# Coughing Pig



## dezeeuwgoats (Jan 12, 2006)

I have a ten month old gilt who is bright eyed and bushy tailed, in a manner of speaking. Appears to feel good is what I mean to say. I noticed she coughed this evening. She didn't hack away or anything, but just coughed, a couple of times in a row, real quickly. Now I'm worried - I've never had a pig cough before. We've had a lot of wet weather, and this gilt insists on tearing her tarp down, and getting out into the rain. She appears to love it! Now, this is Arizona - so it isn't freezing cold, but I worry. She tore down her plywood roof today - to scratch herself with, again - out in the rain. Grrr.

I have a boar coming this weekend and I don't want to spread anything, or get him sick. I have dewormed her once, when I got her back in May - she was an auction piglet. I have NO IDEA how I'd give a pig her size a shot. Yikes. Not to mention how tough their skin is! I'm emailing the boar's owner, to let her know what's up. 

Any advice? Should I deworm, AND give antibiotics, just in case? How? :help: She seems her perky, usual self, but with all the wet weather and not ever having had a sick pig, or have one cough - I don't want to take the chance. Especially since this is my first gilt to have bred.

Thanks;
Niki


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## Up North (Nov 29, 2005)

Niki - I would observe her tommorrow and pay careful attention to if she is eating good. If she stops eating or develops watery eyes or cough worsens, then I would treat her with antibiotics. Is it possible she ingested some dust or dry grainstuffs which caused today's coughing?
If you should need to treat her, we found this can be accomplished by taking a cattle or hog pipe gate and using it to pen her tightly into the corner of a solid plank pen , boxstall, or corral area. Use the gate to create a triangle shaped pen small enough she cannot move about. Then administer shots. The other method is to use a hog snare to catch and hold her long enough to give shots....Good Luck


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

If the gilt was wormy the first time you treated, you should have treated a second time to break the worm cycle. I definitely would worm her again and use ivermectin injectable.


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## dezeeuwgoats (Jan 12, 2006)

Agmantoo - I just dewormed her like I do everything that comes here, initially. I never saw worms, or saw signs of them. I will go ahead and deworm again.

My husband brought home a packet of powder from the feedstore - an antibiotic called Duramycin - 10. Please tell me I can just feed the antibiotic - and that I don't have to give Petunia a shot.....lol I'm such a wimp. Will this be as affective? 

Up North - I don't think dust is an issue. We have had too much rain lately. Now, keep in mine that even a sprinkle is a LOT of rain here.......Fraction of inch counts here in the desert. So it isn't POURING, and the ground isn't soaked. She gets dry bedding every night, in spite of the fact that she is bound and determined NOT to have a roof over her head. She's been eating just fine - always wants more, just like a pig. We can't walk by the pen without getting spoken to. 

I hate giving antibiotics for a 'just in case' scenario, but with the boar coming on the tenth (got my weekends mixed) I would hate to risk anything.

Thanks;
Niki


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## RedHogs (Jul 7, 2006)

> Agmantoo - I just dewormed her like I do everything that comes here, initially. I never saw worms, or saw signs of them. I will go ahead and deworm again.


keep in mind, the worms you need to worry about, you can't see and many live in the respiratory system. Thats why you need an injectable form.


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## dezeeuwgoats (Jan 12, 2006)

I've been checking on her - and she coughed again. Not willing to risk having her really go down and get sicker, I started antibiotics. I will be stopping in at the feedstore to get the injectable ivermectin. Should I wait to deworm until the course of antibiotics are through - or can I just go ahead?

How long will I need to wait after treating with both of these things to have her bred? 

Thanks;
Niki


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## dezeeuwgoats (Jan 12, 2006)

We only have hog panels - I'm thinking we can use those to manuver her into a corner, wire her in temporarily, and give her that shot. I can't wait to see the look on Jon's face when I tell him we have to give Petunia a shot! We just figured out how to load pigs without killing ourselves, lol. This will be a whole new rodeo.

Niki


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## Up North (Nov 29, 2005)

Niki-So how did it go? Have her all treated now?


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## dezeeuwgoats (Jan 12, 2006)

Well, yes and no. Nobody responded to my question about whether or not it was okay to give the dewormer while she is getting antibiotics. In fact, that's what I was visiting here to do - to see if anyone had answered that and if not - to start another thread with that specific question! lol

I wasn't sure if either medicine (antibiotic/ivermectin) would counteract each other, or not absorb right, etc, etc. I'm waiting to hear back for sure before I give the dewormer. She's on the antibiotic I mentioned, started her yesterday. It lists specifically for pneumonia, and cocci. She is still bright eyed and bushy tailed - no decrease in appetite, no increased coughing, or any worsening of any symptoms at all. In fact, I've only heard her cough a couple of times. 

I am concerned though, that I might be mistreating - if in fact, the problem is worms. I can treat for 3-5 days with this antibiotic - so the soonest I can give the dewormer, without hearing back from one you fine folks, is Sunday.

Thanks! I sure appreciate all of you!

Niki


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## marvella (Oct 12, 2003)

as far as i know it won't hurt to give them together. did you find an oral antibiotic? you can give the ivermectin orally, and it works better. just mix it into some food she won't refuse. make sure and repeat in a week.

if you end up having to give a shot, the place on a pig is the triangle shaped place behind their ear but above their jaw. it's easier to show than describe. but i bet you can give both meds orally.


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## Boleyz (Sep 7, 2004)

Your guilt has pneumonia. 

10 cc's of penicillin injected in the neck muscle. She'll be fine in a week or so.


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## dezeeuwgoats (Jan 12, 2006)

Okay, I lied. She wasn't her usual perky self - THIS morning she is her usual perky self! Goodness, she is tearing around her pen at a hundred miles an hour. She must be feeling better. Funny thing is I thought it was just that she was getting more friendly because she was lonely (sent two companions to market), but I realize it was just that she wasn't feeling herself. She never lost appetite and was still acting fine, but she is not a laid back pig normally, she is high energy, hyperactive, lol. She let me scratch her yesterday, and was talking to me, and gently nosing my hand. Ah well, so much for that!

So the antibiotic seems to be doing the trick. Should I do the five days, or stick with the three days? 

Don't worry Agmantoo! I will still deworm her - want her to be all ready for her 'date'. 

Thanks;
Niki


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