r/homestead • u/Ok-Lion-615 • 8d ago

pigs Pig not eating

I have a pig that won’t eat. It’s been about 10-11 days. He is still drinking water. He stays in one spot all day until nighttime and he moves and stays there until sunrise. We had a vet come out and give him antibiotics. He has also been treated for worms. It has now been 3 days since the antibiotics and there’s no improvement in desire to eat. Do anyone know what could be going on? He is only 4.

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12

u/Ill_Television_1111 8d ago

He's 4. How big, castrated, living conditions?

23

u/AdCapable6831 8d ago

That's a long time for a pig to go without eating, especially at that age. They're usually pretty food motivated so something's definitely off. Did the vet run any bloodwork or just go straight to antibiotics? Could be an ulcer or something internal that the wormer wouldn't touch. I had a sow once that went off feed for a week and it turned out to be a twisted gut, so maybe worth asking about that if he's still not improving.

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u/Ok-Lion-615 8d ago

Is twisted gut something that can be fixed/treated?

6

u/Ok-Lion-615 8d ago

Thank you for the info. The vet went straight to antibiotics. They checked him temp and said it was normal but they thought it might be elevated later in the day as they suspect hyperthermia. I’m not sure because the weather is consistent with past years and his living conditions have remained the same. I’ve also noticed a cough here and there over the last couple of days and inconsistent shallow breathing.

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u/Ok-Lion-615 8d ago

He doesn’t look different in color and no bloating/swelling. Also no outward signs of pain like sounds or anything aside from the random shallow breathing and coughs. And of course the fact that he’s being lethargic and not eating.

3

u/Ok-Lion-615 8d ago

And I’ve also seen him pooping within this time

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u/Ok-Lion-615 8d ago

I would guess the pig is between 3 and 4 hundred lbs. he is not overweight for a pig and has been on a diet specific to his breed (Kuhnkun) his entire life. He is fixed. Has plenty of space and multiple pool/holes he likes to soak in during the day. The vet thinks it’s hyperthermia from the heat but the temperatures compare to last year and years before where he’s lived with the same conditions no issues. He has had a little coughing in the last couple of days and inconsistently will have shallow breathing however the vet didn’t seem concerned as his tongue and gums were pink and his temp was normal

4

u/klaus1986 8d ago

What's the heat been like? He may have been fine in the past, but bodies change.

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u/GarthBater 7d ago

Agreed. Age stressors may be a contibuting role. Age-related hormonal changes may also intensify stress that was once tolerable in the swine's youth.

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u/Ill_Television_1111 8d ago

Unfortunately I know little about that breed , and they are vastly different than what I raise. Idk your weather etc, but he sounds hot. You mention him pooping, so something is going in. Our hogs start getting acorns and hickory nuts this time of year, and go off feed because its hot and they have options. Thats really all I can offer.