When to Contact Your Vet

When your pig is refusing food, there is something wrong. Don't hesitate to contact your vet. Early medical intervention is important. You are the best judge as to when your piggy is not feeling like his regular self.

Your vet will want to know the pig's temperature, rate of respiration, and is he urinating and defecating when you call them and ask for advice. Have this information ready before you call. Have a thermometer and an idea of what your pig's usual temp is before it gets sick. Examine your pig's gums for moisture level and color while well so that you can know if your pig is pale or the membranes are getting "tacky." If your pig's temp is over 102.5 degrees something is wrong and he needs to be seen by the vet. We like the flexible digital thermometers sold at Kroger or CVC pharmacy. If you suspect a urinary tract infection, have a clean catch jar on hand so that you have urine to take with you to the vet. Look at your pig's feces and see if it is hard and dry or has mucous on it. All of this information will be most helpful to your vet as pigs are not easy animals to examine unless they are very ill.

The most critical piece of health care of any pig is having the ability to transport the animal to the vet or to evacuate in case of emergency. Make sure that you have a crate that your pig can comfortably fit in and turn around in and a vehicle that you can at least borrow to get it to the vet. We recommend a hydraulic lift table (one source of these is Harbor Frieght Tools) for picking up a heavy pig and crate into a vehicle if you don't have help.

Put your pig in the crate to feed it on occasion so that the animal gets used to it before it is needed. We have included health tips and medical stories about pigs in our care for your information. We do not intend for anything we say here to be a substitute for advice from a knowledgeable potbellied pig vet.  Your vet is your partner in helping your pig live a long and healthy life. Don't hesitate to contact your vet should you have a concern about your pig.