SICK PIGGIE:

INGESTION OF POISONOUS CHEMICALS OR PLANTS. CALL THE POSISON CONTROL HOTLINE AND YOUR VETERINARIAN

INGESTION OF: GARBAGE/OVER EATING/DOG FOOD

YOUR PIGGIE WILL BE VERY LETHARGIC. HE/SHE MAY OR MAY NOT BE SENSITIVE TO THE TOUCH IN THE STOMACH AREA. THEY USUALLY WILL STOP EATING AND MAY QUIT DRINKING.  THEY MAY OR MAY NOT THROW UP.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO GET THEM TO DRINK A LOT OF FLUIDS. PIGGIES ARE SUSEPTIBLE TO SALT TOXICITY.  THEY CAN GET VERY ILL, CAN HAVE PERMANENT DAMAGE AND CAN EVEN DIE FROM TOO MUCH SALT.

TRY TO GET THEM TO DRINK GATORADE AND CRANBERRY JUICE. APPLE JUICE WOULD BE A SECOND CHOICE. GATORADE WILL BE MUCH BETTER FOR THEM. IF THEY ARE REFUSING LIQUIDS TRY ANY THING. YOU MAY HAVE TO TAKE A SYRINGE AND SHOOT LIQUIDS INTO THE SIDE OF THEIR MOUTH.

WITH ANY KIND OF OVER-EATING OR INGESTION OF LESS THAN OPTIMAL FOODS, THROWING UP IS ALWAYS THE BEST RESULT. THIS WILL HELP GET THE TOXINS/BAD FOOD OUT OF THEIR SYSTEM.

YOU CAN USUALLY FIND EPICAC SYRUP AT A PHARMACY TO INDUCE VOMITING.  3% HYDROGEN PEROXIDE IS MORE READILY AVAILABLE AND LESS DANGEROUS.

The appropriate dose of hydrogen peroxide is one teaspoon per 10 pounds of body weight. If you have an oral syringe, one teaspoon equals 5 cc or 5 ml. Once given, try to get your piggy to walk around or gently shake the stomach area to mix the peroxide with the stomach contents. Vomiting should occur within 15 to 20 minutes. If no vomiting occurs, you can safely repeat the 3% hydrogen peroxide once. If it is still not effective, your piggie may need to be seen by a veterinarian for stronger vomiting medication.

Once the hydrogen peroxide is given, it is important to watch your piggie so that he does not re-ingest the substance. If there is concern about toxicity, collect and take a sample of the vomitus to your veterinarian.

• Syrup of Ipecac

This medication is frequently used to induce vomiting in children. Unfortunately, it can be dangerous

DOG FOOD CAN CAUSE SALT TOXICITY WHICH CAN OFTEN LEAD TO DEATH. THEY WILL STUMBLE AROUND LIKE THEY ARE DRUNK, THEY WILL START TO LOSE THEIR VISION AS THEIR BRAIN CONTINUES TO SWELL. THEY WILL COLAPSE TO THE GROUND AND "RACHET" (CONVULSE) AND WILL MOAN AND CRY UNTIL THEY TAKE THEIR LAST BREATH.

BE SURE TO KEEP YOUR PIGGIE WELL HYDRATED WITH PLENTY OF FLUIDS.

***SEE MILK THISTLE AND BLAND DIET

CHOCOLATE INGESTION:

IF YOUR PIGGIE EATS A REGULAR CANDY BAR- DO NOT PANIC TOO MUCH. MOST CANDY BARS ARE LESS THAN 10% CHOCOLATE.  HOWEVER, IF IT IS A SOLID CHOCOLATE BAR, CHOCOLATE CHIPS OR ANYTHING WITH A HIGHER COCOA CONTENT THEN THERE MAY BE SOME SERIOUS PROBLEMS DEPENDING ON THE AMOUNTS.

IF THEY EAT A SNICKERS, BUTTERFINGERS ETC.  JUST KEEP AN EYE ON THEM.

 NOW, IF THEY CONSUME AN EASTER BASKET, HALLOWEEN BAG, BAG OF CANDY OR A SOLID CHOCOLATE BAR:

INDUCE VOMITING

MILK THISTLE

BLAND DIET

**WATCH FOR DIARRHEA OR CONSTIPATION

*** PUSH A LOT OF LIQUIDS. GATORADE, CRANBERRY, APPLE JUICE IF THEY WONT DRINK A LOT OF WATER

DIARRHEA

1.       TRY AND DETERMINE IF IT IS FOOD RELATED

IF IT IS FOOD RELATED; TREAT WITH PEPTO BISMOL OR IMMODIUM EVERY 4 HOURS, AND LESSEN THE AMMOUNT AS THE DIARRHEA SUBSIDES.

**** SEE BLAND DIET

1-15 LBS- ½ CC

16-30 LBS- 1 CC

DO NOT EXCEED 3 CC FOR BODY WEIGHT

***KEEP WELL HYDRATED

DIARRHEA BACTERIAL/ECOLI

THE SMELL WILL BE AWFUL… THEY COULD HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO ECOLI, OR SIMPLY FROM THE STRESS. (WE ALL NATURALLY HAVE ECOLI IN OUR INTESTINES). THE SMELL IS PRETTY UNMISTAKEABLE.  IT WILL START OUT BROWN AND THEN TURN YELLOWISH. IF IT TURNS WHITE, THE PIGGIE IS IN REALLY BIG TROUBLE. SORRY TO SCARE YOU BUT IT IS IMPERATIVE TO ACT QUICKLY.

