Pippin's Tummy Troubles (Long)

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JaneDoe

Post   » Fri Dec 08, 2006 2:40 pm


My four-year-old neutered boar, Pippin, has always been around three pounds and the least energetic of my pigs. Over the weekend his energy level was pretty good. I was out of veggies so I bought some romaine lettuce at a local mom and pop store. It was a little thinner and paler in colour and neither he nor Pandora seemed to like it as much. Tuesday night-Wednesday morning he was noticeably less active and less interested in food. When I turned out the light I heard a “mewing” sound, but I wasn’t sure whether it was him or Pandora.

Wednesday morning his weight had dropped to 2 lbs 14 oz and his appetite/energy levels were in fits and starts. I gave him a slug of Mylecon and dropped him off at the vet’s and he didn’t finish the lettuce leaf in his carrier. The vet said she first saw him he seemed noticeably “under the weather” and disinterested in food.

His heart and lungs sounded fine, teeth were fine, hydration was good, but he seemed slightly gassy. Vet asked permission to do an X-ray and blood work. X-ray showed everything fine including bladder and kidneys, again a little gas. She could not get any blood without stressing him and she sent him home. She was considering giving him Reglan but said to keep trying the Mylecon. By that time he was noticeable better. I bought some fresher romaine and parsley at Safeway and he ate both enthusiastically. Wednesday nite he was fine. He ate all his hay and veggies. I didn’t see the need to give him oral hydration or subcues. I dosed him a couple times with Mylecon.

Thursday he seemed practically perfect, was up to 3 lbs one oz. He had cleaned up everything I left in his food bowl. I didn’t give him any pellets, as both pigs seem to do less well on a pellet-heavy diet. I gave him a slug of Mylecon and dropped him off at the vet’s to try the blood work again. I heard the “mewing” sounds coming from Pandora’s cage, so I knew it could not be him that time. He did great Thursday, appetite and energy wise. His last dose of Mylecon was around 10PM.

This morning around 11:30 AM he was kind of lethargic and picky about his food. He was back down to 2 lb 15 oz. I gave him some of the leftover romaine from a couple days ago. I walked to Safeway and got him more parsley and romaine. He stood up on his hind legs and begged for the romaine, which I take as a good sign.

The vet has not heard from the lab yet.

I’m sorry to have gone on in such detail but I don’t want to leave anything out. He had a similar problem about ten months ago but not it resolved itself in a couple hours. Pandora has had similar bouts with tummy trouble that last a couple days. Mercifully, she is fine now.

Some things I have noted:

1) Both pigs seem to do better with fewer pellets.
2) Neither one liked the romaine from the mom and pop store as much.
3) I live directly over the boiler room in an 80-year-old building. Pippin felt very warm when I picked him up, but felt cooler at the vet’s office, so I doubt he has a fever.
4) All three of us keep irregular hours. If I’m not home the lights are off and the blinds are down, so I’m wondering whether the decreased light levels are affecting either of them, especially in winter. I try to feed them regularly, but with my work/sleep sked this isn’t always possible to do it perfectly.

Sorry about the length of this post, and thanks for your input.

cutemomomi
Obey My Authority

Post   » Fri Dec 08, 2006 3:07 pm


I am sorry JaneDoe, but I too have no idea.
McMac had an episode earlier this summer where his weight was slowly but steadily on a decline, a total of 5 oz in 6 weeks.

Our vet never has found anything conclusive, no gas was found, no heart murmur, 2 X-rays and poop lab. He too was showing lesser interest in the pellets and was eating mainly fresh veggies and hay.

He eventually came out of it, and has been maintaining his original baseline weight (prior to the weight loss) since September.

I wish you the best of luck, and some more experienced members would come by soon and offer their advices.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Fri Dec 08, 2006 3:20 pm


No ideas either. Weighing him a couple times a day at regular times (am & pm) might show a normal fluctuation in weight).

How about a fecal smear to see if there is any bacteria?

