Sad Day - Sow Dies/Absist pigglet

[miller1911]

My sow that had pigglets last Friday, died early this morning and took four with her. Now one of the pigglets has a very large absist on it tummy, a little gilt. What do I do for her? Do I lance it or do I suck the fluid out with a suring.

[Shazza]

Crikey...what was wrong with her, the sow? Have you had the vet to her before that? Why did she take 4 with her...was she lying on them? How many have you got left now to hand raise? Sorry...how sad for you. I don't like doing home vetting, we can ring our vet and he gives advice over the phone. He wont unnecessarily come out just to make a buck.

[tinknal]

miller, sounds like an abdominal rupture. DO NOT PUNCTURE!, it would give the pig periotonitis. I would just leave it, most pigs with ruptures do fine.

[miller1911]

I think it might have been blood posioning from the delivery, I don't really know. I called my vet but he said just to put her on an antibiotic, which it I did, but unfortunately my efforts were in vain. The four pigglets she took with her she squished when she died.

[Ronney]

Miller, try not to feel too bad. I had this happen with a newly farrowed sow. 3 days after farrowing 7 healthy piglets she haemorraged in the worst way possible. I got the vet out, she couldn't stop it or even find out where it was coming from. In the end I had her put down because she had lost so much blood even an idiot could have seen that she wasn't going to make it. An autopsy gave no clues as to what the problem was. Of the 7 piglets, I lost 5 of them, the remaining two I reared to maturity. One went on the table, the other is a breeding sow.

Your little piglet sounds as though she has a hernia which is not uncommon. As Tinknal has said, DO NOT try and do anything with it. They will often come right on their own but if you are in doubt and are prepared to spend the money, take her to your vet for their opinion.

Chin up old man

Cheers,
Ronnie