warm enough even with his fleece?

 

[first_time_piggie_mum]

Has he definitely been neutered Claire? If the previous owners didnt carry out basic care of cleaning and nail trimming, I would be very suspicious that they paid for the neutering...

1 kilo is a good weight for a boar, although you dont know his previous weights and if he has dropped any. i would weigh him a few times a week (if you arent already) If he is eating hay and vegges, I wouldnt be too concerned that he isnt eating pellets, although I would have a look at his teeth to make sure they are ok.

Porridge oats are used by a lot of people to help bulk up piggies.

If hes still recovering from the neutering might be an idea to bring him inside. He needs to use all his energy to heal, not to keep warm.

Poor little guy.

 

[SpinningNickel]

Have you tried mashing and spoon-feeding pellets? Maybe he isn't used to them and doesn't quite recognise them as food, but I wouldn't switch to muesli even if that is what he's used to. Better to get him used to nuggets I'd say. Or try another brand? Maybe he's fussy.

 

[Claire1973]

Yes i can see the stiches so he has been done, it is amazing the vet would hand over a pet in that condition unless they told him he was going into a rescue? I thought it was amazing theyd paid for that considering the state he was in butni genuinly got the impression that they were simply ignorant at what his needs were, they were doing the right thing i guess but this is typical of parents who buy thier kids a pet without doing any research first! Grr...anyway - porridge oats sound good ill try some of those for him! He does need a vet check i think, his teeth havent been looked at. I suspect he is older than two by the length of his nails. Will bring him indoors as well.

 

[Wiebke]

In that state, I would have him vet checked re. neutering!

Please bring him inside; he will burn less calories just by trying to keeping warm. Boars after neutering can take quite a few weeks to put back the weight they have lost in an operation. 1 kilo is however not a worryingly low weight even if he has lost quite a bit.

 

[Claire1973]

Have you tried mashing and spoon-feeding pellets? Maybe he isn't used to them and doesn't quite recognise them as food, but I wouldn't switch to muesli even if that is what he's used to. Better to get him used to nuggets I'd say. Or try another brand? Maybe he's fussy.

Trouble is I have 6 10kilo sacks of this brand pellets to get through lol! I agree about the museli - in the past ive mixed pellets in with it gradually increasing the amount to wean pigs onto them but he isnt going to be with me long and he is going to a new home where they will most likely feed another brand. He is going to meet a female who has lost her friend recently - maybe a new friend will perk his appetite up a bit too!

 

[Claire1973]

In that state, I would have him vet checked re. neutering!

Please bring him inside; he will burn less calories just by trying to keeping warm. Boars after neutering can take quite a few weeks to put back the weight they have lost in an operation. 1 kilo is however not a worryingly low weight even if he has lost quite a bit.

Yeah.. I think thats made my mind up, he is going to come indoors tonight. He will have company because we have two old piggies living in my daughters room, he can have floor time with them. I am at vets on monday with my cat so will take him along for a check, maybe a vit B jab will help?

 

[Wiebke]

Just give a bit more veg to compensate. Piggies on the continent live to a very happy healthy old age without eating pellets. I am sure that your boy will start eating once he has new friends.

 

[Claire1973]

Thanks Wiebke thats true, i just brought him indoors, he is in a carrier but its large and he has perked up already in just 20 mins he has gone fro m sitting hunched up in his cage to walking round, digging in his fleece bed eating an apple slice and tasted a few oats! just weighed him again and he's lost 10g since yesterday so not going in the right direction. Now he's warmer and cosy he can have floor time tonight with old Foggy cheesebum as well!

 

[Wiebke]

If necessary, top him up with some Critical Care and some probiotics. Hopefully, he will be stable though and perk up.

 

[Claire1973]

Well hes had some floortime with Foggy and Marigold and it perked him up no end! They are a very steady and docile old couple so i knew rheyd be patient with him, he was very excited and ate lots of thier poo (which is probably a good probotic anyway? Lol) he groomed himself and tucked into a big bowl of grass and dandelions with them so it was a sucess. Ive ordered him some B12 drops and will get some cc food tomorrow but am taking him to see Gwen at the rescue to have his teeth checked.