Talishan
You can quote me

Post   » Fri Dec 08, 2006 7:17 pm


I've nothing of value to add, but will mention that as our pigs age, they're progressively less tolerant of even the slightest sub-standard produce. We've had a run of less than ideal produce for several months now, and two in particular, a (best guess) 5-year-old intact female and 6-year-old intact male, can only tolerate small pieces of greens. They'll become sluggish, a little puffy, a little gassy for a few hours, then be back to normal. Fruit and carrot seem to bother them less (though we haven't completely substituted that for greens.)

I'd stay completely away from the mom and pop produce. No guarantee that the stuff from Safeway is 100% safe, but we've done better with fully packaged, brand-name heads from a large grocery chain (Kroger here = Safeway).

The fecal smear is a good idea.

TwoWhitePiggies

Post   » Fri Dec 08, 2006 9:31 pm


I'm sorry about your little guy. I wish I had more to add.

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JaneDoe

Post   » Sat Dec 09, 2006 1:04 am


Thank you, everybody. Pippin was doing much better when I left for work a couple hours ago. I have talked to the vet a couple times. She said his CBC was normal but they could not get enough blood for any other tests at this time. She thinks it’s probably a passing GI upset such as the kind Pandora has had.

Momo, how old is Micmac?

Interestingly enough, Pippin has had the toughest stomach of the three. Baby Pandora, who is half his age, seems to have a more sensitive tummy, and so did Lightning, who died at about age three. The vet seems to think he “relapsed” after having to go back to her office and be restrained to get blood a second time. She is in favour of waiting till he’s completely better. I left her a voicemail message asking about a stool culture, however, as his CBC was normal and Pandora’s last culture was it’s probably not too pressing.

Talishan
You can quote me

Post   » Sat Dec 09, 2006 7:20 pm


"... Pippin has had the toughest stomach of the three."

Interesting. Our MamaPig, the 5-year-old female I mentioned above, used to could eat absolutely anything, in virtually unlimited quantity. Not so much any more.

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JaneDoe

Post   » Sun Dec 10, 2006 1:11 am


I wonder about the off-brand stuff. I have bought stuff from this Mom N Pop place before me with no ill effects. Neither pig liked this last bunch of lettuce much.

Pandora has had the most tummy troubles of the three, and when she's under the weather she is the most picky.

Our vet says pigs usually know what's good for them. It was so funny a couple weeks ago -- Panda's not a big parsley fan, but when I bought her some to settle her tummy she stood on her hind legs and begged for it voluntarily.

Pippin begged for his mylecon the other day, and he hates the stuff.

On the other hand, Mom's cat refused to end her favourite brand of catfood. It turns out it had gone bad -- Mom thought she had killed the poor cat or at least ruined her health. Fortunately the cat got over it. Maybe we should listen to our pets more.

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JaneDoe

Post   » Sun Dec 10, 2006 7:25 pm


So Pippin is looking and eating better than he has in days and I wake up feeling kinda coldish. Nevertheless, I get into the car to get him veggies. Spoiled, spoiled pig.

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slfalzone

Post   » Sun Dec 10, 2006 11:30 pm


I am glad to hear he's doing better - those days are nice aren't they?

Here's hoping you feel better soon too!

cutemomomi
Obey My Authority

Post   » Mon Dec 11, 2006 7:40 pm


This is good news JaneDoe, now all Pippin has to do is eat up and poop lots for us. : )

McMac is 5 years young to our best estimate.
He too is our most sensitive child when it comes to feeding changes (we need to ration his wheatgrass and weekly fruit treats).
He is now sitting tight around 2lb 14.5oz to 15oz, roughtly about 1290-1305 grams.

User avatar
JaneDoe

Post   » Wed Dec 13, 2006 1:27 am


Pippin is doing great -- weight back up to where it was. I am still watching him like a hawk, giving him a little Mylecon and being VERY careful with his diet.

His vet and I agree a stool culture is probably not necessary now as he doesn't have diarrhea and neither does Pandora. We may get more blood work but I want that to be while I'm at my mom's and he and the vet will have more quality time together.

I, on the other hand, think I have an ear issue going on -- stuffy nose, nausea, dizziness :(

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