START PEPTO BISMOL RIGHT AWAY.

YOU NEED TO GET A PRODUCT CALLED "SPECTOGARD"(SPECTINOMYCIN). IT IS AN ANTIBIOTIC AVAILABLE AT MOST FARM STORES AND THROUGH YOUR FARM VET. YOU GIVE A FULL DROPPER FULL 2 X A DAY. CONTINUE WITH THE PEPTO EVERY FEW HOURS AND BE SURE TO KEEP HIM/HER HYDRATED. YOU MAY NEED TO GIVE DROPPER FULLS OF GATORADE IN THE SIDE OF THEIR MOUTH IF THEY ARE REFUSING TO DRINK . YOU SHOULD START TO SEE IMPROVEMENT IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS. IF NOT YOU NEED TO GET THEM TO A VETERINARIAN.

****SWITCH TO BLAND DIET

CONSTIPATION:

IT CAN BE CAUSED FROM CERTAIN FOODS AND/OR FROM BLOCKAGE

USUALLY IF YOU GET THEM IN THE BATH TUB WITH RUNNING WATER, IT WILL CAUSE THEM TO POOP.

YOU MAY HAVE TO PUT A GLOVE ON AND LUBE UP AND INSERT YOUR FINGERS INTO THEIR BUTT.

YOU CAN ADMINISTER AN ENEMA, BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO FORCE IT IN. USE SOME TYPE OF LUBRICATION. (COOKING OIL OR VASELINE IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY THING ELSE)

ADD MIRALAX TO THEIR WATER. 17G. ONLY USE MIRALAX OR THE GENERIC BRAND OF IT.

IF THIS DOES NOT WORK THEN YOU NEED TO INSERT A BABY SUPOSITORY

CONSTIPATION DIET:

STOP FEEDING REGULAR FEED/GRAIN

THEY NEED A LOT OF FLUIDS

YOU CAN GIVE THEM MIRALAX TO TRY AND LOOSEN THINGS UP

PRUNE JUICE AND PEAR JUICE WILL HELP LOOSEN THINGS UP

CANNED PUMPKIN

THAWED FROZEN VEGGIES

ICEBERG LETTUCE (IT HAS A LOT OF WATER IN IT)

WATERMELLON

PEARS

PRUNES

KEEP THEM ON THIS DIET FOR SEVERAL DAYS OR MORE AND THEN SLOWLY INTRODUCE THEIR REGULAR DIET BACK IN.

*** IF THEY STOP EATING FOOD AND HAVE NOT HAD A BM FOR 48 HOURS AND THE OTHER TREATMENTS ARE NOT WORKING YOU HAVE TO GET THEM INTO A VETERINARIAN. THEY MAY HAVE A SERIOUS BLOCKAGE.

MILK THISTLE:

MILK THISTLE IS AN HERB THAT DETOXIFIES THE LIVER.  SO IF TOXINS WERE INGESTED OR LESS THAN OPTIMAL FOODS, THIS WILL HELP CLEAR THE TOXINS FROM THE LIVER.  BE SURE TO GIVE A LOT OF EXTRA FLUIDS AS THEY WILL BE EXPELLED THROUGH THE URINE.

DAY 1- 1 CAPSULE 4 TIMES A DAY

DAY 2- 1 CAPSULE 3 TIMES A DAY

DAY 3- 1 CAPSULE 2 TIMES A DAY

DAY 4- 1 CAPSULE

**BE SURE TO KEEP THEM WELL HYDRATED

BLAND DIET:

TAKE THEM OFF THEIR REGULAR FEED/GRAIN

“RICE SOUP”- PREPARE RICE. ANY KIND OF RICE THAT YOU HAVE ON HAND WILL BE JUST FINE. PLAIN RICE, NOT FLAVORED. PER 1 CUP OF RICE ADD 4 CUPS OF WATER OR SO. YOU WANT TO MAKE IT SOUPY.

**FOR PIGGIES WITH DIARRHEA DRAIN OFF THE LIQUID AND REPLACE THEIR WATER WITH THIS STARTCHY LIQUID. RESERVE THE RICE FOR LATER IN THE REFRIDGERATOR OR FREEZER.

JELLO- EVERYONE LOVES JELLO! PREPARE JELLO AND LET COOL. LET THEM DRINK THE LIQUID. THIS WILL HELP COAT THEIR STOMACH. IT WILL ALSO GIVE THEM CALORIES AND SUGAR SO THEY DO NOT GO INTO HYPOGLYCEMIC SHOCK.

YOU CAN ALSO PREPARE AND REFRIDGERATE MORE JELLO FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS WHEN THEY ARE ABLE TO HANDLE MORE SOLID FOODS

FOR THE FIRST DAY OR SO JUST GIVE THEM SOUPY RICE AND JELLO. IF THEY SEEM TO BE GETTING BETTER, MOVING AROUND, LESS LETHARGIC AND DRINKING WELL ON THEIR OWN YOU CAN START ADDING MORE TO THEIR BLAND DIET.

BANANAS

TOAST

RICE

JELLO

ROMAINE LETTUCE

APPLE SAUCE

AFTER A FEW DAYS START SLOWLY ADDING VEGGIES AND THEIR REGULAR FOOD. BE SURE TO WATCH THAT THEIR POO IS GETTING BACK TO NORMAL AND THAT THEY DO NOT SEEM TO BE BECOMING MORE LETHARGIC. IF THEY ARE BECOMING MORE LEHTARGIC AND THEIR POO IS NOT NORMAL START OVER FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE BLAND DIET.