# Need help now!!! Pig down & won't get up!!!



## copperkid3 (Mar 18, 2005)

Shoulda, coulda, woulda......have a pet gilt pig going on around 6+ yrs now and she is my baby. 
Has occasionally got out of her 'secure' pen, but has always (or nearly so) stayed out of trouble 
and will come up to the house to find me and then either follows me back to the barn or gets in 
the way so that I'll scratch her sides and back. She weighed around 450+ lbs and is long and 
lanky, but this past week, I've noticed that she seems to have been loosing weight. She always 
comes to greet me at feeding time and grunts and talks the entire time. About 4-5 days ago,
she got so excited while I was trying to clean out her pan from the mud she somehow manages to 
get into it, that she jumped over one of the 3 ft panels and got her rear foot caught. We managed 
to get her disengaged and then back over the fence and then the next day, she burrowed UNDER 
and was out and about the enclosed property for who knows how long, but came running when 
I called her and again,, we got her back in and resecured the enclosure to the pen. 

Tonight, when I went out to feed her, I didn't immediately see her and assumed that she had 
possibly got out again, or something worse......I called and called and as I got closer, I heard her 
grunting in a high, but quieter grunt.....as if she was in distress and immediately saw that 
she was lying on her side in the cold, wet mud of the lower portion of the pen. She tried several 
times to gain a foothold, but the mud was too deep and she appeared tired as well. I got some 
more straw and threw it around her and then climbed in and tried to right her......not going to 
happen with a 400 lb pig.....as I'd guess that she's lost at least 30-50 lbs in the past week. Finally 
got a large pipe and used it as a lever and pried her over onto a 4'x5' fence panel so that she could 
gain a foothold. She managed to get her front legs onto it, but her back legs seemed unable to either 
move or she was too tired to try. Placed her food pan in front of her and she proceeded to eat, but 
with a marked reserve from normal. She used to have a pen mate about 3 yrs ago, that was a 
smaller gilt as well and she suddenly went downhill, loosing a substantial amount of weight within 
several days and died in less than a week!!! I'm afraid that "Piggie" may have a similiar condition and 
that I'll probably have to haul her dead body out tomorrow morning and bury her alongside her friend......
is there anything that can be done and does anyone have any ideas on what this might be???

TIA


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## 449piglady (Oct 15, 2009)

It could be that she is just tired with her struggle in the mud. It could be that she dislocated her hip and can not get up or that she broke her leg and can not get up. I would say, keep her dry and comfortable. Give her feed and water and see what the morning brings. My husband and I's favorite sow, she was close to 800lbs, and was bred by a small boar, much smaller that she was. She went down and she never got up again. I thought it was a broken leg but found out from the butcher that her hip had popped out of joint. Yes, we all have to make hard decisions sometimes. I hope the best from you and your pig!


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## cathleenc (Aug 16, 2007)

no clue but lots of empathy.

I hope tomorrow is better for all involved! and please do let us know how it all works out. I'll be thinking of you!


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## Mare Owner (Feb 20, 2008)

I second the advice already given, keep her dry and warm, offer plenty of water, and some feed if she'll eat. If she's eating she's likely not fevered or infected, and it is something physical like was mentioned. I hope she improves for you!


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## copperkid3 (Mar 18, 2005)

98 folks took a 'peek' to see, but only 3 offered empathy; surely someone has an idea on 
what to do or what caused this??? Figured somebody has to have some idea....

Amazingly, she is still alive......but barely. No greeting, barely any acknowledgement 
when I call her name.....very, slow and prolonged breathing.....it would probably be best if I put her out of my suffering..... 

But she isn't likely to be around much longer anyway.


Would the meat be safe or is it best to just bury her and be done with it?


ANYONE???!!!


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## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

I have the empathy, but I don't have the cure. If I did, I would have already posted. With the great weight loss, it sounds like some serious disease going on inside and I wouldn't trust the meat. 

