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marialynn_gw

Injured pig

marialynn
10 years ago

Hi, A little pig turned up outside my gate a few days ago. She has a bad injury maybe from a dog bite. Her ear has fallen off and the side of her face has a large wound. It has started to heal. I have taken her in and she is gorgeous, so I want to keep her. I have put some antibiotic cream on the area, but she wont let me clean it. It is attracting flies and seems very itchy. She loves to cover it in mud, is this ok, as I am worried about germs. Also the gash on her face looks very deep but she has a lot of fat there, I dont think it is infected as it doesn't smell. I can't afford a vet, Any advice is much appreciated.

Comments (19)

  • annzgw
    10 years ago

    Even though you can't afford a vet, I suggest you call a vet to find out who treats farm animals. Call the farm vet, explain your financial situation and her medical problem. Farm vets I used in the past would give me antibiotics and I would give the injections.

    As long as infection doesn't set in, she may be heal just fine. Rest, food and no stress will definitely help so it's good to hear you've taken her in. She's using the mud to try to keep the flies off and hopefully the itching is from the healing vs internal swelling/infection that's bothering her.

    How big is she? Just wondering if someone could help hold her while you clean the area. I just noticed you live in Spain.....is there any chance you have feed/farm stores in your area? If so, ask if they sell any antibiotics over-the-counter that you may be able to give her.

  • marilyn_c
    10 years ago

    At least go to a feed store and get some kind of spray on antibiotic. See if you can find someone to help hold her in place while you spray her. Animals have a remarkable ability to heal, but you absolutely don't want maggots to get in there. If you have no one to help hold her, try to get her cornered and spray, spray, spray. They may have some kind of medicine that has a "dobber" with it, and that would be a good alternative. The main thing is keep something on it to keep flies off of it. I don't know if you can give shots, but some penecillin (also from the feed store)....about 5 cc in the muscle every day or so for about five days would help. She can probably get by without it though if you don't feel like you can give her a shot.

    I just checked to see where you live and you live in Spain, so I don't know what is available there. I know in Mexico you can buy oral antibiotics over the counter in a pharmacy. You also might go to a pharmacy and talk to the pharmacist about it. If you can get oral antibiotics that would be good, but you may need to crush it or mix it with something that she likes to eat, like a little bit of apple sauce. Give her a little first so she tastes it and likes it and the give a little more with the meds and then a little more applesauce when she has finished. I use strawberry yogurt to mix meds with for my ahimals so you might try that, but the most essential thing is to find a topical antibiotic that covers a large area and make sure you keep maggots from getting in there. It will be a mess if they do. If she gets maggots....and I hope she doesn't, you can buy a wormer for horses....it must contain ivermectrin, and if it is a paste, thin with a little water and apply topically to kill maggots. You can email me at collins.marilyn@gmail.com if I can help you in any other way.

  • Ninapearl
    10 years ago

    bless you for taking her in!!! looks to be a pot bellied pig. that is definitely a bite from a predator, most likely a dog. i agree with the topical antibiotics. also, many times farm vets are less expensive than "companion animal" vets. you will need to watch closely for signs of infection...heat in the area, pus, etc. pigs have an amazing ability to heal from these sorts of wounds and your tlc will go a long way in helping!

    pots are wonderful pets, i have 4 that live together outside. they are very easy to take care of. there are lots of places online that can help you learn what you will need to know. this one will give you some general information...

    http://www.bellydraggersranch.com/pig_information.html

    wishing you lots of luck with this little girl!!! there are also some yahoo groups specifically for pot bellied pig owners. lots of very helpful people! can't post links here but do a search for "potbelliedpigpen" and "piggymisfits".


  • socks
    10 years ago

    Oh, Ninapearl, I was hoping you would see this and help the poster.

    Marialynn, do let us know how she does.

  • Ninapearl
    10 years ago

    always happy to lend a hand to oinker moms and dads. :)

    yes, please do let us know how she does and what you decide to name her! mine are arnold ziffel, harley, lilly and porkahontas.

    you will find her to be unbelievably smart and sometimes a bit devious and extremely easy to train!

  • Ninapearl
    10 years ago

    wondering if there are any updates about this little oinker. :)

  • marialynn
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thank you for all the messages. Just wanted to let you know that the pig has healed completely. I put antibiotic cream on it, I am amazed at how quickly it healed. She is a lovely pet to have, but I thought she might get a little lonely so I rehomed a baby pot belly and Hippo, thats her name is like a mum to her. Both piggies are so happy.

  • Ninapearl
    10 years ago

    wonderful!!! would love to see more pics! baby pots are too cute for words. my arnold was 8 weeks old when i brought him home and was the cutest thing ever. glad to hear hippo (love that name!) healed up so well. they are amazing pets!

  • marialynn
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    The baby is called Dolly, and Hippo is the adult. She has taken the roll of Mum, and is so caring. I can't stop watching them. They are so sweet.

  • marialynn
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Hippo, sat on her water bucket to let out the water and make some mud! She is so clever.

  • murraysmom Zone 6a OH
    10 years ago

    Those two are so, so cute!! Thanks for sharing their pictures.

  • sylviatexas1
    10 years ago

    How wonderful to see her healthy & happy!
    It's so good that she has a friend/companion/baby!

  • marilyn_c
    10 years ago

    That was so sweet of you. I am glad for the update and glad she healed okay. Thank you for taking them in. You are a very special person to do that. No kindness goes unnoticed and I hope your kindness to them is returned ten fold!

  • annzgw
    10 years ago

    That's adorable! I can see now why it was a little difficult for someone to hold her while you applied meds! : ) I thought she was more the size of the new baby.

  • Ninapearl
    10 years ago

    oh my goodness!!!!! they are SO adorable together!!

    something you can do that they will really love is make them a mud wallow. since i live on sand and water just drains right through it, i got a plastic pool, filled it with dirt and watered it down. they all really love it! here's how i did it...

    and go to the dollar store, see if you can find a big stuffed animal and give it to dolly. when arnold was a baby, he LOVED playing with stuffed animals!

  • marialynn
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Hi, what a lovely pig you have ninapearl. He looks so happy. I will give Dolly some stuffed toys. Dolly keeps trying to feed from Hippo, so sweet. Thank you for your comments marilyn c . My kindness is already returned to me as watching these pigs so happy makes me feel so happy too.

  • socks
    10 years ago

    Marialynn, thank you for posting the rest of the story with your pig(s). Often people post situations here and then never return to report what happened. Wonderful results of all that TLC, and now Hippo has some company. They are very happy pigs.

  • christine1950
    10 years ago

    Bless your heart, she's adorable

  • spedigrees z4VT
    10 years ago

    What a wonderful outcome! Thank you for posting the photos and the update. I'm very happy that the injured pig has healed thanks to your care. Was that Dolly, the little one, who was injured? How lovely that Hippo has taken little Dolly under her wing. They look so happy together.