Hello all
My older piggy, Alice, passed away of a suspected URI (Upper Respiratory Infection) yesterday. I have two newly bonded boars in a different cage to her however they are in the same room.
Should I be worried? What signs and symptoms should I look out for? The boars are 3 months and 2 years old.
Thanks in advance
Kate
Hi and welcome
I am very sorry for your loss!
If it is a normal bacterial infection, then most healthy piggies with a fully functional immune system can fend it off. It is mainly the very young and stressed out shop piggies in close proximity and the old and frail that are most at risk.
Please ask a vet for either a diuretic if the lungs are fluid filled or a mucus-thinning product like bisolvon if the sinuses are clogged in addition to an antibiotic. Freeing up the airways is a priority and can influence recovery a lot.
I would look out for crackly or raspy breathing, heavy breathing, loss of appetite (the need to breathe comes before the the need to drink and only thirdly the need to eat).
Sneezing and coughing are generally more typical for other issues in my experience (especially a sneezing fit from hay dust; what you are looking out for is regular sneezing that does not settle down or disappears once the irritant in the nose or throat has gone), but any vet will treat for URI first and foremost because URI can be a killer if he is seen for these symptoms.
Crusty eyes and nose (thick mucus) are usually signs of a well developed untreated URI, as is regular coughing (not just after eating dinner too greedily).
Please step in with syringe feeding promptly if there is a loss of weight of 50g or more; your care can make a difference and keep up the fighting strength.
If you are worried, give your boys a two week course of extra vitamin C to help boost their immune system.
Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links