I assume she is wormed and vaccinated for the common local hog problems.


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## shelberttk2 (Oct 1, 2011)

Have you called your Veterinarian and asked his advice? It could be that she initially hurt her hip as above mentioned. Sometimes you can put them on NSAIDS to help. The weight loss is a concern though, perhaps some bloodwork is in order? I am new at pigs, have been a rancher my entire life though--but it seems to me people do not do a lot of diagnostics on their pigs? We have cattle and horses, which we have worked up all the time...Is this because their is a lack of veterinarians that will work on swine? I kn ow of a pig that was on Rimadyl, why wouldn't this work for your girl? Or Banamine? Just a thought, I hope she is doing better!


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## tailwagging (Jan 6, 2005)

((hugs))


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## Jessilee7 (Sep 26, 2011)

So sorry. Don't have a clue either but have been hoping for the best for both of you. I'm sorry to read she's not doing better.


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## Lazy J (Jan 2, 2008)

Call a vet!!!!!!

There is no way any of us can make a diagnosis without seeing the hog or having adequate medical knowledge.


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## Mare Owner (Feb 20, 2008)

449piglady gave you excellent advice and I agree with her ideas on what is/was wrong.

I know it's very frustrating to not know what is wrong and so difficult to wait to see if anything changes. If you don't want to wait and not know, call your vet.

Take her temp. Try to manipulate her legs to see if they are normal or broken, out of joint. Is she still drinking? Eating? What does her manure look like? Is she anemic? Your vet will want to know or do all these things, you can do them too. They might be able to advise you over the phone.

It's hard to know if the meat would be okay without knowing what's wrong. If she's lost a lot of weight in a couple days, the meat may be very lean, extremely so, as her body's using the fat and some muscle to keep her system going so it might not be any good to eat anyway. I personally would not butcher her w/o knowing what's wrong.


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## copperkid3 (Mar 18, 2005)

Thanks for all the advice given, but may I remind those that said to "call a vet".....that this 
occurred _*ON*_ the weekend; most have 'office hours' and this was not during 
*THAT* time period. Hence the reason that I came here for help. Plus it wouldn't have 
made much difference anyway.....this came on suddenly and she went downhill in less than 
24 hours......that, and I'm broke as well.....going thru a divorce will do that to a person. So....
guess it's just one less mouth to feed and she did eat a lot. But I did love that pig......could go 
out anytime to 'talk' to her; night or day and she enjoyed the back scratches and side rubs that 
I used to give her. Wish that we'd had a chance to breed her.....she would have made a great mother..


Going to miss the ole girl......


Sleep well Miss Piggy.....


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## Oakshire_Farm (Dec 4, 2008)

(((hugs))) I am sorry for your loss. I know nothing of pigs but dream one day of raising some up. I


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## Jessilee7 (Sep 26, 2011)

Sorry to hear. Wish there was some way to know what it was.


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## tailwagging (Jan 6, 2005)




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## cathleenc (Aug 16, 2007)

I am sorry on all accounts.


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## Creamers (Aug 3, 2010)

A lot of people I know with pigs lately have had issues with Pneumonia . . .put them off feed. . . that might have triggered the weight loss  I'm sorry you lost her.


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## Nicole Irene (Jun 12, 2011)

Sorry for your loss


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## Mare Owner (Feb 20, 2008)

Sorry you lost her.


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## 449piglady (Oct 15, 2009)

Copperkid3,
I am sorry, I feel for you in more ways than you know on everything! Unfortunately, none of the symtoms that you described are very good news for a pig. Sudden weight loss; pigs do not usually loose weight unless something is really wrong, loss of appetite; pigs are highly food motivated and down and can't get up; pigs are really tough. You still might consult a vet. A phone call does not cost anything and maybe a vet will have some answers for you. If another pig is in your future, it may be nice to know if you have a disease on your place or maybe something else. Again I wish you the best!


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